The Breakfast Club | Psychology of Claire (character analysis by therapist)

[@zaragordon8049]

It always upset me when the group got angry at Claire for saying she doesn't think they'll be friends on Monday, in my view, this was just her being brutally honest. Realistically, what are the chances of Andrew sitting with Brian at lunch from now on instead of his jock buddies? What is the likelihood of Brians strict family letting him hang out with Bender, or Claire going to the mall with Alison? It sounds mean but I feel like she was just expressing the brutal truth of how they're all in their little boxes, and although they may have found some respite in detention after breakfast club ends come Monday, they'll be back in those boxes.

[@jilliank6379]

In my opinion, the two characters that are most likely to hang out after detention would be Bender and Allison. They have similar home lives- his parents being outward abusive, and hers being outward neglecting. There are also instances where they become protective of each other. 1.) Allison was the only one Bender didn’t pick on during the movie, and he even stood up for her by saying “She doesn’t talk, sir” after Vernon was interrogating her. 2.) There’s also the part where she takes away Bender’s knife after he becomes very heated up. 3.) Something to note is that in the beginning of the movie, he tells her “I've seen you before, you know.” The thing about Allison is that everyone ignores her except for Bender. To pull some personal experience in the mix, I was a lot like Allison in middle school and it made me an easy target for bullying. And as I said earlier, Bender never picked on her. He easily could’ve humiliated Allison for her “weird” behavior but he didn’t. Maybe because he understood where she was coming from? Who knows. I actually thought that Bender and Allison should’ve gotten together at the end instead of her and Andy or him and Claire haha. I get that John Hughes was trying to send the message that stereotypes don’t always apply, but Bender and Allison just make more sense than any other pairing in the movie.

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

I see your point. Claire was being brutally honest about whether they'll be friends on Monday, and I did like that she wasn't being fake about it. However, I don't completely disagree with the rest of the group for calling her out on it, though because she could've had a better way of answering it without being so cutthroat and heartless about it. I would have been upset at her too for saying stuff like that. Though, I probably would have calmly and nervously confronted her about it face to face in private without doing it in public. Technically, she's still playing into the idea that cliques should never mix. If one of her friends decided to bully Allison, for being weird, I'd really like to see what Claire would do. Would she go along with it or stick up for the underdogs (even if it means losing her "friends") for once? What I'm trying to say is she's not wrong, but she's not right either...

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

I will say this... the other group had no right to belittle her the way they did... Especially when Bender called her a bitch? I did not like that! At the end of the day, she gave an opinion even if I really don't like it. However, don't call her names!

[@sailorarwen6101]

100% agree. I completely related to her little speech. In today’s world being brutally honest always gets you criticized.

[@xiopaovid1215]

@@jilliank6379 Also when it's lunch time, Bender looked out for Allison by tossing her a Coca Cola. It could interperated in many ways. To me, it always seemed like he knew, if up to that point she hasn't spoken (except when she goes to get milk with Andy) he knew she wouldn't come up to get the drink herself. It's a subtle little thing that I thought was brilliantly added to the movie. But, I see Bender and Allison more as a brother & sister relationship. It made me think that maybe if they would've been written as siblings, they do subtle things throughout the film that shows they look out for each other. It's kind of sweet.

[@skyedeegirl]

I always hated how they are all empathetic to each other except Claire.

[@aleiaknight8276]

me too, i think it’s because in these stereotypes the princess isn’t allowed to have empathy and is always supposed to be the strong person that takes things with a grain of salt.

[@WrenoldWhealfoy]

I always saw it as how everyone else sees her; she has the house, the money, the food, the parents, at least in their eyes. She has everything she could ever want, so to teenagers like them, they don’t see how she could be miserable. They never really saw what’s inside of her and was only able to view the outside. That’s how I see it anyway.

[@trinaq]

Likewise, I wish that they were more compassionate towards Claire. Just because she's from a wealthy background, they automatically assume that her life is devoid of problems, and openly mock her when she tries to share her feelings with them.

[@frenchie4364]

i think one of them mentioned that once Claire is with her friends, she'll ignore them or mock them so i assume people like Claire have bullied them

[@courtneycherry5582]

I agree but it's just really hard to relate to Claire and her problems. Don't get me wrong I'm sure she has problems but I think most people relate to the other characters more and you're more empathetic to them. Just my opinion 😁

[@sarosenna5850]

To be honest, the fact that the audience doesn't relate to her is because the other characters, the other protagonists, belittle her experiences. Claire isn't just dismissed by everyone around her, she's dismissed by the narrative as well. As a girl, even if from a different era... this video is heartbreaking. And the fact that the audience is likely to dismiss her - looking at that poll - just hurts.

[@miranda_turtle0566]

Also as a society we pushed away being girly for so long. And exchanging it for the rougher tom boy type of girl. So by default people, especially young girls didnt want to relate to her. Everyone wants to be the though guy or the edgy girl. We don't want to believe that we ourselves are basic and just like everyone else.

[@sarosenna5850]

@@miranda_turtle0566 God, yeah. I had so much internalised "not like 'girly' girls" growing up.

[@CantWaaait]

You make a good point, I'm definitely guilty as charged

[@bunnywavyxx9524]

I disagree, while there are many traits in Claire the audience can relate to like wanting to maintain an image & feeling pressured to conform, she is also the standard of an ideal young girl. She is proper, fits conventional beauty standards, and "normal." Although most people struggle in trying to climb the social ladder to fit the standard - only few reach it like Claire has. There is some truth to your point though, because this outside is most of what is portrayed in the move and most people simply can't relate to having this.

[@prajnajois4065]

@@bunnywavyxx9524 I agree. You make a good point. I think this also highlights people's perception of "justice" and what they construct it to be like. Not many people are willing to see the pain masked behind perceived social affluence or, as in Claire's case, she has beauty, popularity, so her life's perfect; or it *should* be! And not many people are willing to see beyond that and see her for who she really is.

[@hgman3920]

I think another factor in why Claire accepts Bender's abuse is that she doesn't exactly have an example of a healthy relationship in her own parents. While it seems like her parent's conflicts are more passive-aggressive, it would not surprise me if there have been arguments including verbal abuse between them. In falling for Bender, she is following in the footsteps of her own family in a way.

[@suzannax]

Yep, seeking the familiar.

[@River_StGrey]

Same applies to Bender being abusive. That's what the script for a relationship looks like to him, which is not to excuse it.

[@alfreddreamer9097]

I don’t think so. I think Bender isn’t much like her father. Yeah he argues with her mother, but I think she’s more kind of just rebelling against her life by choosing Bender in the end, also giving in to his advances, etc. Damn, I hate Bender. He’s a bully and a jerk. Lol

[@monio.9444]

@@alfreddreamer9097 He's so tipical, the guy you hate and then you love 😂 I feel like we all had a Bender at a certain point in life cause we craved passion and rebelion. He is as Jess was for Rory in Gilmore Girls, a stepping stone to growing up.

[@delaneyvelvet9827]

@@monio.9444 this comment is underrated

[@trinaq]

Claire and Allison are polar opposites in many ways, yet also act as foils/parallels to each other. Claire is traditionally Girly, while Allison doesn't really confirm to gender norms. Claire is seemingly adored by everyone, while Allison is ignored, Claire tries to pass herself off as "Normal" and doesn't actively seek out attention, Allison desperately craves attention, and acts weirdly to get it, Claire's parents use her as a pawn to get back at the other, Allison's parents completely ignore her, etc.

[@dudewhereismyautomobile]

...what do you think a foil is?

[@azzy8121]

@@dudewhereismyautomobile Tin foil

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

I agree! That's why I always found their strangers to friendship dynamic in the end so interesting yet beautiful. I also think this is so relevant now because girls today are trying to break away from the "not like other girls" trope, and we can look at the scene where Claire gives Allison a makeover as kind of an example of breaking away from that. If Allison wasn't only doing it to get Andrew in the end, then we could look at that scene today as inspirational in terms of letting our feminine side come out and being pretty for ourselves and not everybody else.

[@nikeb4212]

In a way they both seem to want what the other has (allison wants people to notice her and give her attention by making conversation with/about her whereas clare wants to be able to do what she wants with no one using/watching/judging her)

[@angelle050801]

That's the literal definition of a foil😂They exist in contrast to each other

[@bb-ih9hg]

Bender sexually harassing her always bothered me and I think it's not the first time she's felt that way, not the first time she's been touched or made to feel small via sexual harassment and it makes me wonder how he would treat her in their relationship, if he'd push too far. With the anger he has, her reservations about having sex. It's.... Yeah...

[@mynameisreallycool1]

What's worse is that the actor who plays Bender was nearly a whole decade older than the actress (who was I think 16), and he harassed her behind camera too because he was "method acting". And people brush it off all because they enjoyed Judd Nelson's performance.

[@9ansean]

The thing is...I never really believed she was going to commit to a relationship with him. She may have been open to the idea of using him to get back at her parents just because he brings out her rebellious side, but that might only go so far. She may have been right in assuming they might look like a joke walking down the halls together. Look again as they kiss at her dads car. It seems inviting at first, but when he tries to go further she runs off with out another word. She HAS some sense of boundaries. In my view she may have giving that earring as little more than a parting gift. A final response to his rant about how you probably just got those as a present without working for them when all I got was cigarette carton. As if to say to say one more time she's trying not to be like her parents. Sharing the wealth. She's not stupid and neither is he. He admits to having another girl and she admits to believing in monogamy. I think Judd even said in an anniversary interview that he might have just put on that earring in the hopes that, maybe if I see her own Monday we'll have something to talk about.

