Movies as Equipment for Living: The Sociocultural Tradition in Mean Girls

Everything I learned, I learned from the movies. This quote by timeless actress Audrey Hepburn validates the ability of film writers and producers to blend life lessons or other valuable information into their scripts. Film is not the first aspect of the arts to take this path, but it is by far the most far-reaching. Movies are written, produced and distributed worldwide to audiences of every possible background. Rather than just provide a source of entertainment, movies take real life situations, and offer viewers a plausible, or sometimes not so plausible response to those scenarios. They are presented with characters who appear to be just like them, participating in everyday, normal activities. Viewers then subconsciously examine their own lives, and internally determine how valid the lesson might be. As someone who held a permanent seat at the "cool kids" table during high school, I am interested in how individuals, particularly teenagers, define themselves in groups and use these self-definitions to help and sometimes hurt others. Who draws the lines in the sand? Who decides the status quo? As a former popular kid and occasional mean girl, I'm interested to find out how my experience shaped my life to this point and how my actions may have affected the lives of others. The 2004 blockbuster Mean Girls (Mark Waters) provides equipment for living for not only high school students, but also adults who need to understand the importance of tolerance and openness with individuals different from themselves. To better understand my decision, a brief overview of the film is necessary. Cady,

a previously homeschooled 16 year-old, starts her junior year of high school. Her zoologist parents raised her in Africa. She is met by a world different from anything she has ever experienced. She has trouble processing the normal day-to-day actions that some of her fellow students and even teachers seem to take. In hopes to better socialize her, two misfits Janice and Damian take her under their wings. They give her the 411 on where to sit, whom to talk to, and most importantly, whom to avoid. In doing this, she is introduced to Regina George, the leader of a clique theyve not-so-affectionately named The Plastics. Cady undertakes the task of bringing down Regina George. The movie is largely spent with Cady becoming more and more like her nemesis and less like her original self. There is the usual climax where everyone finds out the truth, anarchy ensues and Cady is left ostracized by everyone, even her real friends. Ultimately she picks herself up, regroups and begins her slow climb back to normalcy. The film ends with what the viewer can only assume is a common understanding by all the characters: were all different in one way or another, and instead of using those differences as ammunition, we should celebrate them, respect them and possibly use them to bring us closer. I will admit to being part of the in crowd during high school. We essentially were our own destructive, misguided unit just like The Plastics in the movie. We thought we had it all: looks, love, smarts, material possessions, etc. I was voted best personality. My friends received best smile, most athletic and cutest couple. We ranked at the top of the high school hierarchy, and our attitudes showed it. Even though I spent my high school years in a Christian school, an environment one would think would be safe from judgment, ridicule and hostile teenage drama, it had all the makings of a good oldfashioned high school melodrama worthy of primetime television.

Methodology Kenneth Burke (1973) first coined the idea of equipment for living (p. 304). His idea was that literature offers readers situations similar to real life that in turn cause them to think differently about their own lives. Scholars have applied this idea to storytelling media such as film. I have taken the movie Mean Girls and applied several theories within the sociocultural tradition that seem more than fitting. Sociocultural theories aim to provide insight on how individuals identify themselves within the confines of a group, and how those identifications shape the way the person acts in that group. This paper will use several aspects of symbolic interactionism, face-negotiation theory, structuration theory and groupthink theory to analyze the flow of communication in the film. Symbolic Interactionism Face-Negotiation Theory Structuration Theory Groupthink Theory -self as a social object -society, self and mind -I/Me phenomenon -facework -locus, face valence and temporality -power distance -rules and norms -illusion of invulnerability, rationalizing, morality, stereotype, direct pressure, selfcensorship, illusion of unanimity

Data Theory Symbolic Interactionism Scene/Element from Film -Self as Social Object: Cady gets social map from Janice

Face-Negotiation

Locus: Students

-Society, Self and Mind: Cady not allowed to sit at certain tables, takes on role of a Plastic, begins to think of herself in terms of her newfound popularity Face valence: the

-I/Me Phenomenon: Gretchen Wieners cracks under the pressure

Power distance:

Theory

comments regarding who Regina George is

Structuration Theory Groupthink Theory

Rules: The Plastics give Cady a list of dos and donts Illusion of Vulnerability, Rationalizing and Morality: Cady, Janice and Damians plan to ruin The Plastics

creation of the Burn Review of Reginas Book control over the Temporality: Regina other Plastics turns in Burn Book and blames it on Cady Norms: Lunch table privileges, approved boyfriends or crushes Stereotype, Direct Pressure, SelfCensorship and Illusion of Unanimity: The tactics and language used within The Plastics

