A cultural analysis of mean girls by katie oconnell on. The style of mean girls is glossy, the use of high key lighting creates an expensive look and the contrast of highbright colours makes the film more vivid and eye catching the use of the. Can you really blame me for thinking lilos the weak link of the movie when shes up against regina motherfucking george. An analysis of power and social dynamics in mean girls the movie has such enduring power and is quoted so much because it sheds light on real sociological phenomena. An analysis of power and social dynamics in mean girls the movie has such enduring power and is quoted so much because it sheds light on real.
She is portrayed by rachel mcadams in the movie and taylor louderman in the musical. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of mean girls, directed by mark waters. Its been 10 years since the classic teen movie mean girls hit the silver screen and a. I spent an entire weekend writing a 12page research paper about mean girls. In conclusion, we found that the movie mean girls is a welldeveloped portrayal of american high school culture. Regina is intelligent, manipulative, and capable of doing everything in her power to get what she wants. Molly anderson cms 330 important characters responsiveness and conflict management referent power one of the many examples of referent power in this movie. Analysis of the movie mean girls 1026 words 123 help me. Many dont realize the underlying lessons that mean girls have taught girls that watched the movie.
Mean girls by mark walters movie analysis free essay. Ten years ago wednesday, our generation got one of its most important cultural touchstones mean girls. The film, which stars lindsay lohan, rachel mcadams, tim meadows, ana gasteyer, amy poehler and fey, is partially based on rosalind wiseman s 2002 nonfiction selfhelp book, queen bees and wannabes, which describes female high school social. Mean girls film analysis alina grasso year 9 media. Regina george is the main antagonist of the movie and musical mean girls and leader of the plastics.
Mean girls is held together by the extraordinarily energetic normalcy of lindsay lohan. Browse essays about mean girls and find inspiration. Mean girls study guide contains a biography of director mark waters. Mean girls was released in april 30, 2004, with a pg rating. Teenage cady heron lindsay lohan was educated in africa by her scientist parents. This type of power is also present in this movie and our book defines it as, the. In the movie mean girls the role of conformity is critical to the central plot. For part one of our first entry we decided to analyze the personalities of the characters in the movie mean girls.
They definitely shouldve managed the negative girl stereotypes in a different way. Mean girls analysis mean girls, a popular comedic film, is about high school drama in its highest form wanting to be popular. While everybodys clothes in mean girls symbolize their social status, cadys document her descent into plastichood. Mean girls by mark walters movie analysis free essay example. Mean girls is a very popular movie in todays society. They manipulate their popularity in the school to turn other groups of students against each other. Mean girls was a movie before twitter even existed. However, there is one such movie that brings a name to a new theory mean girls. It has been 12 years and people are still quoting it almost every day. Even though the movie premiered in 2004, the problems, interactions, and stereotypes presented are still relevant in todays environment. On wednesday the 21st of september, we had to individually choose a scene to analyse. The message of mean girls is that western civilization isnt as civilized as most people think and that high school is a great example of our modernday jungle. Even the most popular girls in school find it necessary to degrade themselves, and encourage other members of the group to do so.
Comedies of social acceptance in the 17th century and now. Mean girls is a comedic, yet accurate portrayal of the body image issues that high school girls face today. An ingroup is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a. Janice tells regina that cady becoming a plastic was just a joke, and tells her all of the mean things that cady did to her. In china, baby girls are routinely put up for adoption. Mean girls essays are academic essays for citation. This comic film according to the international movie data base imbd has only received a 6.
Mead focuses on behaviorism based on how others perceive you. With lindsay lohan, jonathan bennett, rachel mcadams, tina fey. Setting mean girls is set predominantly in a high school, north shore high, in america. In the scene where cady is chasing damiens car and talking to janis, when janis says he still doesnt want you two extras in dark clothing walk up a pathway behind cady. The plot of the movie is focused on new girl caty, who moved from africa to the rural life, and is forced to attend the jungle of americas high schools. Mean girls relies on stereotypes for its humor and thats. Apr 29, 2004 the early part of mean girls is like a mixture of heathers 1989 and goodfellas 1990, complete with breezy, journalistic narration. Given how much fya quotes mean girls, refers to mean girls, and just plain ol loves mean girls, its kind of surprising that weve never really talked about mean girls.
