10 Things I Hate About You Individualism

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As stated by Bianca herself, she “likes being adored” (Lazar & Junger, 1999, “Stratford House/Bathroom – Night”) and as a result, makes decisions based on what she thinks others expect of her or on what she believes everyone around her is doing. While she originally engages in some false-self behaviors that contradict the theme of individualism in suburban high school films, her experiences with crowd-struggle and peer driven conformity inevitably serve as an “eye-opener” to the faults in her culture of popularity. By the end of the film she develops a stronger sense of identity, which allows her to reject peer pressure in order to express her true self (Bulman 2005). Unlike Bianca, the eldest Stratford sister Kat is entering “early adulthood” since she appears to be around the age of seventeen or eighteen years old. She is an unpopular senior portrayed as an opinionated feminist who does not seem to care about what others think of her.…show more content…
In the opening of the film 10 Things I Hate About You, she drives right up with her rundown car’s radio blasting “I don’t give a damn about my bad reputation” (Lazar & Junger, 1999, “Padua High School, The Street Outside- Day”). Her entrance along with her scowling expression serves as indicator to the audience that Kat is not like the girls in the car beside her. Once on campus, the audience sees Kat ripping down the Prom poster shows that she does not like to see or engage in the social activities that are normative in the suburban-American high school culture (Lazar & Junger, 1999, “Padua High School, Front Steps- Day). Even when Joey, the popular senior, criticizes her choice in attire as being “out [of style]”, she just brushes him off with a simple “run along” (Lazar & Junger, 1999, School Parking Lot– Day). By behaving this way she challenges our expectations of a teenage

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