Analysis The concept of self as a social object, an idea introduced by Kuhn (Littlejohn & Foss, 2011, p. 99) applies throughout the film. According to Kuhn humans makes sense of, and deal with objects through social interaction. In the beginning scenes of the film, the main character, Cady, is unsure of her surroundings. She doesnt know where to go, what to do, who to sit with, etc. She meets Janice and Damian who give her a social map of the school. The object in question is the lunchroom. According to Janice and Ian, where you sit determines who you are in the hierarchy. Cady uses the map to gain a better understanding of the students in the school. Since the self also engages in conversation or analysis internally, Cady narrates a majority of the movie, giving the viewer insight to her personal mental journey. We hear her working out the different kinks as they come along. She uses the process of naming to make sense of the new objects she encounters on a daily basis.

Keeping with the theory of symbolic interactionism, it is important to consider the three main components of the theory: society, self and mind (Littlejohn & Foss, 2011, p. 191). In terms of society, consider Meads focus on gestures and the meanings adapted from those gestures. In the movie, Cady walks into the lunchroom on her first day of school. As she moves from table to table, she receives the same nonverbal gesture combination, eye rolling and a dismissive hand from every table she considers using. This gesture lets her know that the three empty seats at that table are not meant for her or anyone unlike the current occupants of the table. This is an example of what Mead called a significant symbol. It is a gesture with a shared meaning that indicates the future course of a social act (Littlejohn & Foss, 2011, p. 192). Cady is now aware that when she sees this gesture, she is to keep moving. Lewis Coser commented on this reaction saying, human communicative processes involve the constant self-conscious adjustment of actors to the conduct of others, a repeated fitting together of lines of action through definitions and redefinitions, interpretations and reinterpretations (Coser, 1977, p. 33435). The self can certainly be socially constructed. By not sitting at certain tables, other students silently confirmed that the Plastics were somehow in authority. They in turn took note of that perception and began to embody that persona. This is what Mead called role taking. Part of this role taking involves acknowledgement of the I/Me phenomenon. Steven Littlejohn and Karen Foss describe the me as any socially acceptable and adaptable behavior while the I is any creative, unpredictable impulses (2011, p. 193). Another Plastic, Gretchen experiences an I/Me transformation at the halfway point of the film. Gretchen is the ultimate follower. It would appear that she aims

to please her fearless, heartless leader, Regina. However as the storyline progresses, and Regina begins to like Cady more and more, Gretchens I feels left out. Her I begins to subconsciously seep through in her daily actions. She openly and proudly begins to defy and question Reginas authority in the group. Although it isnt clear to the viewer, the coming out of Gretchens I is a result of the work Cady was doing behind the scenes. By the end of the film, Gretchens battle between who she wanted to be, the I, and who Regina would allow her to be seemed to have reached a compromise. She found a new Queen B. to serve, but she was also set free of the Me persona that being a Plastic required her to portray. This role reversal helps conclude Meads theory with the mind. Mead described the mind as a process rather than a thing (Littlejohn & Foss, 2011, p. 193). This is because humans constantly examine themselves and their surroundings and act accordingly. They review the situation, consider the available responses (sometimes the I/Me phenomenon is present in this step) and determine how to respond. The mind therefore causes the self to react to whatever object has been presented by society. This cycle continues daily, whether via physical, social or abstract objects. Stella Ting-Toomeys face-negotiation theory also played a significant role in the film. Toomey suggests that face is ones self-image in the presence of others. It involves feelings of honor, status, connection, loyalty and other similar values (Littlejohn & Foss, 2011, p. 203). Face then, is how a person would like to be seen, and how others view him or her. In his 1967 book, Interaction Ritual: Essays on Face-to-Face Behavior, Erving Goffman coined the term facework to describe the communication behaviors people use to build and protect their own face and to protect, build, or threaten the face of another