[@laraabiona903]

It also feels like Andrew knows something the audience doesnt. The moment when Bender was first asking Claire if she ever had sex and Andrew intervened saying to leave her alone? There was this look on her face, as if she had been reminded of something that was very painful. I wouldn't be surprised if her friends have put her in a compromising position.

[@torakfett3351]

@@laraabiona903 I got the same feeling. I saw this movie for the first time as a literal child and several times over my lifetime…. The part that sticks in my mind and it always made me feel sick is how upset she got, how fast when he started talking about the earrings her “Daddy bought for her…” I could just be picking up undertones of something that’s not there though… idk but you’re the first person I’ve seen mention anything like that.

[@francescaliezeltan3104]

@@mynameisreallycool1 wait how'd you know where can I find the vid? Thank u

[@BryanO92]

Maybe it's oversimplistic, but I love how this movie seems to be about kids beginning to wonder if what they take as their identities are just artifices foisted on them by accident of birth. They're dipping their toes into the idea that the self is a creation.

[@angrykatrants]

Self is creation! I love that!

[@bunnywavyxx9524]

Yep, at the beginning they believe they're all so different from their parents.

[@happinesstan]

And Claire destroys it all. "I'm not saying it to be conceited", no she doesn't need to say it in order to be conceited. She says it because she IS conceited. She might be sad that her conceit denies her the opportunity to develop these authentic friendships that have germinated, but that's her.

[@moonlily1]

I think that people don't like to say that they identify with Claire or Andrew because people don't like to own up to being a conformist and don't like to think of themselves as ordinary, nor do people want to identify themselves as privileged. People like to believe that they're the underdog. But that's the point of the film, ultimately, that 'normal' people aren't as normal as you think, 'weird' people aren't as weird as you think. We're all a little freaky. But people who outwardly express their freakiness and own it, aren't the majority. Many people answering the poll who say they're like Allison or Bender are probably really more like Andrew or Claire than what they want to admit.

[@milton7763]

...and a lot more like the parents

[@jenrivera5893]

yes. I think a lot of people are probably more like Claire or Andrew than they are anyone else. especially the American suburban middle class.

[@moonlily1]

@@jenrivera5893 Well, I actually really like Andrew, he's a caring and sensitive person, more so than Bender. I believe that on Monday morning he offered a heartfelt apology to Larry Lester.

[@Trollestiatumblur]

Yeah, Everyone thinks they’re “different” and “stand out”… but they’re plain. Ordinary.

[@pattiwhite4960]

@@moonlily1 , I think they’re both problematic in different ways..Andrew probably grows up and conforms to be the jock(gym teacher or coach) his father wanted him to be anyway because it’s easier. Bender becomes a angry loser with several exs and child support up the ying yang😂😂. They are both angry, bitter and cynical middle aged assholes 😂😂

[@MariAnimates]

I think it's incredibly unfair that Claire is so disregarded and blown off when she actually opens up. Nobody relates to her because nobody bothers to actually listen to her

[@FabalociousDee]

Claire & Allison should have ended by being friends. No way in hell should Bender & Claire have gotten together, though. She was literally emotionally battered into opening up, which doesn't sit right with me.

[@milton7763]

I think people read too much in that ending. This is still a Hughes movie. The ending is simply the ‘opposites’ ending up together: the basket case with the jock, the crook with the princess. Brian was the one ending up alone because his ‘opposite’ would have been a jock type (physical vs intellectual focus) and there was no girl character that fit the bill. Also, Brian’s journey is more one of self love more so than for the others

[@FabalociousDee]

@@milton7763 Reflecting on destructive cultural norms we need to learn not to repeat is not "reading too much into things". Yes, it's a simple story, but understanding how stories are told gives us a heightened understanding of how our own minds work and why. Simply put in the right circumstances, it makes us better people. Hughes talked about opposites, cool. But let's not invalidate people noticing the flaws.

[@kaedatiger]

It doesn't sit right, but it's also more realistic. She doesn't know what a healthy relationship is and she's passive.

[@FabalociousDee]

@@kaedatiger Not necessarily. Teenagers can make bad decisions, sure, but it doesn't guarantee they'll literally just fall in love with each other in one day. Especially with such a rough start.

[@LA_HA]

Bender has obviously seen Claire around and knows she's too far above him to reach. So, what's the answer for the short window of time he has? To make her small by making her feel small. It's done in many forms of media. Just check out A Streetcar Named Desire. Stanley wanted Stella, but she was beautiful, wealthy, and had better suitors. So, he brought her down to his level and kept her there. And when Stella's sister visits and starts to remind Stella about their past, Stanley rapes her and when she unravels, he had her committed and then denies it by saying she's crazy and made it up. He did it To unravel the threat of Stella possibly realizing her error even though they were in love and Stella was pregnant. The desire Bender had for Claire was very similar. He doesn't want her to know that she actually had sexual power over him, so he acts like he is disgusted by her, that he hates her and the other rich, popular, beautiful kids who he sees has everything, while he had nothing. And he simply takes it out on her, all the while, he just can't stop trying to be near her, show off for her, and doing things for her benefit -- watch how he gazes at her when the group runs into the gate while they're running around the halls. Yes, he diverts the adult's attention for the good of the group. But, it's mostly for Claire. However, let's not pretend that Claire would be treated any differently now than she was then. You know what I mean. She's a young, beautiful, rich, virginal, White girl. She wouldn't be given a voice today, especially if her voice didn't rise up in self hate and flagellation of her privileges. The more she has, the worse she would be expected to feel about her Self and her life. Anyway, I love this movie and it's still a masterpiece of teen angst that keeps us thinking and talking about various topics many people can relate to

[@SleepyLeeeee]

Allison: "Why are you being so nice to me?" Claire: "Because your letting me." What would happen if we all set down our preconceived ideas about one another and just gave one another a chance? It's interesting...each character offers something to the group in terms of power when it comes to Vernon and each other. I wonder how many (if they were real people) would realize their choices sometimes repeat where they come from? Does that color how they currently see their lives because of that link? That's what I thought about in HS, lol.

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

I couldn't agree more with this. I feel like because Allison found her family, it allowed her to open up to people and not let those preconceived judgments get in the way. This was also a chance for Claire to get out of that "perfection" prison that was put upon her throughout her life

[@SleepyLeeeee]

@@rebeccassweetmusic4632 Yeah, absolutely.

[@Tigershark_3082]

With the setting aside preconceived notions about one another, I met some decent people in HS that way. I remember this one guy (I won't give names, as I want to maintain his privacy)... He was, by all definition, the traditional "jock" character. Playing football, constantly in a group with other jocks, etc. While he used to make fun of me back in my early years at HS, he started changing. He was only mean to me when he was with his group of friends. Anytime we talked when he wasn't around them, he was actually a really nice guy. Cut to my senior year (I just graduated about a week ago), and he's just become a really nice guy all-round. The main point of this is: Unless someone is directly bullying you, don't always try and cut them out completely. People change over time. Also: just because a person seems like a "jock", "nerd", or a part of any other group, don't completely write them off. They may end up becoming your best friend in the future.

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

@@Tigershark_3082 He sounds like Andrew

[@JL-re1rx]

“Every time you watch a movie or show again, every time you re-read a book, you will see something that you’ve never seen before.”

[@kathym656]

Claire has never told anyone her problems & lacks the skills to communicate her emotions. She has never seen her parents get along. They have been so busy fighting with each other that they have punished her for showing any negative emotion. We meet her as a teenager, but if we tried to imagine her as a 5 year old trying to express these emotions, we would begin to understand why she can't express herself. She raised herself in a chaotic household & is also trying to take care of the needs of her younger brother. The other kids in detention don't have a kid to raise. She has her younger brother to raise. She doesn't want to live with either parent, but wants to protect her younger brother so yes she chooses her brother to live with if her parents divorced. Her father expresses his love through money. She is like a favored employee. When she is the perfect woman in his eyes, he buys her expensive things & uses his money as power. No one knows or accepts her for who she really is. Her friends are her only source of emotional support. They don't know about her problems & she fears rejection & ridicule if they found out. They probably come from fairly healthy families. Once again conditional love shows up in her friendhips. Her perfect life is a facade to be accepted. She is trapped in her life & is looking for a way out.

[@marsinator3675]

Beautifully put. I'd never considered her raising her brother but now its very clear. She cant afford to follow her own wants and needs not only because she's stuck between two warring parents but also because she's acting as a parent herself. Thats a big emotional burden for a teenager to bear as well as navigating the chaotic relationship between her parents. So the obvious solution for her is duck your head, take the most passive least offensive option possible and play the part.

[@EverlastingHobnocker]

I don't remember her mentioning a younger brother, always assumed her brother was an adult with his own place

[@9ansean]

@@EverlastingHobnocker I though so too. Because when ask if she had a choice about which parent to live with, she says I'd probably live with my brother. As if to say living with him beats having to deal with either of them. Then again, if her brother was younger that could also mean that she'd just going with who ever get the him in a custody battle.

[@marsinator3675]

@@EverlastingHobnocker i assumed older brother too but i don't think its specified either way so in that case its ultimately up to the viewer on how they decide to see it.

[@meelabee4400]

@@EverlastingHobnocker that's what I always thought.

