Study Questions
- How are the characters constructed?
- What are the main themes in the film? How do you know?
- What scene do you think is most important when defining each character's attributes?
- Do you think this detention has changed the characters? Why?
Essay Questions
- Discuss how film can Construct Ideas About Childhood.
- How do High School Stereotypes Separate and Isolate the Characters in The Breakfast Club.
Quotes
Quotes come in handy when giving evidence in essays and backing up answers. They are also important when understanding the themes and issues in the film. These lines from the film recognise the pressures friends and expectations can hold on people, how times have changed from when the film was set to now .
Claire Standish: I hate it. I hate having to go along with everything my friends say. |
Richard Vernon: [Andrew laughs at Bender's backtalk] You think he's funny? You think this is cute? You think he's "bitchin," is that it? Let me tell you something. Look at him - he's a bum. You want to see something funny? You go visit John Bender in five years. You'll see how goddamned funny he is.
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Andrew Clark: We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all. |
Quotes can also help define characters and how we see them. These quotes below illustrate the different personalities of Andrew, Allison and Brian.
Andrew Clark: I'm not a winner because I want to be one. I'm a winner because I've got strength and speed... kinda like a racehorse. It's about how involved I am in what's happening to me.
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Andrew Clark: So... what's your poison?
[Allison says nothing] Andrew Clark: ... Ok, forget I asked. Allison Reynolds: Vodka. Andrew Clark: Vodka? When do you drink vodka. Allison Reynolds: Whenever. Andrew Clark: How much? Allison Reynolds: Tons |
Andrew Clark: What do you need a fake I.D. for?
Brian Johnson: So I can vote. |
These quotes give us an insight into the lives of each student and how they feel towards their parents or home life.
John Bender: Sporto.
Andrew Clark: What? John Bender: You get along with your parents? Andrew Clark: Well, if I say yes I'm an idiot, right? John Bender: You're an idiot anyway. But if you say you get along with your parents, well, you're a liar too. Andrew Clark: What do they do to you?
Allison Reynolds: They ignore me. Andrew Clark: Yeah... yeah. John Bender: My impression of life at Big Bri's house, "Son?" "Yeah, Dad?" "How was your day, son?" "Great, Dad. How's yours?" "Super. Say, how would like to go fishing this weekend?" "Great, Dad. But I got homework to do." "That's okay, son. You can do it on the boat." "Gee." "Hon, isn't our son swell?" "Yes, dear. Isn't life swell?"
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John Bender: [Imitating his Father]
Stupid, worthless, no good, goddamn, freeloading son of a b**ch. Retarded, big mouth, know-it-all, asshole, jerk. [Imitating his Mother] John Bender: You forgot ugly, lazy and disrespectful. [Father's voice] John Bender: Shut up b**ch! Go fix me a turkey pot pie. [His own voice] John Bender: No dad, what about you? [Father's voice] John Bender: F**k you. [His own voice] John Bender: No dad, what about you? [Father's voice] John Bender: F**k you. [His own voice] John Bender: Dad, what about you? [Father's voice] John Bender: F**k you! [Pantomimes getting punched in the face] |
[crying, imitating his father]
Andrew: 'Andrew! You've got to be number one! I won't tolerate any losers in this family! Your intensity is for shit! Win! Win! Win!' You son of a bitch. You know, sometimes I wish my knee would give. And I wouldn't be able to wrestle anymore. And he could forget all about me. Claire Standish: [about her parents] I don't think either one of them gives a shit about me. It's like they use me just to get back at each other.
Allison Reynolds: You have problems.
Andrew Clark: Oh, I have problems? Allison Reynolds: You do everything everyone tells you to do and that is a problem. Andrew Clark: Okay, fine, but I didn't dump my purse out on the couch and invite everyone into my problems. |
MORE QUOTES...
John Bender: YOU ARE A BITCH.
Claire Standish: Why? 'Cause I'm telling the truth, that makes me a bitch? John Bender: NO. 'Cause you know how shitty that is to do someone, and you don't got the balls to stand up to your friends and tell them you're gonna like who you wanna like. Allison Reynolds: You wanna know what I did to get in here? Nothing...I didn't have anything better to do.
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Richard Vernon: You ought to spend a little more time trying to make something of yourself and a little less time trying to impress people.
Andrew Clark: And the bizarre thing is, is that I did it for my old man...I tortured this poor kid, because I wanted him to think that I was cool.
Andrew: Speak for yourself.
Bender: Do you think I'd speak for you? I don't even know your language. |
John Bender: Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy.
[Claire is doing Allison's make-up]
Claire Standish: You know, you look a lot better without all that black shit under your eyes. Allison Reynolds: Hey, I like all that black shit... Why are you being so nice to me? Claire Standish: Because you're letting me. |