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Clueless Movie Themes

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The 1995 cult classic, Clueless, is a film that, 20 years after its initial release, continues to relate to adolescent viewers through its engagement of time-transcending subject matter. In this paper, I will analyze the themes presented in Clueless to note how they align or diverge from theories that have been discussed in class. I will be focusing on identity formation, changes in self-perception, cognitive and emotional changes and the impact of the relationships of various characters in the film.

Cher, the main protagonist, is at the top of the social food chain of her high school. She comes from a well off family and is presented as one who is self-assured and well-adjusted. Her life is strikingly different than most teenagers who struggle …show more content…
Cher views Tai as 'tragic' and decides to make a project out of her to change her 'cultural capital', which, according to sociologist Pierre Bourdieu, is 'how taste and knowledge combine to locate which class someone should belong to' (Bourdieu 1986: 80-8). It can be inherited, as in the case of Cher, or cultivated, such as in Tai's case. Cultural capital is how members of society sort themselves, and is particularly important among teenagers. The 'anthropology shot', coined by Kaveney, groups youth by social interests and statuses. This shot, during which various groups are described by their dominant traits, is so popular in coming-of-age films because adolescence is the most prominent point at which peer blending and acceptance is crucial. A sense of self is extremely important to young people as they strive to cultivate a purpose in life and independence from their families. Loneliness and a low self-esteem are correlated (Janne Vanhalst et al, 2013)therefore it is particularly important for adolescents to fit in with peers to develop a strong self-esteem and to thrive. This can often result in youth feeling pressured to exhibit certain traits in attempts to fit in with peers, sometimes to an exaggerated

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