The Breakfast Club (1985), Essay Example

Introduction

The film “The Breakfast Club” demonstrates the importance of group dynamics and an understanding of the need to recognize how individuals come together under different situations for different reasons. This film serves as a reminder of the need to understand how individuals form groups and what takes place once the group begins to evolve. This discussion will address some of these issues and challenges of working together in a group setting towards a set of common goals and objectives, using the Tuckman’s Model to achieve this purpose.

Forming

The group of five teenagers in the film came together as a result of mandatory detention on a Saturday afternoon. This group was informal in its function and also random in its formation. The unofficial leader of the group, John Bender, aka the criminal, represents a leader with an almost frightening and authoritative presence in how he approaches the other members of the group. Accompanied by Claire the princess, Brian the brain, Andrew the athlete, and Allison the basket case, they are able to find common ground by the end of the film in their efforts to communicate and to share a common set of goals to complete their detention in the school library.

Storming

As the group begins to get to know each other, they also begin to share information and evolve as people by providing insight into their different personalities. At the same time, they also begin to evolve and create a set of goals to manage the rest of their time together and the assignment that they have been given. This is an important reminder of their need to communicate and to let go of prior judgments in an effort to meet the expectations that the principal has given them.

Norming

After a period of time has passed, the informal group begins to gain comfort with each other and to recognize that they share goals and objectives (Catalyst Consulting Team). Therefore, they are able to share stories to break the ice and to share ideas to get through the rest of their day without complications.

Performing

Towards the end of the film and once the group has ironed out some of their differences and frustrations, there is a greater sense of camaraderie that drives the group and its purpose to fulfill the obligations of the principal. It is also evident that the members are on the same page and under different circumstances, might even be friendly towards each other in a different setting, which was not the case at the beginning of the day.

Termination

At the end of detention, the group disbands but not without asking Brian the brain to write an essay on behalf of the group to meet the principal’s mandate. By the end of the film, the group has become somewhat close and the viewer is left to believe that there were even romantic feelings among four of its members. Therefore, this represents a means of acknowledging that at the end of the group, they were successful in their efforts to work together towards a common goal that needed to be fulfilled.

Conclusion

This film represents The Tuckman’s Model because it supports an understanding of the dynamics of teams and their different stages and how individuals might be thrown together under difficult circumstances, yet must be able to contribute to the team in some way that will have a lasting impact on the entire team.

References

Catalyst Consulting Team. Accelerating team development: The Tuckman’s Model. Pp. 1-6.