Identity In The Breakfast Club

It is important to have a strong sense of self in order to withstand pressures society places on us. We all act a certain way to be accepted by those around us. Identity is what is distinguished as our individuality and is influenced by others, to belong is to be accepted in society. Such ideas of identity and belonging can be seen through a range of characters such as Meryl in Bombshells, who is portrayed as a single mother of three who is very paranoid about what others think of her. Theresa is another character in the novel that is overtaken by the acceptance of others. We can also look upon characters such as Claire from The Breakfast Club who is afraid to stand up to her own feelings around her friends. In the movie A Cinderella Story,
Claire Standish is introduced as one of the popular, good-looking girls in the school. She is not a very smart student and, therefore concerns herself mostly with holding a place in the "in" crowd. This self-image that she creates, that she must look and act cool at all times, gives her the attitude and manner of someone who is very stuck-up. She generally stays in the attitude that she is more important than the other four who are in detention with her (Andy, Allison, John and Brian). She seems to be moving towards the idea that it is possible to have whatever kind of friends she could want at school until it comes her time to speak in the circle. She is asked by Brian if the five of them would still be together come Monday morning. Claire's responds, saying that, "Are we still friends, you mean? If we're friends now, that is? Do you want the truth? I don't think so." She believes her commitment to the "in" crowd to be more sacred than allowing who she could want as friends into her life. Yet after she brings this point up about how she can't leave her high place in school society, the others drill her with question after question about why not and why she can't handle the pressure of her popular