Identity Vs. Role Confusion In The Breakfast Club

The Breakfast Club shows the different phases of identity vs role confusion through the five main characters who are in Saturday school. These kids are all in Saturday school for different reasons but as the day progresses they all realize that they are more alike than they are apart. They are more than the stereotypes that they have been put in, such as the jock, the popular girl, the nerd, the loaner and the troublemaker. These kids perfectly fit the example of Erikson’s Identity versus Role Confusion. In high school many kids are looking to find their place and figure out who they are. In the case of the breakfast club the kids have fallen into identity foreclosure. Identity foreclosure is when an adolescent seems to willingly commit to a stereotype for the future. Kids in this stage are just following what the expectations of what the rest of the world has already said they will accomplish and do. The five main characters in the breakfast club, all represent this stage of identity versus role confusion. On the other hand, there is a phase of Erikson’s identity versus role confusion that one character struggles with, identity moratorium. Identity moratorium is the when an adolescent is currently in crisis and is exploring their choices but has not made a commitment to their choices yet. In the movie this is …show more content…
Identity Diffusion is when adolescent does not feel like they have choices, this person has not made a commitment to anything yet. Identity moratorium is when an adolescent is currently in crisis and is exploring their choices but has not made a commitment to their choices yet. Identity foreclosure is when an adolescent seems to willingly commit to a stereotype for the future. Identity achievement is when an adolescent has gone through an identity crisis and has made a commitment to a sense of