The Breakfast Club – Reflection
Instructions:
Having watched the film The Breakfast Club, please respond to the following questions on a
separate sheet of paper (either typed or handwritten – just make it legible).
Please identify your answers with the appropriate question number.
Characters:
Allison Reynolds – “The Basket Case”
Andrew Clark – “The Athlete”
Brian Johnson – “The Brain”
Claire Standish – “The Princess”
John Bender – “The Criminal”
Question 1 (10 POINTS):
Pick one of the characters and chart him or her according to the “Big Five” Personality Traits (found on page 41
of your textbook). Does this character’s personality remain consistent throughout the film or are there any
slight changes?
Question 2 (10 POINTS)::
Pick one of the characters and identify one of the major problems that he/she is dealing with. Explain which (or
what combination) of the psychodynamic defense mechanisms that character tends to employ (defense
mechanisms are listed on pages 57-58).
Question 3 (10 POINTS)::
What are the problems that the characters in the film tend to have in common with one another? How do these
problems fit the period of “adolescence” in human development? (You may wish to review “The Psychology of
Adolescence” on pages 98-99).
Question 4 (10 POINTS)::
In the film, Brian asks, “Come Monday, are we all friends?” Will “The Breakfast Club” continue to remain friends
come the start of school on Monday? Defend your opinion using psychological evidence.