Individuality In Mean Girls

How do the texts you studied explore the need to break from conformity and embrace individuality?

Mean girls, a movie directed by Mark Waters in 2004, and the "outsiders' written by S.E Hinton (1967), both explore the issue of conformity and social expectations while trying to maintain their individuality. Throughout both texts, it's made evident that you need to embrace identity instead of conforming to social expectations depicted by society. The composer of each text demonstrates that conforming negatively impacts your sense of self and limits your freedom, resulting in the loss of your individuality.

Conforming to social stereotypes and expectations limits one's individuality. As the outsiders oppose conformity challenges through Ponyboy

In Mean Girls, the composer illustrates the pressure of conformity and the need to follow the social hierarchy as the protagonist, Cady Heron, a new student, faces school social expectations while trying to maintain her identity. This becomes evident in the film when she is asked to sit with the notorious plastics, the most popular girl in the school. We then are witness to the technique of framing. As Cady walks up to Regina, we can tell she is anxious as she is already bombarded with social norms. Regina tells Cady that pursuing one of her passions, math, is "social suicide, and that being a "mathlete" would be frowned upon. Cady chooses to listen to their advice and conform to the social expectation around her, which relates to Ponyboy from the outsiders as his hobbies are not accepted by his group members, ultimately leading them to change their identity. In addition, she alters her appearance and changes her personality. Hence, she gains more attention overtaking Regina, but this only results in losing her genuine friendship with Janis and Damien after she learns they are "uncool." Cady changes herself so much that she becomes delusional as she quotes, "You know what! It's not my fault you're like, in love with me, or something!" to Janis, who is only trying to stop her from turning into the plastics. However, in the final scenes of both texts, both characters learn to break away from conformity and embrace their individuality as cady is forced to join the mathletes. She enjoys their company, something she would have never contemplated because of unjust social labels. Same for Ponyboy, who stops obeying the strict rules of being a greaser and is encouraged by Johnny to "Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold..." inspiring him to do more with his life and unlock his full potential with his