[@amy9215]

God that scene where she tries to explain her perspective is so suffocating. I don't know why, but that scene, as well as when they called her a tease, is so relatable and hard-hitting. I felt that reliability as a young woman where you feel as though you aren't going through nearly as much as everybody else and you aren't worth their time, so you shut up. It's hard to watch such heavy scenes through her eyes and it’s truly a mess at the end when she ‘gets with’ Bender. I felt so angry at the scene where he harassed her and so hurt when she went into that closet. I couldn't help but feel so close with her and I'm so glad you made a video in which you showed a different perspective. She’s so demonized during that movie to the point many don't see her as she is: a confused young woman in an unhappy situation. edit: I do understand that it isn't as simple as I make it seem. She does take advantage of her power as "the princess". I was mainly relating to her when it came to struggles as a young woman without a voice and feeling as though my struggles or opinions are irrelevant/unimportant.

[@Robin-ty2wz]

I don't think she's demonized in the movie. This was just a very accurately portrayed hypothetical situation. This is how people react. It's easier to be cruel to people who are so far removed from you, just think about how cruel people are to celebrities and pretty youtubers especially. A lot of it has to do with jealousy because they don't actually understand what it's like to be in that position, all they see is the rose tinted display being presented to them. They lash out because they think they deserve to. You don't get to speak, your life is perfect.

[@Natalie-gb8vm]

99990’ ok ok o ok oo oop “ I. Imm m I’m

[@milton7763]

Actually, the movie shows a more nuanced view than what you are fitting her into. She is not just a confused young woman in an unhappy situation. She is also shown to relish her popularity to an extent, to distance herself from the others and have at least some sense of superiority. That’s what makes this movie so great: the whole point is the breaking of the mold. Not just that of the singular archetype (nerd, princess, basket case etc). But also of victim vs abuser/privileged person: they are all shown to be victims in some sense but also feel superior to others in other aspects.

[@amy9215]

@@milton7763 I most definitely agree with that point. In the comment, I was mostly sympathizing with her character, therefore, I may have been overlooking some of her actions.

[@katycat527]

Milton77 i think the “relishing her popularity” is a very interesting point, because it’s like everyone else is allowed to put her on this pedestal except for herself, why is that? why do we get to point a finger and call her conceited like the rest of the characters?

[@BrookeSimmons]

I was sexually assaulted in school by a classmate I had a crush on, when I was a teenager (though younger than Claire). I think your description of what she must have been thinking and processing was absolutely spot on, or at least it was spot on for my experience. One additional thing that took me years to process was the fallout from the fact that my instinct in the moment was the freeze response. Claire didn't have a pure freeze response but she showed aspects of it, continuing to cover for Bender *while he was assaulting her*. Kids generally don't understand that it's an instinctive reaction, your lizard brain trying to protect you. So it's the sort of thing that can torment you afterward, thinking not just that it's your fault, but that maybe you didn't make a scene because you secretly liked it, because maybe you're broken. It's not unheard of for assault survivors to date their assaulters, at least for a little while, hoping that it will retroactively erase their trauma. So I agree that the assault isn't completely inconsistent with someone in her position dating her assaulter. Anyway, even all these years later it's extremely meaningful to hear someone empathising with a school-age girl who experienced acquaintance assault, and you described it so well that I felt validated. So, thank you for going out on that limb. :) Have you seen the film Little Miss Sunshine? It's one of my absolute favourite films and I would love to see you analyse those characters.

[@suzannax]

Yes, it actually surprised me to hear it verbalised like that. I think it's something so many people experience at a young age and either don't look back on, talk about it, or wouldn't be able to pinpoint the feelings from it. When it is talked about, it's the action of who did what, who's to blame. It narrows the view, when we ignore the backdrop of the rest of the things happening in our lives at the same time.

[@nicole-ls4jb]

Sending you light and love, Brooke.

[@Briteravenswan]

Ditto.

[@ilovecourtneylove4825]

I didn't understand why Claire fell for bender at all

[@clairewillow6475]

Yup. Dated my assaulter too. Till this day I have all kinds of weird reactions to what happened

[@chase1678]

the way claire is treated by the characters and the movie itself always broke my heart. femininity is such a double edged sword, demonized, belittled, and victimized, and it is a box no woman asks to be put it in. the way she's treated ruins the movie for me, because i relate to her so viscerally. i felt like the movie was mocking me, when it was heralded by everyone as the pinnacle of acceptance. it hurt

[@OfficialROZWBRAZEL]

the movie _tried_ , but this "girly=don't use brain" mindset is so ingrained that everyone just steps over it both in and out of the movie I don't think anyone making it even intended for that, it was just so natural to not consider a teenage girl, who is openly girly, as anything but less. No wonder so many girly girls reach peak bitchiness in high school. How do you spend the most tender formative years being told the things you like and gravitate towards and your very _self_ are inherently worth less and so hateable that Other Girls are desperate to prove they're Not Like You to feel worth something...and not lose your shit?

[@happinesstan]

The way Claire treats herself...

[@progrocker666]

@@OfficialROZWBRAZEL Girls have been arguing over how they don't want to be perceived ("I'm not like the _other_ girls") for so long that they ultimately forgot how they _do_ want to be seen -- the image of the snake eating itself comes to mind. And, now we live in an era where the question _"What is a woman?"_ is an indefusible bomb ready to explode on anyone who dares put forth an answer.

[@marniekilbourne608]

Yes, her high school life and her home life were very similar to my own. I wasn't really all that confidence in my looks but I knew I was not completely unfortunate and I did have all the right clothes that were in and not exactly cheap. I was very girly always wearing some makeup and having my hair done. My wardrobe was pretty varied on my mood but it was the 90's and a lot of looks were "in". I did have a fear of anything being said about me or rumors about something untrue. My friends were all decent looking girls. I did do all of the "right" things in school for the most part. I partied a lot on the weekend with many different groups of people. My girlfriends and I had many groups of male friends from other schools and from own own school. Some older guys and one a year younger. I liked high school. I had the regular issues and insecurities but overall it was a pleasant experience. Especially compared to other students. I did stand up for others often though. I could do that for them. Particularly other guys because the guys picking on another guy didn't want my disapproval. I did go to two proms with guys that definitely turned heads. I was asked and I accepted. Sure we got looks and it made me a bit uncomfortable but I figured if they had the guts to ask then I ought to accept. Other proms I attended with the same boyfriend. I brought a guy that was 2 years older than me from a nearby town to homecoming and I did enjoy the head turning I got from that. I won't lie. I didn't bring him because of that, we were dating but it was something I hadn't figured would cause as much of a stir as it did. It happened that way with another older guy from another town I dated. I know my Dad hated it and he'd ask if they didn't have any girls in their town. It just made me laugh. He didn't like guys from my own school either so it didn't matter who it was. I dated decent guys but I certainly had my share of bad boys in my life. I most certainly dealt with sexual harassment in high school and throughout my entire life. Sometimes worse. It's sad that I just feel like I have to deal with it as it is a part of life. I guess it always seemed like the other characters in the movie had issued that were considered much worse than Claire's. That is true in a few cases but that doesn't mean Claire had no problems or did not have the right to voice her issues.

[@chris7263]

When I saw that poll I thought "well, I don't identify with Claire," but now after going into her... I wonder if being the character who hadn't gotten a video yet contributed to why she had the lowest vote.

[@farrellmcnulty909]

I remember I hated Claire the most. this of course was 36 years ago, and while I don't identify with her or Andy for that matter (Allison and Bender are the ones) , I no longer have heavily negative opinions of the characters or the people that inspired them. It's "you go your way and I'll go mine"

[@miranda_turtle0566]

I feel like also because of some parts feminism and such we've pushed away being girly. We are told that women should want to work and make money and be tough amd not girly. So a lot of girls especially don't want to relate to her.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

I feel like most people think of her as just the rich and popular girl, so people automatically conclude that they already can't relate to her by default just because they themselves aren't rich or popular. These people don't understand that Claire's entire personality isn't about her just being rich, pretty, and popular. You don't have to be rich to relate to feeling stuck under your society/family's expectations or going for men/women because your own parents have their own relationship problems. I know a lot of people who can relate to that, and yet I think if you asked them if they could relate to Claire, they'll say, "Lol no. I'm not a spoiled brat and queen bee from a wealthy family." A lot of people think very black and white, and they see people as completely one dimensional when they're not.

[@Ambir91]

She was just a character that i just couldn't relate until she fell for Bender. I was like "yep, i'd probably fall for him too at that age, like many young girls in a family that shows very little affection or is emotionally ausent".

[@daft_j]

I related to Claire, minus the popularity. I tried really hard to fit in and became “pretty”. Also Claire and Bender’s relationship reminded me of my first bf abusing me behind closed doors

[@dwc1964]

Best-case scenario for Claire is, she goes off to college in California and she & Bender each move on from each other after high school. He could be just what she needs for senior year - and that's it.

[@moonlily1]

In my mind, the gift of the diamond earring was a momento because this moment is the only one they're going to have. The experience she's had this is going to change her, internally, but expression of that change will come gradually. She isn't going to just change her whole persona overnight. I think she will stay in the same social group for the rest of high school but begin setting herself apart from her friends in small, relatively benign ways, and express more of her own will to her parents in small, relatively benign ways. She might have the odd stolen glance with Bender when no one's looking or say hi to Allison and Brian every once in awhile but probably won't have an active relationship with them, but when probably take more notice of people she used to ignore, also in small ways. She may develop some new and less expected interests, like maybe start listening to darkwave or something, but nothing that's going to drastically change people's image of her or remove her from her social standing. However, I think she'd do a big personal revamp on herself with college, when she gets to start over somewhere with a clean slate where no one has any preconceived notions, just go wild and start getting stoned on the reg, major in art and indulge her weakness for bad boys, and some of the choices she makes will be great for other and others terrible, but she'll turn out a more or less okay adult.