person. The variations of face-negotiation, locus of facework, face valence and temporality are all seen at various points throughout Mean Girls. First, the locus, or the direction of the facework is shown in the beginning when students are seen giving their opinions and thoughts regarding Regina George. In this situation, the direction is to the face of someone else, Regina. Students ramble on about inane rumors they have heard. Regina is said to be flawless, evil, reigning Spring Fling queen, an overseas car model, breast enhancement recipient and several other meaningless descriptors. Regina does not necessarily desire to be seen this way, but this is an accurate presentation of how she is viewed by her peers. Next, face valence determines whether a persons behavior is either positive or negative. Since it is a movie about being mean to other people, there is more negative than positive valence in the script. Negative valence involves the direct attack on someone elses face or image. Regina George is the queen of this behavior. She and her followers have created a Burn Book over time. This book contains photographs and rude comments about most of the eleventh grade girls. She flips through the book, recounting the stories for Cady and laughing with the other Plastics. In this case, she is defacing or bringing shame to another individual, hence the negative valence. Finally, temporality speaks to the intent of the facework. Is it meant to maintain a present face or reestablish face that may have already been compromised? Once Regina sees that Cady is beginning to replace her as the Queen B., Regina goes on a teenage rampage. In order to make sure that everyone thinks that Cady is no more than her protg and after school project gone wrong, and restore her place at the top of the pyramid, Regina hands the Burn Book over to the principal. She implies that Cady is responsible for it because she is the only girl not pictured.

It is also important to consider the element of power distance (Hofstede, 1991). Though most scholars would use this term for more cultural and serious issues, it is still very prevalent in the film. Power distance refers to the gap between the person exerting the power and those who are affected by it. In most cases, those being ruled over are unaware of the problem or very accepting of the ruling, viewing it as normal. When viewers first meet the Plastics, they appear to be blindly, but completely led by Regina. Cady finds it strange, but Gretchen and Karen appear to be unaffected. In fact, when Cady first attempts to rise against Regina, Gretchen and Karen are reluctant and confused because they view Regina as an ally, not an enemy. The behaviors resulting in high power distance relationships are the aftermath of distorted self-construal, or how a person perceives themselves to be independent or interdependent. Gretchen and Karen prove to be more interdependent than independent because once order was restored, they both join new cliques and adopt new roles versus becoming their own unique selves. They both feel more comfortable under the guidance of others. Regina, on the other hand, exhibits a little of both traits. She was able to leave her stigma as Queen B. behind and join the lacrosse team with new friends, but still have a stronger sense of self through the change. Antony Giddens structuration theory also comes into play in Mean Girls. The basis of this theory is that when we communicate with one another, we create structures patterns of rules and norms that range from large social and cultural institutions to smaller individual relationships (Littlejohn & Foss, 2011, p. 275). This phenomenon is seen in the film through the way Regina governs the Plastics. Somewhere along the line, Regina established a set of rules and norms for the group that managed to stick around.

Breaking these norms is punishable by revoking your table privileges. Upon granting the new girl, Cady, to sit with them, the girls quickly give her the 411 on what is allowed and what is forbidden. From only wearing jeans or track pants on Friday, only wearing a ponytail once a week, not wearing a tank top two days in a row, to the famous And on Wednesdays, we wear pink, (Waters, 2004) rule, things get structured pretty quickly. Although Cady is confused and intrigued by these regulations, she finds a way to adapt her lifestyle to match the requests of her new friends. After all, anything less, according to Regina is social suicide. Also, elements of Irving Janis groupthink hypothesis are everywhere in this storyline. From The Plastics to Cadys true group of friends, everyone comes together to form a cohesive bond and go after one common goal. Janice and Damian convince Cady that Regina must be stopped. They provide her with countless examples that expose Regina for the evil she truly is. Cady finds out for herself on numerous occasions that Regina is not the sweet person she appears to be. This collective hatred for one individual fuels all three of them to take any measure necessary to bring Regina down. They follow through with several of the steps that Janis suggests occur in groupthink. The illusion of invulnerability takes over once they realize that they can manipulate the other Plastics against Regina. At one point, Cady begins to feel tired and even guilty of the charade, but Janice and Damian convince her that its for the greater good of everyone that she continue. They even remind her of Reginas attempt to keep Cady from obtaining her crushes affections. Just that quick Cady is sucked back into their group plan. This is an example of rationalizing their plan and stressing the morality of the issue. The second set of the groupthink elements are seen in The Plastics. Regina is