This motion picture was the perfect platform for showcasing various types of behavioral psychology. The discrimination they exercise in the movie is demeaning to the rest of the female population in the school and lowers their self esteem while upholding the social status of the plastics. Mean girls is a funnier and more insightful movie than your average teen comedy. Mean girls is a movie about cadys life in high school, and our group is going to analysis this movie from different aspects, such as sex orientation, gender, social class, race, age and disability. Analysis of the movie mean girls 1037 words 5 pages cold, shiny, hard, plastic, said by janice referring to a group of girls in the movie mean girls. Even though mean girls may have come out 11 years ago, that doesnt stop it from being one of the most iconic movies of this generation. In a wasteland of dumb movies about teenagers, mean girls is a smart and funny one.
Mean girls lindsey kartaszewicz monday, april 28, 14 2. The film stars lindsay lohan, rachel mcadams, tim meadows, ana gasteyer, amy poehler and fey. This is a warning of sorts, cady is about to center a new world, girl world, where she must change to survive. A cultural analysis of mean girls what it means to be a women in america growing up female in this world is not easy. The first trailer to be analysed is mean girls, a teen movie released in 2004. Cady heron is a hit with the plastics, the alist girl clique at her new school, until she makes the mistake of falling for aaron samuels, the exboyfriend of alpha plastic regina george. A cultural analysis of mean girls by katie oconnell on prezi. Mean girls portrays the rough life of high school and the many cliques it has in place. Cady thinks she knows all about survival of the fittest. Also sign me up for fanmail to get updates on all things movies.
Cady heron is a hit with the plastics, the alist girl clique at her new. Second, college students were surveyed about their teen movieviewing habits, genderrelated beliefs, and attitudes. An analysis of interpersonal communication a demonstration of the importance of interpersonal communication. However when the shot cuts back to her, they have totally vanished. May 02, 2018 mean girls picked up a leading 12 tony award nominations on tuesday, including one for best musical and another for feys book, which adapts her 2004 movie for the stage. All other girls in the school are dismissed as uncool and therefore unfit to hang out with these girls.
If you like this video, subscribe for more and click the bell. It even contains some wisdom, although i hesitate to mention that lest i scare off its target audience. A highly scientific analysis of mean girls forever young adult. It seems as though people of all gender, sex, age, race, ethnicity, and class has seen this movie and can relate to some aspect of it. Apr 30, 2014 mean girls is certainly, deservedly, a classic, but its a classic along the lines of casablanca, renowned for its performances and for its dialogue, for a seemingly wondrous synergy. Dec 20, 2017 instead of baking a cake filled with rainbows and smiles that everyone could eat and be happy, i spent an entire weekend writing a 12page research paper about mean girls. Cady is the 15yearold, africaraised high school girl begins her high school life by learning what its like to be a normal girl by making friends and talking about other classmates. Even though they were wearing dark clothing, youd still be able to have seen them, and there was not enough time between the different shots for. Of course, im not saying mean girls is a perfect feminist movie and that it hasnt got any flaws. It is partially based on rosalind wisemans 2002 nonfiction selfhelp book, queen bees and wannabes, which describes female high school social cliques and the damaging effects they can have on girls.
An ingroup is a social group to which a person psychologically identifies as being a member. I particularly agree with the part about dumb blondes, though id better call it dumb girls gretchens not blonde, but shes as wasted. A highly scientific analysis of mean girls forever young. First, a content analysis of gender portrayals in teen movies was conducted, revealing that female characters are more likely to be portrayed as socially aggressive than male characters. Social psychological concepts in the movie mean girls. Aug 31, 2014 an analysis of power and social dynamics in mean girls the movie has such enduring power and is quoted so much because it sheds light on real sociological phenomena. Learn by example and become a better writer with kibins suite of essay help services. My personal analysis is about the aspect of social class in this movie.
Short film analysis mean girls ocr g324 advanced media. Enter your location to see which movie theaters are playing mean girls near you. When the film is following the twists and turns of the mean girl schemes, it has an energy and a life that is. The nonconforming outcast janis ian lizzy caplannot the. Mean girls relies on stereotypes for its humor and thats not fetch. Look at the various characteristics of teen genre films and discuss how mean girls fits the teen genre. The movie i chose to watch was mean girls, not only because it is one of my favorite movies, but for the reason that it can be relatable. Mean girls is a high school teen comedy released in 2004 by paramount pictures, starring lindsay lohan and rachel mcadams. I chose a scene in mean girls, where there is a 4 way call between 4 teenage girls. An analysis of power and social dynamics in mean girls medium. Cady tells us that theres peace in girl world at the end of the movie. I am going to be analyzing the movie by meads perspective. Mean girls rule north shore high school, and the movie mean girls is an exploration of how and why that happens as.