[@littlehaven7275]

@@moonlily1 I think you are spot on. I don't think whatever was happening between her and Bender would have continued beyond stolen glances and the hidden mutual knowledge that he is wearing her earing to school every day. Carrying around a little piece of her. Sometimes things just are what they are, and I think their relationship began and ended on that Saturday. But the memory of that Saturday in detention will go with her into adulthood, helping to shape her as an adult.

[@moonlily1]

@@littlehaven7275 Dodging a bullet, really. All that abuse he heaped on meeting her would come back the moment he felt threatened or insecure with her, as he inevitably would, especially since she already showed him that it can get him what he wants. He needs to work on himself a lot more before he would be a boyfriend.

[@maheenm.k1015]

You should start a movie analysis channel, I like your character breakdowns.

[@kkeerreenn9]

I always thought Clair giving the earring to Bender was more of a 'remember me' thing, not a 'we are dating now' thing

[@chocolatemilkhotel96]

Definitely notice how allison steals mementos thruout the movie

[@down-to-earth-mystery-school]

Or a compensation that she was born winning the lottery and he was not - plus a middle finger to her father who bought her the earrings but didn’t get her out of detention

[@musingmina3257]

It's open to interpretation and boy, are there all kinds among audiences. Mine is that they do end up dating, especially since he puts it on instead of slipping it into a pocket. That's my take on it.

[@musingmina3257]

@@user-kg8ep7xe2j But that line in the song (also its title, of course) is about keeping the faith alive, or that's how I hear it. There's even a part that goes, "It's my feeling we'll win in the end/I won't harm you or touch your defenses."

[@allycat7486]

@@user-kg8ep7xe2j In addition to what @musingmina3257 wrote, the song was originally Won't You Forget About Me. Won't was changed to Don't specifically because the movie (basically) ends with Claire and Bender, and filmmakers wanted their scene to convey a hopeful tone (and I'm assuming, not just them but the whole group as well). The thing about John Hughes was that he was very big about the songs used in his films, he sometimes even created a soundtrack before he wrote a manuscript, so I guess even small details made a difference to him.

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

One of the positive moments I enjoy seeing in the movie is when Brian tells Claire he's never had sex before and he's a virgin. Claire tells him to not be ashamed of being a virgin. There are so many reasons why I loved that scene. What made me like that scene was that Claire sticks up for Brian, AND it also helps erase the stigma that teens should "rush" to have sex for the first time before they become adults. That scene portrays how uncomfortable it can be for one to talk about their sex lives sometimes and that not everybody is as sexually active as others. Society puts so much pressure on "virgins" to have sex. It's insane 🙄

[@Random_Wierdo.]

Brian did not show Claire the same courtesy when she was put in that spot, even worse, he seemed curious and egged it on. 😢

[@rebeccassweetmusic4632]

@@Random_Wierdo. Yeahhhh... He was not nice to her, unfortunately

[@deanstanley2125]

Well boys of that age are expected to be conquerors, sexual slayers of women amongst their peers and admitting that you are a virgin makes you a target for ridicule and abuse so lying is preferable than the truth.

[@discodeus]

Her character is the only one that never got to really leave her box. They all saw her as a pretty rich brat at the beginning and at the end they saw her as a pretty rich brat with a boyfriend?? She never got to have her moment of sympathy due to everyone dismissing her as a one dimensional character.

[@MattAndImprov]

I can't be the only one who is the most interested in the janitor, can I? In a movie that's all about power, connections, hierarchies... he's the one character outside of all that. No power so no pressure, not involved in any mesh of connections so he can just be a person if anybody (Brian) chooses to see him as just that, and then the thing with the clock.

[@Toxic_Femininity]

I wanna be the janitor 🧘‍♀️

[@hgoodin1013]

@@deanjustdean7818 did you catch, in the beginning of the movie, Carl the Janitor was featured on the alumni wall as "most likely to succeed"?

[@milton7763]

@@deanjustdean7818 I would say Bender is pretty far from well-adjusted. But more importantly, the question is: “adjusted to what?”

[@pattiwhite4960]

@@milton7763 , he has adjusted to hiding his pain and fear of physical and mental abuse with the defense mechanism of being a smartass and getting attention anyway he can good or bad.

[@milton7763]

@@pattiwhite4960 Yes, I would agree that is part of it. The other part is, tell a person they are no good, scum, don’t belong etc long enough and eventually they will start acting accordingly

[@AMCmachine]

The Breakfast Club is really like a play when you think about it. A small cast, focus on a very few characters, it's quite dialogue driven, and almost all the action occurs in the school library or the school building as a whole.

[@xzavierslater3512]

As someone who does relate to Claire's take on honesty I was waiting for this. When I was younger I was so fixated on others perception of me and upholding a perfectly stoic image. I was also very passive and making myself truly be heard is something I still struggle with today, which makes me feel a kinship with Claire.

[@angelbabyconjure]

Same

[@xzonia1]

I don't think this movie could ever be made today in the way it was in the 80's because the sexual harassment would have to be addressed today. Back then, women and even girls getting sexually harassed was very normal and, to an extent, expected. The pretty popular girl in school was generally treated as an object of desire, and no one cared what she wanted unless she wanted them back. Claire embodies that. The one odd thing about Claire is that she didn't already have a boyfriend, which popular girls usually always had someone in their life that they could refer to as a boyfriend, regardless of how they felt about him. Someone acceptable they could go with to dances and other social events. That Claire doesn't have some token guy she'd have to blow off for Bender is the odd part of this movie, something they never delve into really. I suppose this does fit her character well though, that she's so passive she doesn't even use a suitable classmate in that way as most popular kids in the 80's did. It was also a weird trope of teen movies back then that the popular girls didn't have boyfriends, which was always odd to see because in real life girls in that position protected themselves by having a guy designated in that spot specifically so they wouldn't be harassed, even if it was a guy at another school or in college that they could say they were dating (whether they were or not). This movie makes it clear that Claire is "fair game" because she's not already with someone, and that was the prevailing attitude in the 80's. I was lucky I had brothers, so I never had to deal with dating or getting sexually harassed in school, but my friends did. The prettier a girl was, the younger she was when she first had a boyfriend to hold that place and keep other boys away. Claire was an example of what happened to pretty girls who didn't follow those unspoken rules and failed to have a boyfriend. I really hope it's not like this for girls in middle and high school today. Loved the video! I look forward to the next TBS installments. :)

[@randieshanesings]

Interesting question - I agree that it’s a little unusual, and does leave her vulnerable here.

[@colonelweird]

I think one thing that made this movie so popular is that it took the standard high school character tropes and put a twist on them, so they feel more realistic. Clare was the pretty popular girl, but without the confidence of one - or rather her confidence is superficial. We discover she's actually fearful and insecure. I think it makes sense a girl like that wouldn't have a boyfriend. She seems too fearful to engage in the strategizing that would enable her to use a boyfriend to protect herself. But your comment reminds me what a nightmare high school was.

[@xzonia1]

@@colonelweird Yes, I do not miss high school at all. Was so glad to leave, and I've never gone back to any of the reunions.

[@WickedPrince3D]

That is an interesting question. I'm way older than the kids in this movie and even in my time high school was a time to explore dating, even if you didn't DO anything. What I've seen sometimes is that popular girls would have a harem of guys that were desperate to date them and they'd deny them because it gave them power. There's a song that came somewhat out of this time that expresses what I'm getting at. kzbin.info/www/bejne/a4a7Y5ScqLmkfKs

[@helenl3193]

But with her cool/aloof exterior she'd struggle to create any/enough depth of feeling with any guy to feel she could trust him in that role, surely? Especially with her parents as such awful role models for romantic relationships!

[@hannieslays3751]

I kind of wonder if she likes Bender because he's real with her. When you are surrounded by two faced people, sometimes you gravitate toward something that feels raw and honest. Or at least what you perceive as honest.

[@kellymcphaul2793]

That’s what I always thought.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

That could be it. He's seemingly more "real". Though I come to find that even guys who are similar to Bender can also be fake, just in different ways, from Claire's pov, he seems different and honest.

[@JJ-kd5mx]

@@mynameisreallycool1 well that’s the thing about why Bender likes Claire: she’s real too. That’s why he lashed out in their therapy session after she says they all won’t be friends Monday. He knew she was right

[@AlyRoad]

People don't get that Bender is projecting majorly onto her not because he actually dislikes her but because he does like her. It is the stupid kindergarten mentality and if it was only that I'd dislike them getting together as well but its not. At first he dislikes them all but he has to break his own wall down when he starts to get to know them and actually like them. He is more like her than any one else. They both have rigid stereotypes associated with them and most people won't even let them try to show anything more. We also need to remember they are teens, and teens do develop and change emotionally in order to mature. Even as a teen, I saw each character as an archetype and Bender being the one that alters and expands each of them in the end even himself.

