The concept of the teenager was nonexistent until World War II, when young people began to be grouped by age (Hine, 11). Since its introduction, the young adults that make up this group have experienced harsh criticisms, double standards, and inaccurate representation in film and literature. Many teenagers find themselves being treated as children, yet expected to act as an adult. There are several notable texts that attempt to capture the essence of the teenager and explore perceptions held by adults, including Forever by Judy Blume, “The Breakfast Club,” directed by John Hughes, and Mothership by Martin Leicht and Isla Neal. Each text shared a notable similarity: the inclusion of an attractive heartthrob. In Judy Blume’s 1975 novel, Forever, Michael Wagner filled the aforementioned role. Michael Wagner is a senior in high school, and characterized as a typical teenage boy walking the line between
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Forever is set in 1975, and this has a great effect on the way that the characters approach the topic of sex. In this time period, teens were not receiving sexual education from their institution. At the same time, many parents were uncomfortable with discussing the topic with their teenagers. Thomas Hine, in The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager, aptly explained the adults’ discomfort with the subject, saying, “They are embarrassed to talk with their children about sexuality, fearing that doing so will only encourage their children to have sex” (Hine, 21). “The Breakfast Club” was filmed in 1985, and is set in the same year. By 1985, the sexual revolution of the 1970’s had already passed and left its mark. Sex was a popular topic among young adults and was often discussed, usually in terms of who, what, where, when, and why. The concept of sex was taken seriously by teenagers, and it often acted as a status symbol. One’s sexual history could make or break them, an ideology that persists into modern
Forever is set in 1975, and this has a great effect on the way that the characters approach the topic of sex. In this time period, teens were not receiving sexual education from their institution. At the same time, many parents were uncomfortable with discussing the topic with their teenagers. Thomas Hine, in The Rise and Fall of the American Teenager, aptly explained the adults’ discomfort with the subject, saying, “They are embarrassed to talk with their children about sexuality, fearing that doing so will only encourage their children to have sex” (Hine, 21). “The Breakfast Club” was filmed in 1985, and is set in the same year. By 1985, the sexual revolution of the 1970’s had already passed and left its mark. Sex was a popular topic among young adults and was often discussed, usually in terms of who, what, where, when, and why. The concept of sex was taken seriously by teenagers, and it often acted as a status symbol. One’s sexual history could make or break them, an ideology that persists into modern