The+Breakfast+Club

__**Marxist Theory**__ Throughout the film the audience sees how different high school social identities come together and don't become as segregated anymore. In other words, popular and unpopular start to even themselves out, which indicates social justice and equality. In one of the first scenes, when the teacher is briefing the students about the rules of detention, the blocking of the characters show their high school social class. The princess and athlete in the front and the nerd and the criminal in the back. When the criminal moves away from his seat and comes to the front where the princess and the athlete are, it foreshadows that the high school social class system will soon be broken. When Andrew and Allison have to go out the almost-symmetrical shot shows a clear contrast between the two personalities, especially the clothes (Allison is wearing all black, whilst Andrew is wearing a school-spirit blue). At first Andrew is walking slightly ahead of Allison, but then through the course of their conversation Allison takes the lead. This once again foreshadows the balance in social class later in the film. When Andrew was taking the lead, he was the 'leader' in social hierarchy, but when Allison over took him, it represents that there is some what of a balance between the two personalities. Through the movie there are several indications where the high school social hierarchy is slowly balancing itself out in just one Saturday detention.

__**Feminist Film Theory**__

In the film the leading female character is Claire. However she is constantly oppressed by the male characters in the film, particularly John. At times Andrew comes to her rescue because she can't seem to handle dealing with John. In some ways, Brian is treated somewhat as a female character. He is constantly oppressed, and is often considered at the same level as Claire. The shot of the character's shoes first show Andrew and John leading the group, then it shows Claire and Brian, which hint at the fact that they are socially on the same level.

__**Cathartic Theory**__ The individual characters don't turn out to be who everyone thinks they are. This evokes sympathy from the audience and creates an emotional connection between the audience and the character. For example, when Claire explains her family issues and how she thinks that none of her parents really care about her, it evokes sympathy not only from the audience but from the other characters in the film. She even later admits that she isn't as "pristine" as she seems. Another example is when Andrew confesses how much pressure he is under both by his coach and his dad. Additionally, John confesses that his dad is abusive. None of the characters are who may they seem, which some audience members may sympathize with. They may know the feeling of hiding big parts of their life from the world in order to seem perfect.