[@n.d.m.515]

Although I couldn't relate to her, as I was the nerd character, she was my favorite character out of all of them. She was attractive and seemed the most normal. All the others were jerks including the jock and nerd. She seemed like a nice person who would have left everyone alone if not harassed by the others.

[@thomaszloi9444]

I think they didn't want to empathize or like her because they feel like she doesn't deserve to be perfect nice girl,she's nice because she's privileged, she never had hard life,it's easy for her to be nicer more normal than they are. Even though she doesn't like her current friends she's not lost or alone like them and that's exactly why they were all mad when she was telling truth. Because when she'll return to her life she won't face what they will,she'll be above them it's easier for her to accept truth. That's why they think she's cold,she's privileged bitch,she's conceded,weak to despair to change something.

[@lanitana100]

You just made a lot of people realize they can relate to Claire.

[@jayspeers8653]

Could you do characters from Heather’s? Anyone would be good but maybe start with JD Thank you!

[@trinaq]

Seconded, all of the characters would be ripe for analysis, particularly JD!

[@AudsVids]

JD would either be a therapist's dream or nightmare. The stuff with his dad is super weird.

[@kp0pp3r]

I'd love this

[@gaetissue]

Omg please

[@poet8708]

I also agree

[@slipperysloper3721]

Would really love a breakdown of Cameron from Ferris Bueller. His relationship with his father, his hypochondria, his subservient relationship with Ferris, etc etc. You could do a whole series on him and it would be great.

[@holiday197]

Something that is underlying in the film is that Claire feels that her wealthy lifestyle and home environment is being threatened. Her parents are fighting over her constantly which is not a good sign and could signal a pending divorce. If they divorce while she is still living at home then the parents would be dividing money and assets meaning that Claire will be living with a parent who has less money than she is used to having. For her, it may seem like not only a downgrade in her (economic) class status but also a downgrade in her social status. She probably fears that her friends will not want to hang around her any more if she is unable to afford to go shopping often and/or buy expensive items. She would also have less means to do the kinds of things that her friends would like to do (assuming her friends also lived a privileged life). I think she fears that she would no longer be valued and it shows when Claire is triggered when Bender asks her where she got her earrings from and insinuates that her dad always buys things for her. That's the real problem for Claire. She questions her value and uses materialism to mask the problem. But she also fears that the mask may be starting to fall off and is afraid of who she is and what she really brings to the table beyond the materialism and social status. One other problem that Claire may feel she is facing is that she thinks she is the glue holding her family and parents together. It's possible that her parents may be staying together just for her and that when she finishes high school and leaves home then that is the end for them. Claire would be feeling pressure to try and keep her parents together if that is all that she has ever known. Unfortunately I think Claire's problems are overlooked because her problems may sound vain but there are more subversive and bigger problems hiding under Claire's surface that she will have to face sooner or later.

[@gwenmorse8059]

Claire has always been the character I related to the most in The Breakfast Club. I'm almost the same age as Molly Ringwald and so all her roles in the Hughes films were an important part of my life when I was a teenager. I wasn't a "popular" girl, but I had a large group of friends. My male friends objectified me and my female friends had very strict rules for how I should behave. I was afraid I would have been shunned and driven off if I didn't smile through the harassment and follow the rules. Allison is in the movie to show what happens to the kids who don't have a clique. Claire's fear about doing anything that would lose her social status is something I understood very well. The other characters have a skill for the clique they're in. They have something they feel proud of that they can bring to new relationships even if they get cast out of their clique. Brian is smart. Andy is athletic. Bender sells drugs. When Bender calls Claire out about it, she shows how she can apply lipstick without using her hands. Claire demonstrates that she's smart, empathetic, and open-minded. She's very insightful and articulate about what is happening during detention (and in how she understands and can explain what will probably happen on Monday morning). But when she's asked "what can you do?" she responds with a cheap sleepover trick. She doesn't have any sense of her own worth as a person. She probably wraps all her esteem in the school status given from her parents' money and social position. It would be why she walks into detention so afraid to risk it - even to the point that she didn't want to be in the same room with Bender, Allison, (and possibly Brian).

[@nexus7512]

hearing you say that it wasn't Claire's fault that she got harassed (and using second person) moved me to tears my dude. It really felt like you were speaking to me. I appreciate the way you talked about it in this video. Thank you 💓

[@monio.9444]

I think she fell for Bender cause he wasn t intimidated by her. I hear stars usually fall for those people who aren t fans and who don t treat them like they re celebrities. Bender challenges everyone but especially Claire, I believe he s trying to break her bubble and make her express something, even if it s anger. Cause she mainly is aloof and she speaks without being emotionally involved in anything she says. Even when she s angry it seems like she s holding back. She hides her emotion because no one perfect would show rough emotion, right? The royals are known for never making public comments or expressing their opinions publicly. I think that's the part where i identify with her and that's why I could get this. And you're right, there is power in that, and people not knowing what you are trully thinking or feeling puts them in their own mind, worrying "what could she be thinking? Did i do something wrong? Is she mad at me? Maybe she thinks i am disgusting but she s too polite to say it etc."

[@randieshanesings]

Great point.

[@rishaa682]

it’s weird that he objectified her (w the sexual harassment) but also didnt objectify her in a way ( he didnt treat her as the princess object)?

[@randieshanesings]

@@rishaa682 that’s true and worth considering.

[@aminerkin9844]

People fall for people that have certain attributes that they lack in themselves

[@antithoughtpolice7497]

He's the kind of temporary love that help you personally grow, instead of being the forever-and-ever kind of love.

[@corbyn4101]

This guys videos are so calming

[@fatbitch7168]

and so well thought of

[@darlingxluxii7977]

Beautiful too 💖💖🥰🥰🥰

[@nicoles_handle]

claire screams "SHUT UP" as i read this LOL

[@Tigershark_3082]

Indeed they are. The thing I live about this guy is that he really does know what he's talking about

[@blackoceancreativeuniverse]

i did NOT expect to RELATE to Claire. Perfectionist, vain, worried about maintaining an image. Perceived as snobbish. Weighing all answers in the light of image.Vaguely annoyed at everything.

[@torakfett3351]

Also, when you're sexually harassed at school and it's treated as a joke, you *do* question your feelings about it and the person who did it. It *SUCKS!*

[@nikkishelton5918]

if you want to continue the theme of 80s/John Hughes movies then i think that Ferris Bueller's day off would be really interesting. I've seen a lot of interesting theories and I think that all the characters could be interesting analysis (even the parents really).

[@delaneyvelvet9827]

i was just thinking the same thing ^_^ the two movies have a v similar vibe

[@xzonia1]

I love Ferris Bueller's Day Off so much. Would love if he covered that movie. X)

[@mikemayor8954]

i second this!!!

[@DayLikesCookies]

I was just gonna comment this same thing! great minds and all that :p

[@Lexy-O]

Definitely! I actually find Slone the most understated and complex character. She seems to be Ferris’s motivation for being so entertaining.

[@hauntedmushroomsasmr7716]

There are multiple films like this one (Legally Blonde springs to mind as well, Caroline from Vampire Diaries too) where the typically girly girl, the popular one, the pretty one is instantly demonized and even twisted as to be some sort of villain. She is portrayed as shallow, bitchy, and stupid. They are instantly belittled, as any achievement and accomplishment they receive is instantly diminished to “sleeping her way to the top.” You can’t be ambitious because you will only have promotions because you’re hot, you can’t be smart because you are “too consumed with your looks,” you can’t be kind because “you’re attempting to manipulate.” Can you imagine the stress she must be under to constantly be to appear perfect in practically every way? She is SURROUNDED by hollow people, people who are consumed with appearances and wealth. Claire is entirely alone. The worst part of it is, no one even listens to Claire.

[@babygurlcatzsparklezz]

Hmmm. I agree with the message, but Legally Blonde is a critique of what you’re describing

[@whatreallymatters571]

To be fair they are all those things though, at least at first. It's like a defense mechanism though, the only thing of worth to the people around them is their beauty and privilege, they aren't anything without those things and they know it and continue to act in ways they know will get them positive attention. It's like a 50/50 split of fault. People using them and judging them and them using other people and judging others. Except for Legally blonde, L was basically a breath of fresh air for the girly character stereotype. She was automatically shown to be caring, attentive and understanding. The other characters are botches but they usually get a character change towards the end.

[@hauntedmushroomsasmr7716]

@@OfficialROZWBRAZEL No. I’m using Legally Blonde as an example as so many characters, especially other women, in that movie despised her because she was feminine and girly and popular. In higher education, I see a lot of traditionally feminine women get dinged by other women as “stupid,” “shallow,” or “not deserving of their place.” I should’ve phrased that much better.

[@OfficialROZWBRAZEL]

@@hauntedmushroomsasmr7716 You can still edit your phrasing so this misreading doesn't happen again. I'd hate for you to still be mistaken for saying something you're not. ah, okay, so you actually meant how in the film _other_ women in academia who didn't take her seriously have bought into the idea that they're Not like Other Girls and Elle is that Other they look down on, and also the dudes do it too, mostly.

