Stereotypes In High School Movies

Mean Girls is a movie set in North Shore high school that is run by distinguished stereotypical social groups. These social groups are consistent with that of a typical high school movie. Although these social groups may be typical with the conventions of movies that take place in high school, these stereotypes serve an important purpose. This purpose is to deconstruct what these stereotypes actual entail and see them from an outside perspective. This idea is most exemplified the social groups of The Plastics, popular girls, and the art kids. Mean Girls is a movie that subscribes to the conventions of high school movies in order to breakdown the stereotypes that are involved with these conventions.

The Plastics are the group of pretty, popular,

First off, the art kids, from first glance, stick out in the halls of North Shore. Many of them do not subscribe to the conventions of typical high school life. This is demonstrated often by their clothing and way they present themselves. Specifically character Janis Ian typically supports dark Goth like clothing and a fierce attitude that ridicules the social constructs of high school. Also character Damien Leigh walks around with bright pink shirts acting flamboyantly in a manner that is not easily ignored. It is also exemplified in their behavior. The art kids seemingly do not care what others think of them. This is evident when a scene in the movies shows the art kids attempting to put lunchmeat on each other’s faces as opposed to carefully calculating every movement, as the rest of their peers do. In sticking out at North Shore, the art kids are characterized as outcasts within the high school. They have no popularity, a minimal amount of friends and are often the subject of harsh comments. Janis Ian is constantly the subject of bullying when Regina George spreads the rumor that she is a lesbian, despite the fact that she is not. The art kids are not invited to parties or other social high school events and are typically isolated from high school life. Even the placement of their lunch table is on the perimeter of the lunchroom. The idea that the art kids are outcasts is a cliché that typically follows their social group. Because the art kids act in a manner that may be consider slightly avant garde, it is assumed that their peers will not be accepting and instead shun them. Lastly, the art kids are constantly portrayed to have a vendetta against The Plastics. The art kids are constantly attempting to ruin The Plastics reputation and rule in North Shore high school. This is because The Plastics represent the