viewed by all as the leader of the clique. Since the clique has a severe mean streak, Regina is appropriately given the stereotype of the evil leader. By the movies end, viewers see that Regina, just like everyone else wanted to feel special. She wanted to be noticed. That does not automatically make her evil, but the course of action she chose to gain popularity does. Secondly, there is direct pressure from within the group to remain in agreement with the leaders point of view or the assumed group view. As Gretchen and Karen give Cady the Dos and Donts it is apparent that they may not necessarily agree with the rules, but they encourage Cady to follow them. They tell her that even if she thinks she likes a certain boy, she probably does not and must discuss it with the group first. This silencing of opinion collides with the self-censorship component. As Cady begins to wear Gretchen down, the viewer can see her inner battle playing out on her face and in her words. However, because of the rules in place, she is not allowed to speak her mind. Things are the way they are for a reason. Finally, the result is the illusion of unanimity among the group. From the outside, other students see The Plastics as a cohesive unit, whose only concern is what Prada bag or which Gucci lip-gloss to use that day. As long as they are making fun of the Cool Asians together, they appear to all be evil. No one is aware that on the inside, Gretchen finds them to be intriguing and fashionforward. Thanks to Cadys I, and constant questioning of the norms, the group is actually experiencing a great level of dissention and possible dispersion. Discussion In my own experience, defining myself in relation to others has always been interesting. After going through high school as a popular kid and entering college along with 20,000 other individuals, my self-concept changed drastically. Meades symbolic

interactionism comes into play here. My former list of descriptors included words like popular, friendly, athletic and funny. By the time I graduated from college, I used more adult words such as educated, insightful, well-rounded, leader, driven, etc. Since the concept of self is socially created, as my environment changed over the course of four years, so did my opinion of myself. I recall watching Mean Girls for the first time with my real-life Plastics thinking, Wow, is that what we do? Looking back, I remember us selecting our table at the beginning of senior year. It was right next to the best lunch line, allowing us to skip in and out as we pleased. Once we claimed that table, no one would sit there unless we offered them to do so. It was known that it was our table. Our unspoken gesture of choosing a table and leaving our things on it day after day created the course of action for essentially everyone in the cafeteria. Thinking about it now, I didnt personally have any issue with other people sitting at our table. I simply went with the flow of what our society of friends indicated was correct. In the present day, this film has shaped the way I treat other people. I was with my most recent employer for four years. I was a part of a team that launched a new store. The other employees and I were all hired at the same time and went through training together. We formed bonds with each other, and even called ourselves The Originals in future conversations. With the retail environment comes massive turnover. It is difficult to be the new person on the job. When someone walks into a break room and sees the camaraderie between coworkers, the initial feeling is to want to be included. But, like high school, it is never that simple. Knowing that some of my original coworkers were not as open to newcomers, I always made it a point to reach out to the new additions.

Now, instead of being a Plastic, I took on the role of Janice or Damian. I would give them rules and norms of the store, and tell them about which employees to watch for or which manager to impress. Even if I never formed the same bond with the new employee as I did with the originals, they knew that they are welcomed into our retail family.

Conclusion The socio-cultural tradition speaks volumes to the ideas of self and the self within a group. Many of these theories could be helpful in initiating talks about tolerance and openness among teenagers. Part of the issue, however, would be the lack of selfdevelopment. The average 16 year-old does not have a very firm grasp on who they are. This leads them to seek solace within social groups or allow their identity to be determined by those who view them as different from the norm. Like the scene in moves when the presumed ugly, nerdy girl takes off her glasses; she and everyone else had no idea she could be so pretty and awesome until she decided to define herself, for herself. Acceptance of other cultures and ideas is important at an early age, and can be helpful in later years. Being around a plethora of cultures and social scenes in the last ten years has strengthened my appreciation for those different from myself. Also, knowledge is power. People fear what they do not know or understand. It is also important that teenagers are acutely aware of the facts: not everyone is a trophy-winning athlete with wealthy parents who give them everything they want. There are some in betweens. If teens were educated about things different from their own lives or the lives of their immediate circle, theyd be less likely to attempt socializing those who are not like them. They may not agree with the traits, characteristics or lifestyle, but they can learn to

respect it for what it is. They can learn that perhaps that quirky girl who was raised in Africa isnt so weird after all. Shes smart, funny and even a bit insightful.

Works Cited

Burke, K. (1973). The philosophy of literary form. (p. 304). Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Coser, L. A. (1977). Masters of sociological thought. (pp. 334-335). Long Grove, IL: Waveland. Goffman, E. (1967). Interaction ritual: Essays on face-to-face behavior. Garden City, NY: Doubleday. Hofstede, G. (1991). Culture and organizations: Software of the mind. London: McGrawHill. Littlejohn S. W. & Foss K. A. (2011). Theories of human communication. Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc. Waters, Mark (2004). Mean Girls. United States: Paramount Pictures.