[@rainabustillos8498]

@@OfficialROZWBRAZEL what do you mean dudes do it often, when really women likes to put down other women 🤔 🙄

[@isadorabondarenko2503]

i would say is vary courageous of her in being sincere and telling everyone that she don't think they will speak again. I doubt as she said andrew and bender would the next day speak with alisson and brian or be willing to form a group . That is why they get so judgmental and mad at her because deep down they now is probably truth and she was the only one brave enough to call how it is.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

I may not have rich parents, but I feel for Claire, especially with the she's badly treated by Bender. I've been harassed in high school numerous times by a guy I had a crush on. Thank you for this video, because the bit where you empathized with those of us who question if it "didn't count" as harassment for whatever reason actually helped. I'm always finding myself analyzing the different events and thinking, "Oh but was it bad enough to count as harassment? Maybe it doesn't count, because I wasn't loud enough when trying to set boundaries against him every time, and I liked him, and I continued talking to him despite the fact that I didn't like being touched. Maybe I did want it, and I didn't realize it, or I'm supposed to." Thank you for validating us.

[@happinesstan]

That's one of the things about being a teenager, you can't know if you want what you've never had. I don't think it's a question of wanting anything, because you've no idea what IT is going to be. But naturally the anticipation, and not knowing, but having the ability to know is going to be somewhat exciting. If IT turns out to be awful then it's fair to say you didn't want it. But I think it's fair to also say it's probably not what he wanted, either. I think both sides deserve at least one early fumble before we start addressing their issues.

[@theFakeRed]

I always felt bad for Claire, excited for this video :)

[@trinaq]

Likewise, I always felt that she got the brunt of Bender's abuse, and she didn't deserve any of that.

[@Hersheychocolate12]

They were so weird about her. I felt bad how easily dismissed throughout the movie.

[@fcv4616]

The character's names also reveal something about each character's archetype. Claire is French for "clear", which alludes to her pristine facade. Her last name "Standish" makes me think of something high and rigid like a pillar, alluding to the upper-class. John is a very common name (hinting perhaps low-class?), and his last name "Bender" is fitting for someone who is constantly "bending" the rules. It might also be foreshadowing that he ends up being the driving force that makes the group open up. The nerd's name, Brian, can easily be changed to "Brain" (Bender even calls him a "brain" at one point). The jock's name, Andrew, comes from Greek meaning "strong" or "warrior", which fits him since he's a wrestler. Allison's name has german roots, meaning "noble" or "high" , and just like her name she is lofty and has her head in the clouds, but she is secretly deep and wise.

[@DiddyKongsLeftFoot]

unrelated as fuck but i can see where Matt groning got the inspiration for Bender the robot from in Futurama (bender from this movie), both of their attitudes are the same, especially their name “Bender”

[@carolu5750]

The characters of The Umbrella Academy might be interesting looking into! They even have similar archetypes of the Breakfast club i'd say. Or at least Allison reminds me of Claire. But yeah! I love your breakdowns of these characters, you are definetely an underrated channel!

[@SGlitz]

My unprofessional opinion is that Claire and Bender is like her parents. Yeah, he is a middle finger to her. But the possible future is a marriage where they are zinging and cruel each other, just like her parents. Obviously, her parents didn't start out that way, but will Claire and Bender go that way. While I was never "popular" (except AS sport-not sports) I can understand the requirement and expectation for perfection (and the disappointment when it is not achieved) and the anxiety it creates. That's me today, nearly 59. So I know them all, especially Allison, but in this video I got to see MY Claire.

[@dwc1964]

But for him, they could mirror _his_ parents - that's the scary part. She might be expecting the passive-aggressive psychological shenanigans she grew up with, but he's been brought up with much more blunt tools.

[@WickedPrince3D]

@@dwc1964 Yes, it could go many ways. He could act the way his father did, she could act the way her parents did and they'd make life terrible for each other and their children. On the other hand, just maybe, they'd prove to be the person that cares that neither of them has. I've seen way too often things go the first way; but I like to hold out hope that people can redeem themselves.

[@deliawallace4426]

In 1985 I was 15 - what Bender did with looking up Claire's skirt would not have been viewed as sexual harassment. It would have been considered inappropriate, but ultimately it would have been written off as "boys being boys". Yep that was the shit we had to put up with!

[@thegreenmanofnorwich]

I always rather liked the subtlety with Claire. When I first saw this in the 90s when I was about 14, social strata seemed utterly impenetrable. At least climbing them did. One misstep and everything that you have, not for comfort, but to escape the bad stuff, goes. She has by far the most to lose by remaining friends on Monday. Bender would be too scary to challenge, Andrew is popular and male and would be in a rare position to elevate others. Alison and Brian nobody would care much about. But Claire, the fairy tale princess is supposed to be perfect and passive. Any lack of perfection could very easily destroy her if she didn't come at it with utter confidence. Claire doesn't have confidence; she has armour of shallowness and condescension that she doesn't really feel.

[@xxxxxx-ij8wf]

God it really is true even though she gets to respond/reject Bender’s harrassment and the others don’t respond as upset as they should be huh...

[@9ansean]

They don't respond to Andrew's anti-gay slur at Bender. Not even Brian and Alison who made have been on the receiving end of that kind of talk more often without daring to sass back as Bender did. Another reflection of the times. theiramazement

[@michaelharrington75]

​​​@@9ansean Gays stayed in the closet throughout high school back then. To come out would put a huge target on their back. It wasn't tolerated.

[@killianmccluff36]

Never seen TBS but binged all the analyses I actually find myself a bit like brian. I really would like to see vernon.

[@DNorbs7]

Yeah, Vernon def has a lot of issues. Haha

[@rishaa682]

@Daniel Norbut yes yes he does lol

[@trinaq]

Agreed, Vernon and Carl would be interesting for sure. In the beginning, the man of the year is depicted as Carl, who is back in his old haunting grounds.

[@sparksfly5877]

You should watch it! It’s pretty good. Should be on Netflix, else a sketchy film pirating website called act.vid has it.

[@milton7763]

“I hace to wonder if it’s because they are the blandest persons...” NO! It is _very_ obviously because they are the popular kids. People attracted to your channel are, no surprise, not the typically the popular kids of their high school time.

[@farrellmcnulty909]

Actually, that's right - I mean, speak for yourself, but, it's still true.

[@krysiunia]

Yes!

[@romeoslover817]

Theater kids….we were a variety of all these social groups, but we all got along because of a common interest, and the common interest included the opportunity to be someone else in their play roles.

[@alfreddreamer9097]

The Breakfast Club is one of my most favorite movies of all time. A classic 80’s film. A part of my childhood. It influenced a lot of tv shows and films. The acting is so effortless. It’s like they’re not even acting, and they dealt with social issues people could relate to.

[@geminis1523]

I always felt so bad for claire tbh...mostly when bender makes her cry and brings up her dad. I felt that part and it was so unsettling to me. It also helped me understand the "popular girl" perspective more. I was always the weird art girl lol so I never really got any insite to why the girls at my school acted how they did. So this was very interesting. In the end we all just want acceptance. 💗

[@catspaw3092]

The library in that school is so cool looking & spacious with that art sculpture right in the center I can imagine that people have climbed it.

[@logicdiary3179]

I could understand why people don't like the makeover scene but I really do like it. Its a moment of the two girls finding a place they can meet whereas they were complete opposites for the whole movies. The fact of Allison "needing" a makeover isn't the point but rather that Claire knows makeup and boys thats how she knows to connect with Allison. She saw the attraction between her and Andrew and wanted to do something nice. I would assume that her and her mall friends have this as part of their social norm. In no way is Ally Sheedy not pretty, she's just an individual; Claire just wanted to draw out her natural beauty by using a more natural color around her eyes and opening her face up with the headband. I thought it was sweet. But then again, I never conformed to the 2021 social norms so I still people as people, without the guise of wonky views of social constructs. I'm an outlier perhaps of this viewpoint while the world obsesses over identity and where people fit in. Can we just have some individualism without giving it madeup names? I'll probably get hate for this but whatever; if you can hate me without knowing me then I can love people without knowing them. I do just love people and I love this movie. It took a little piece out of 5 different social groups and fused them. I do see Claire and Andrew as separate groups in the sense he isn't one of her shopping buddies, they float in similar circles but not the very same; Claire isn't a "sport", she's a "princess".

[@Ineverusemychannel]

Yes! I also think it’s a moment of vulnerability especially for Claire. It’s not really about the makeup but the two girls who would never be seen within five feet of each other relating to one another. Make up is one of the only things we’re shown Claire is allowed to have passion for and she chooses to share it with this girl who has never had a friend or caring family member. Claire gives Allison the kindness and attention she was desperate for the entire movie and in return Allison proves the popular kids aren’t as close minded as they are pressured to be. Claire said they wouldn’t be friends come Monday but she also gave Allison the tools to get what she wants (attention, friends) and potentially break through social barriers with Andy’s help. It may not be a good message to say being conventionally attractive is the key to getting what you want/need but ultimately it’s kinda true especially in high school, and the willingness of both girls to share gentle, honest moments with each other shows character growth. It’s a sweet scene.

[@fables4564]

Binder projects his emotions on others. If he doesn’t get therapy their relationship would be doomed.

[@miranda_turtle0566]

Well it is implied that they never talk to eachothrr again

[@Pinksugarelephant]

As bad as I feel for him, he's complete mess and I wouldn't want anyone I care about to date him.

[@fran2815]

I’ve always felt so strongly connected to Claire AND to Bender, as they symbolized two warring versions of my adolescent identity. High-pressure, passive, objectified perfectionism vs. fiery, defiant, violent action. Thank you for this video and for giving Claire her fair shake.

[@pauljacobs435]

Claire falling for an abusive and aggressive asshole in her teen years is the most realistic thing ever. Who says it’s not believable?

