Essay on Adolescents in the TV Show Freaks and Geeks

In an essay published in the New Yorker in May 1999, entitled “High-School Confidential: Notes on Teen Movies,” writer David Denby analyzes movies targeted towards teenagers and the stereotypes associated with them. He begins his essay by describing the archetypal characters in high school genre films: the vapid popular girl and her athletic male counterpart, and the intellectual outsider and her awkward male counterpart. He then describes the reality of teen life, and compares it to the experience depicted in these films. Next, he analyzes the common theme that the geeky characters are the protagonists, and suggests there are such because of their writer's personal experience and a history of geeks being ostracized. Finally, Denby analyzes the tropes in

It has not been too long ago that I still remember my adolescent years. I always remember the unintelligent things I did that I wish could change, but this Psychology class made me realize that all adolescents go through the same things I experienced. Adolescents are known to try to find their identity, go through peer pressure, make mistakes, and try new things. The move I picked that closely represented what adolescents go through was “Mean Girls”. Some of the scenes in the movie seem a little exaggerated, but it has happened in certain high schools even though I had not experienced it personally.

When you picture a teenager you picture fighting, drinking, or answering back, am I right? However, this is simply not the case. Sure there is the minority of trouble makers. However this minority is exaggerated due to the news showing only this behaviour. This stereotyping has found its audience and crept into television shows and series. This has led to the creation of a mockumentary called “Summer Heights High” which has unfairly represented teen

I selected the book The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth by Alexandra Robbins because I was interested to read about an adult author’s perception of a modern American high school experience. I also chose the book because the reviews mentioned that it related to a TV series I enjoyed, Freaks and Geeks. As I read through the book, I found that it centered around the theory that if a student is excluded or dismissed in high school for having different traits than what other students considered normal, those same traits that made them different will allow them to succeed in an adult life after high school. As soon as I got about a quarter of the way into the book I was not as enthusiastic as I was at first glance. I did agree that these traits could benefit someone, but they don’t define what you have the potential to be when you’re an adult. This high school cliché, despite the seven heartwarming storylines, is inaccurate in describing what the future holds for high school students because our future is unpredictable, and a book with a little statistic and seven high school experiences can’t solidify someone’s adulthood. I also noticed that there were no counterarguments present in the book, leading me to assume that Robbins may not have heavily researched both sides of her ‘quirk’ argument. Although I had differing opinions than the author, the seven characters, their storylines, and the promise of a young James Franco continued to perk my interest and

Author, Alexandra Robbins, in her novel The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth, describes her quirk theory and establishes its credibility as she centers her theory around seven different characters as she narrates their high school experiences. Robbins focuses on the negative effects of popularity and how social norms can affect an individual, regardless of what social group they belong to. She creates an amusing, informative tone in order to appeal to the geeks, freaks, and popular crowds with relatable experiences and strong essays in regards with the social scene, exclusivity, and how one handles a given situation.

Sustaining the ambitions of not only themselves but the alumni and town of Odessa, Texas is a lot to ask from a young adult. That’s exactly what Permian football provides to the people of Odessa, where the post economic boom of the oil business has left the town in a racially tense, economic crisis. The lights on Permian High School’s football field are the only sanctuary for the west Texas town. Socially and racially divided, Odessa’s mass dependence on high school football constructs glorified expectations for the football team to temporarily disguise the disappointments that come with living in a town tagged as the “murder capital” of

The Breakfast Club was an extraordinary film that dealt with teenagers in detention. Although it looked like a regular movie, it had deep meanings involved with it. The movie showcases a circle of teens who are completely different from each other. At first they didn’t interact with one another, but as the movie goes on they begin to become close friends. The Breakfast Club does a great job at exemplifying the dynamics of a group in society because there are so many associations of people who interact with each other even if the interests are completely different. The characters in the movie move from an out group to an in group because they all felt like outsiders towards each other, but as time was going on in detention they were starting to really like each other. They became an in group towards the end of the movie because they made their own grouping, which they referred to it as “The Breakfast Club”.

