Identity Issues In Breaking Away

Filmed in 1979, Breaking Away is a classic film focused upon four nineteen year old males who have exited high school and getting ready to enter the next chapter of their lives. They must confront the issues of identity not only in a variety of relationships-- their friend group, family, and girls-- but themselves. The film demonstrates a multitude of identity problems that are discussed within John Stewart’s book “Bridges Not Walls.” Stewart defines one’s own identity as “made up of interlocking features that mark how persons behave and respond to others. Identities are constellations of labels that establish social expectations that we have of ourselves and others” (Stewart, Zediker, and Witteborn, 77). In Breaking Away, the issues each

Both of these groups faced different types of identity issues in their society. In “Bridges Not Walls” it addresses moral accountability, and states, “ society as a whole makes judgements about your actions and choices… but it also forcibly encourages you to act in a particular way…” (Duck and McMahan, 89). Moral accountability is what shaped these groups in society, but also the issue with the identity of the two groups. Not only is society judging their decisions as one, but the members of the group are as well. Each member contributes a part to the identity, and how it is represented. The cutters identify as a rebellious, uneducated, and poor group of boys who are supposed to stay together forever-- Mike states, “The only thing I'm afraid of is wastin' the rest of my life with you guys!” and Cyril replies with “I thought that was the whole plan. That we were going to waste the rest of our lives together” (Breaking Away). Whereas the fraternity boys have identified as the cool, rich, educated men, and have set the precedent that they are better than the cutters-- “But, sir, they're not good enough...Having them in the race…” (Breaking Away). As Stewart points out, identities are a label in society and occur due to social expectations. The cutters have the expectation to be the troubled kids, while the fraternity boys have the expectation to be

He escapes his identity by filling his life with Italian language, culture, and sport-- biking. Dave is troubled by who he thinks he wants to be and what his father and friends wish for him to be. He faces the issues of identity addressed in “Bridges Not Walls.” He goes as far as faking the life of an Italian that involves a relationship with Katherine-- the privileged sorority girl from Indiana State whom has her own identity issues. Dave struggles with these different identities, and an immense amount of the struggle stems from embarrassment and long term predicaments-- “Embarrassment is one of the big problems of social life and involves you actually performing a behavior that is inconsistent with the identity or face that you want to present… think of predicaments as extended embarrassment” (Duck and McMahan,