[@milton7763]

I love the background info about this movie how they seem to have tried ‘acting out the relationship with the parent’ with most of the characters (maybe all?), in the end going only with the cut for Bender. Possibly because it worked the best, possibly because Judd Nelson delivered the most convincing performance

[@cambricjimenez4882]

Claire was the only one not being a hypocrite about Monday. And I'm glad she individually called Bender and Andrew out that they would do the exact same thing if Brian approached them and they know deep down she's right.

[@hastalavista567]

Maybe if you have poor values, but I guess most people have poor values.

[@felixthecat2786]

I absolutely believe someone like Claire would fall for someone like Bender in the real world. There are so many toxic, degrading relationships that people fall into and I would argue most of them (in fact). But I also believe that many of these relationship cause us to grow and learn about what it is we really want in a partner as well as what we're willing to take from others. Claire has no real boundaries with the people in her life and Bender keeps pushing boundaries until he finds them. It's a great lesson for the two of them. I think people like Claire teach others how to treat one another. Claire is like a mirror for everyone in the film. They really push her up against a wall metaphorically by asking her uncomfortable questions, putting her in awkward situations, dismissing her, feelings degrading her, and even violating her physically/sexually, etc... It's actually Andy who stands up for her and tells Bender he's not allowed to "look at her" or "talk to her." Because Claire has no boundaries Bender goes so far as to sexually violate her and this is where she drew the line. It's one of the few moments in the film where she actively does anything (hits Bender). I believe that someone like Claire (who is completely innocent in a sense that she has no agency) is exactly what Bender needs to learn and grow as a person. He can't keep going around treating people like they're garbage, pushing boundaries, and get away with it. Because Claire is innocent and has no agency, she's brought into his destructive behavior. Bender needs a mirror to look at to know that he's gone too far and Claire is that mirror. If he mistreats her, then he really needs to come face to face with his own cruelty. Often times people like Claire end up being around people who unknowingly abuse and degrade them. It's important to find someone who can see what they're doing and stop themselves I think Bender's aggression is sorely needed for someone like Claire. The relationship could work long term If he turns his anger towards himself and others into a defense and fight for her as a person.

[@magicalwatermelon5147]

But should Claire really be a stepping stone for someone else’s growth? What about her growth? It’s hard to come in to yourself when you’re constantly being degraded by someone.

[@rantcasey498]

Well I played out this exact scenario in 2015. I was in love with Claire type of chick. She was a beyond gorgeous. My perfect woman. A green eyed, red head with smooth creamy porcelain skin who turned heads anywhere she went. She was absolutely out of my league to say the least! Smart, funny, kind hearted & wasn't the least bit conceded. Never looked down on people like me. A fresh outta rehab heroin addicted loser with a bad attitude & quick wit for defense mechanisms. I didn't have anything worthy of a cat's attention let alone the girl of my dreams & she was absolutely amazing & so good to me. So naturally I fucked it up within a year being selfish, emotionally unavailable &:abusive. I regretted losing her so much I committed to getting psych help & changing my ways but too little too late. That was 10 years ago & I'm still heartbroken & ashamed of my actions & she absolutely despises to this day. I think I subconsciously sabotaged the relationship cause I felt unworthy of her love. Hopefully she's happy but I doubt she would say the lesson she learned was worth the trouble. 💔 ​@@magicalwatermelon5147

[@deeanderson4164]

Claire learned that day. She was shallow, but she was more than that. She showed a caring side, maybe not gushing with it, but she was kinder to Alison, tried to help her out with her makeup and showing her not to hide behind her hair. She let Brian know it was okay to be a virgin. I think she got it when he also cried and displayed how much pain he was in for failing his shop class and ruining his grade point average. In a way, she did relate with Bender. They both lacked vulnerability, and they had their unlikeable side. But I think they grew from their interactions with each other that day. All the characters did.

[@Print229]

I was a teen girl in the 80s and this analysis of Claire killed me softly. Pretty girls do not escape rejection and harsh judgement. There's A LOT of traps around being pretty.

[@robinkozloski6377]

Would love an analysis on The Perks Of Being A Wallflower & how trauma effected the main character (Charlie) and his viewpoint on things

[@StarFire-fk9jr]

YASSSSSS OMG! DO THIS 1 PLEASE!^^^

[@randieshanesings]

Wow! Thank you! Despite trusting you to have something to say, I think I was skeptical that anyone could bring depth to this character and inspire real empathy in me. But you absolutely did, and without stretching. Makes me want to watch it again and just focus on her. You took all these little nuggets and found the emotional through lines, your appreciation for her emotional dilemmas and how they would result in what we are seeing in Claire seems spot on to me, as and demonstrates the depth of your ability to LISTEN. I actually feel I can relate to her now, and care about her, when I was very much struggling to do that before. As a therapist, that makes me want to think about my blind spots and what they reveal about my own wounding that might block my empathy for certain clients. Thanks again!! Worth the wait!!

[@a1nelson]

You sound like an excellent therapist. Much respect to you for _actively_ keeping an open mind, while also looking to up your game.

[@randieshanesings]

@@a1nelson that is so generous of you to offer, thank you!

[@steveneardley7541]

I always liked Claire, because even if she was unhappy, she was always honest, even about herself. For most high school kids life IS just happening to them, and they are just floating through, trying to avoid trouble, and seizing little pleasures here and there. I think she at least understands that her life is sort of empty. She is not a phony in that regard. I think it was unrealistic that she would end up with Bender, but at least it would be something different, some kind of drama that she was actually a part of. As for "sexual harassment", I don't put it in those terms at all. Bender is just a trouble-making jerk, and he's that way with men and women, old and young. Open hostility is his default mode. I went to school with a lot of people like that.

[@randieshanesings]

@@steveneardley7541 that’s a little similar to a “boys will be boys” argument…just because he’s generally shitty to people doesn’t mean it isn’t sexual harassment. People who struggle to see others’ humanity ARE more likely to commit sexual harassment, among other things.

[@a1nelson]

@@steveneardley7541 I'm a bit unsure how to interpret the sexual harassment scene. While it was undeniably inappropriate, I do wonder if we might be applying a modern lens to the event that

[@NoirL.A.]

first of all i was also in high school back in the 80's and had to do detention and i assure you it was nothing like this movie. second the claire character isn't anywhere near as severe a snotty bitch as many i knew in high school and have known over the years. she's humble and down to earth in comparison.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

Well I don't think anyone would think that this is realistic, no matter the decade. I didn't go to high school in the 80s, but I know that in the 2010s, you weren't even allowed to speak during detention, and there was always a teacher monitoring the kids the whole time (probably playing on their phone, grading papers, or reading). I'm sure it was somewhat similar in the 80s. That's probably for the best though. At least we didn't have to worry about guys harassing us during detention. Only during class hours. 🙂

[@NoirL.A.]

@@mynameisreallycool1 i was kidding around of course it would be nothing like the movie. real detention would be much to boring for a movie.

[@mynameisreallycool1]

@@NoirL.A. lol okay sure

[@-stage_number_03-95]

14:50 absolutely. Claire is viewed as someone with privilege, someone who got the perfect hand given to them at life. Others see her as a point of envy, not a person. What people fail to understand is that we all have privilege in our lives. We all have something that someone else doesn’t have. We all have something that another person would crave. Claire’s privilege of popularity and money is the most easily seen, therefore she is most easily judged. Claire should stay on her high horse and pretend her problems don’t exist. Claire should be content and happy with her life and let everyone else with real problems have their moment. Right? Sadly that’s how she is seen, and how people like her are seen. I never knew how much I’d related to Claire until now. How people look up at you judgmentally because of your circumstances. How you are seen but not heard, not allowed to have an opinion. It’s extremely sad, and a lot more relatable than people believe.

[@popstarprincess123]

Finally she gets some acknowledgment Thanks Imagine stretching the princess to the extreme you get ether broken or lazy in the sense of ambition

[@keaganparkins48]

Not to push you to something I’m certain you’ve been suggested before, but if you were to do a podcast I and many others would absolutely listen the hell out of it. You’ve got a very pleasant calming voice and manner of talking my friend.

[@animeasmey2]

I relate to her most. Everything you said was spot on so far

[@atallguynh]

I'd love to see your analysis of the adults (even those not seen on screen) in general. How they contrast with one another, how they have influenced the kids, etc. Also, what about the kids as unreliable narrators? Presumably the real (granted, fictionalized) parents aren't as cookie cutter as the kids perceive them, but yet these perceptions are a big part of what makes the kids who they are. And, it's who they fear they will become.

[@coyote4237]

In the 90s, a TV series that ran for just one season called "My So Called Life" aired. I think after watching how much you put into TBC, you would enjoy the show, which still tops the list of best shows cancelled after one year.

[@bernicegoldham1509]

Devoured every episode of that show as a preteen. Sometimes watch the low quality uploads here on KZbin.

[@Ineverusemychannel]

@@bernicegoldham1509 currently on Hulu btw

[@bernicegoldham1509]

@@Ineverusemychannel très bien! 🙏

[@erinbailey7940]

I related to Claire a lot... until the end. I could NOT fathom why she would get with Bender. At my age I couldn’t really analyze the toxicity of Claire choosing a poisonous relationship in mimicry of her parents. I just saw a girl who was smart and passionate choose a guy that had done nothing but be rude and hurtful to her. I hated it. She lost all my respect with that choice, but until then she was my favorite.