The movie The Breakfast Club takes viewers on a comedic tour of the ups and downs of adolescence. The Breakfast Club, directed by John Hughes, focuses on the events that unfold between five very different high school students during a Saturday detention. Even though the movie was shot in the 1980 's the characters portrayal is still relatable in a way to a lot of people today. Director John Hughes takes us on a comedic ride with what seems like another typical "teen movie" while still portraying a few life lessons along the way and exposing some truths behind stereotyping.

Violet Markey has lost her older sister (and best friend) in a fatal car crash on an icy bridge. She is overwhelmed by guilt, as she was the one who begged her sister to take her home, and told her to take the shortcut, ultimately leading to Eleanor’s death. When this happens, she loses friends and is afraid to make any, afraid she will lose them too. After losing Mitch, I also lost my Nana and Papa (grandmother and grandfather). My cousin, Dimity had bowel cancer and although she is alive and well now, it is still scary to think how close we were to losing her. This made me realize, unlike other people my age, how close death is in our everyday lives, and, unlike cartoon character, we cannot peel ourselves from the rubble and complete our quest or journey. Losing some of the major people in my life has, just like Violet, made me scared to let go of people and even more scared of letting them into my heart. However, just like with Violet, her friends help her world to grow.

Mentors feature prominently in the Gothic genre. From Dr Van Helsing in Bram Stoker's Dracula, who leads the young heroes into their quest to annihilate the Count, to Rupert Giles, the Watcher in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, older and more experienced adults have provided essential guidance for the younger protagonists of the genre. The differences in media of expression and the subsequent adaptations from novel to television series has not affected the presence of this character, more than a hundred years after the publication of Dracula in 1897. What also unites the novel and the series is their fin-de-siècle resonance.

Meyer and Wood focuses on one particular award-winning musical, comedy teen show produced by the FOX network - Ryan Murphy’s Glee. It has been dubbed as The Breakfast Club, Bring It On, and High School Musical in a nutshell. Even though the focus and screen time is on the several generic heterosexual protagonists, viewers are more attracted to the diverse characters in the show. According to their conducted research on the show’s viewers, many have described the show as “slightly more realistic than a lot of reality television today,” and “different because it addresses real life issues concerning homosexuality, teen pregnancy, and social outcasts” (Meyer and Wood

not be as good as we imagined. We are shown quick little images of all

The movie thirteen is a raw psychodrama directed by Catherine Hardwicke is based on the life of a young teenage girl, Tracy Freeland whom catapults from pre adolescence/childhood to a wild and rebellious thirteen year old girl. Filmed in Los Angeles, Tracey and her mother’s relationship are put to the test when she befriends Evie. Evie is a popular girl from junior high school who introduces her to the world of sex, drugs and self-mutilation. We see a physical and psychological change in Tracey almost overnight, as her kinship with Evie transforms into a toxic relationship. Tracey’s early traumatic life experiences, manifests into a co-morbidity of depression and borderline personality disorder that affects her ability to cope with an

The names used in this Adolescent Observation Report are fictitious. This is absolutely necessary to protect the privacy of the adolescent being observed.

From a sociological perspective the reason for why an adolescent is involved in delinquent behavior is because they lack the attachment to the parents. Certainly, Hirschi theory involves other three components to social theory and of course they play a role towards the delinquent behavior. An adolescent just doesn’t act upon a delinquent behavior without having any reason to it. As a child grows up mostly all parents help aid their child to follow into a good path. Not everyone is so fortunate to be given that help. Some children lack the guidance to behave in a positive way. Not having someone to guide them in way to do good in school and life can have certain consequences like being involved in delinquent behavior. They would think that no one cares in what their involved. At the same time they may be around peers that are not a good influence on them. Not to mention, adolescents go through a phase where they intend to misbehave. This certainly, contributes to them getting involved in delinquent behavior. Teens are usually hanging out together with friends and at time get peer pressure to do stuff that isn’t good. If, they have someone to guide them in the direction in not being involved in that type of activity is good both for the parent and child.