The movie introduced us to a cast of characters who have become archetypes, an endless. It mainly follows a girl named cady, a new student looking to make and please friends. An analysis of power and social dynamics in mean girls. On this page i will be analyzing the representation of women, teenagers and age within my analysis film mean girls by mark waters. A highly scientific analysis of mean girls get in, loser. And in parts of africa, women are still made to live in tents during the time of their menses.
In my eyes, mean girls is the greatest movie of the 2000s. Cady is unprepared for the complex social system she encounters there, but soon realizes high school and the african jungle have a lot in common. Roger ebert was the film critic of the chicago suntimes from 1967 until his death in 20. It may not be october 3, but i still enjoyed spending about six days in a row soaking up this movies awesomeness. A spiffy morality play set in a midwestern high school about the sharp edges of gossip and the cruelty of cliques. In the next few paragraphs we will take you through each of the main six characters personalities. As well as penning the screenplay, fey stars in the movie as ms. Mean girls analysis film analysis and interpretation. In mean girls, the plastics demonstrate prejudice through their aggressive isolation from girls who they deem unattractive or uncool.
When her family moves to the suburbs of illinois, cady finally gets to experience public school and gets a quick primer on the cruel, tacit laws of popularity that divide her fellow students into tightly knit cliques. Mean girls follows teenager cady heron lindsay lohan as she enters high school for the first time at 16, after being homeschooled her entire life in africa by zoologist parents. The climax of mean girls is when queen bee regina george is hit by a bus. The movie has such enduring power and is quoted so much because it sheds light on real sociological. Mean girls picked up a leading 12 tony award nominations on tuesday, including one for best musical and another for feys book, which adapts her 2004 movie for the stage. The girls are all ordered into the school hall, where they undergo a trust workshop, because of this. Mean girls behavioral analysis the movie mean girls, featuring lindsay lohan and tina fey, is a comedic film about a girl in high school who has to deal with all the problems, pressures, and choices of growing up in american society in comparison to that of being homeschooled in africa. The early part of mean girls is like a mixture of heathers 1989 and goodfellas 1990, complete with breezy, journalistic narration. Regina george is my queen mean girls movie commentary.
Mean girls is a 2004 american teen comedy film directed by mark waters, and written by tina fey. Mean girls is a comedy full of memorable quotes, amusing characters, and lots of laughs for its audience, but what many people may not realize is that this movie includes many social psychological concepts. The tv ads, which show lindsay lohan landing ass over teakettle in a garbage can, are probably right on the money. Over the course of the film, she ditches her denim for short skirts and trades her tees for crop tops. Cady is unprepared for the complex social system she encounters there, but soon realizes high school and the african jungle have a. The message of mean girls is that western civilization isnt as civilized as most people think and that high school is a great example of our modernday jungle examples that support this mean girls analysis references to animals. Include the rating, year of release, major characters, and the plot. Mean girls is a teenage movie that bring about, certain aspects of teenage or adolescent issues mostly amongst the female gender. It may feature girls gone wild, but mean girls is a unique comedy because it features an almost entirely female cast and none of them are boyobsessed maniacs. We will then examine their scores on the myers briggs and. First, there is a theme of the horrors of being mean. Mean girls introduction mean girls 2004 is a movie that captures the challenging obstacles, excitements, and the letdowns that the adolescents face during high school. Mean girls syndrome theorizes a genderbased behavior that is all too often seen in high schools, middle schools and even some elementary schools throughout the united states.
Long vu november 17, 2012 women studies sally winkle film analysis mean girls in mean girls, the main character is lindsay lohan who plays the role of a 15 year old high school student, cady heron. We believe every one of us deserves equal access to factbased news and analysis. Analysis of the movie mean girls 1037 words bartleby. From confidence to creativity, this film can teach you. On cadys first day of school she crosses the street confidently, only to be stopped by a bus. Furthermore i will be discussing how the representations shown will influence my own film gender itself within the film is a major theme of representation.
Mean girls relies on stereotypes for its humor and that. Mark waters directed the script written by tina fey, adapted from the selfhelp book queen bees and wannabes by rosalind wiseman, which examines the inner workings of female cliques in high school and the detrimental effects they can have on developing young women. Mean girls is about an innocent, homeschooled girl, cady who moves from africa to the united states. So weve decided to keep guardian journalism free for all.