[@annabanana7659]

I think in a way Claire unconsiously gravitated to Bender was because of the dynamic that she often sees with her parents. Some people may unintentionally look for the same person/dynamic that have traumtaized them because it's what's familiar. It's like how some people have controlling parents and they will look for a partner who's also controlling. Oftentimes, people who're in an abusive relationship can't see it, usually it would be pointed out by a third-party. Either that, or because despite Bender being a sexual harrasser (I hate that he never got called out for it) and being so uncessarily hostile to Claire (due to him projecting his insecurities to her), she might've found him refreshing since she's been surrounded by people who likes her since she's popular and rich. She must've seen him as an honest guy who doesn't take shit from anyone else and she admired that since she had to play the 'good girl' role for the majority of her life.

[@teresasis6980]

I always felt that also.

[@niccawicca]

Unfortunately, people born and raised in an abusive home will likely get into toxic relationships themselves. It's a cycle of generational abuse. This movie was made in the 1980's. In the 1980's, movies glorified toxic masculinity more than they do now. Men got away with abusing women in movies during that time. It was considered normal. Males were harassing Claire in this 1980's movie. That's why she was shouting "No, I didn't do it!" to make them leave her alone about virginity. Because she's a popular girl, the other characters dismiss her abuse to make themselves feel better. This is why I dislike "The Breakfast Club" to some extent because Claire was a punching bag. It's cruel and glorifies toxic masculinity. Bender personifies 1980's toxic masculinity against women before #MeToo started. So, I don't think his character aged well. I certainly don't think "The Breakfast Club" aged well entirely because it shows 1980's toxic masculinity and homophobia. But it does have its classic moments. I liked Claire more than the other characters treating her like a punching bag.

[@phglam]

I genuinely love your analysis on Clair because I always thought this same thing. She actually had more power AND problems more then most people thought. I loved Claire's character because it showed that just because u have thing or money,wealth or prestige doesn't mean u dont have problems or issues. Sometimes it makes it worse

[@Gerikit]

I think the relatability of the characters changes a lot for me based on when I watched the movie in my lifetime. As young kid watching the breakfast club I related heavily to Alison and Bender by default....now as an adult I understand Claire heavily as a direct parallel to life as a working adult surrounded by the expectations of family and society. All in all, further reason for me as to why I love the Breakfast Club so much.

[@nancymcmonarch]

I always thought Molly was absolutely beautiful. The first time I saw her, though, was in a very sad TV movie called "Surviving: A Family in Crisis." HIGHLY recommend! She plays more of an Allison character, but much darker. Added bonus: Pauly from Goodfellas dancing to "Heart of Rock & Roll" at a neighborhood pool party, in lemon yellow Dad pants.

[@sweetmyrrh]

Thanks for all of your work on these beloved characters. One thing I believe is even though he would be a total nightmare as a boyfriend Bender really did like Claire. He is just such a hot mess from his abusive family and bad reputation he doesn’t know how to act except abusively. When they were going to his locker and got to the locked gates and thought they were caught, he looked over at her and said no, he was caught, not them. Was that the first time he sacrificed himself for the group, letting them escape. Maybe some character development? Whatever. Looking at it from our time we know how much therapy he needs! But he was very attractive and also intelligent. I think there’s hope he can break the abusive chain I just don’t know if poor Claire would be mature, or expected to, help him. I d like to think, from a 2021 viewpoint, they all got a taste of really connecting with each other, and had the courage to stay friends.

[@dwc1964]

I'd like to see a wrap-up dealing with the entire group dynamic as it progresses throughout the film For The Algorithm

[@Chris-mj3ql]

I love how empathetic you are. Another great analysis.

[@shararrahman154]

In a way, each of the breakfast club members have a signature color John Bender: Red Andrew Clark: Blue Allison Reynold: Black Brian Johnson: Green Claire Standish: Pink

[@SH-ix6mc]

Claire continued complaining about her life and eye rolling in 16 candles.

[@crickling]

claire is my favourite because shes the only one who was realistic about their friendship not making it until monday and also molly ringwald is hot and i grew up wishing i looked like her

[@theprodigaltraveler6942]

I like to look positively and hopeful upon Claire and Bender as a mythic taming and civilizing of the wild man, as in Shamhat and Enkidu. I think that they have both grown and learned enough that they might avoid the potential abusive relationship. But maybe I'm just an optimist.

[@IntroMind]

I'm realizing that Claire is my favorite character in this movie because I relate to her the most

[@WickedPrince3D]

Thank you for getting to this. At the least the series is incomplete without taking a look at Claire. I can definitely see the possibility of her and Bender's relationship becoming abusive; I've seen that sort of thing happen way too much. But I like to believe that their shared knowledge that neither is loved at home would give them motive to care about each other. They both need somebody who understands them, and at first Bender acts out a lot because of his own problems, but by the end he seems to take her more seriously and with more empathy. Outwardly they are very different people, but inwardly they have a lot in common. I can identify with every one of these characters on some level; at the very least they are struggling to figure out how to survive a life that is very unfair.

[@milkeywilkie]

15:46 it was this monologue from Claire that actually made me relate to her the most of all the characters. I've always been conscious of the harsh realities of social hierarchies, and as much as they are cruel institutions, they inevitably exist. Moreover, it is rare to find an individual that doesn't behave in such a way that actively reinforces the hierarchies and rules that go along with them. Claire and Bender are my favorite characters, and I relate to Claire a lot, actually.

[@samanthas6073]

Claire has always been my favorite. Even as a girl. I related to her most. And I HATED how everyone talked and treated her. Especially the harassment it was so messed up, ugh! I just wanted to jump in and defend her 😠

[@parkgeonhees]

I always did relate to Claire but I couldn't figure out why and I think you hit the nail on the head (though I'm only halfway through the video) - she feels so trapped

[@davidkonevky7372]

I always felt bad for her. Although she is extremely privileged, you can tell she has her own demons. It can range from a neglective household to problems with her view of sexuality, to a toxic social status she involved herself in the form of being the popular girl. And the thing is, she never had someone to vent those feelings. Her parents are def not going to hear, her friends are probably not going to care about her feelings, and even when she did in the form of the breakfast club, she still got belittled and made fun of. She is a hard character to feel emphatetic towards, but it doesn't mean she doesn't need it. She's just better at hiding her flaws

[@andriottijunior]

I discoverd your channel 2 days ago after searching for any analysis of The Fall (2006) and reading the comments there I could check some asking u to make a video about Claire at that time. I got curious, because I remember watching TBC and thinking about each character's complexity. Even though I'm 40, I've watched that movie very late (or not), probably when I was 33 because it's a friend's favorite and he always told me to watch it and I always skipped, which was unacceptable to him as he's quite aware that I love movies (and I agree). Until one day he locked us in his room and said I wouldn't leave until the credits roll. That was funny and later also made me feel like the characters in detention, and my bad behavior was never have watched this amazing movie before. I thank him for that, because I remember expecting a teenage comedy and at the end I was crying a river. I could finally understand why this movie is a beloved one for so many people. I haven't revisited it since then, not because I don't want to, but because it moved me so much that every opportunity to do that I postpone it coz I know it will pull me back to a teenagehood that was likely not easy to go through. I remember get myself caught in between Claire and Allison and the way they hide their weaknesses, and how much vulnerable they are inside by oppressing it so much or trying so much to detach themselves from their reality but kind of feeling unnable to do it. Anyone can relate themselves to each one of the characters at any moment, but for personal reasons both moved me a lot. Amazing character analysis, I'll surely watch the other ones. And yes, your video demands me to revisit it as soon as possible.

[@shpankyfunky]

This was so deep I got goosebumps throughout the video. Amazing job you did!

[@kaialietetreault8909]

Oh my god. When you described what may have been going through her head after Bender's harassment of her (I'm really sorry you went through that btw, you're so strong), those were exactly my thoughts the first time after being groped and harassed. I was a virgin then, like her, and I went back to the guy, like her (spoiler, it didn't end well). I never even realized how much I relate to Claire, and I wish the movie would've dived more into her and validated her more, she has so much potential as a character.

[@hanakiluciel9407]

I sort of feel for Claire's feelings of being in a prison to be honest. Got everything I need provided to me and yet I still feel more suffocated than thankful.

[@AlexAlexmac8888]

I always had a feeling Claire was getting molested by her dad. that’s why he bought her such expensive gifts,and let her do whatever she wanted so she would keep their secret . she seems to feel like life is happening to her and she has no escape because she really didn’t school or at home she seemed to be prisoner of circumstances.

[@JL-re1rx]

“Every time you watch a movie or show again, every time you re-read a book, you will see something that you’ve never seen before.”

[@strawberryjam1150]

At first I thought she was a snobby, chic, egotistic, exasperating character who I can care less about but watching this analysis of her made me do a whole 360. She so complex, honest, astonishing and just overall a good character who is underestimated. Def now one of my favs

[@victoriabryer4710]

Off topic but one thing that always bugged me about Allison make over scene, is the Claire uses the eyebrow brush on her after Bender used it on this teeth, he was really getting in there with that brush. Gross

[@Old_Man_Fire]

i subscribed to this channel six months ago, waiting for this video, and have never been disappointed the entire time.

[@Erro_404_Not_Found]

I cry watching this

[@meelabee4400]

I relate to Allison the most. I was very similar to her in high-school. My home life was similar, I didn't talk at school, I wore all black, etc. I love this movie, and these videos.