In
2004, one of the most quotable and trend setting movies was released for the
world to see: Mean Girls. The title describes the plot line pretty well, but to
dive in deeper, Cady is a new student at school. Because of her attractiveness,
the most popular, and the cruelest, group in school, the Plastics, decide to
add her to their clique. Quickly Cady learns how deceiving the members of the
group are, especially Regina who is the most popular girl in school. Cady
quickly decides to sabotage the group, and runs into many bumps along the way.
Watching the movie with a conflict perspective,
conflict triangles are a normal occurrence throughout the movie. We can
identify them happening between many characters, especially between Cady,
Regina, and a third “Plastics” member, Gretchen. We also can identify who
controls the power in many of these relationships and how it may switch
throughout the plot line. These conflict factors are a key part to how all
arguments and ideas expand through the film. Ultimately, it also becomes a
great example of what not to do in a conflict.
The first time we encounter the conflict triangle
between the triad is after the exchange of a secret and a follow up phone call
digging for dirt. In the movie, Cady confides to Gretchen that she thinks a boy
in her math class is cute and she may have a crush on him. After Gretchen
learns that the boy is Aaron, Regina’s ex-boyfriend, she promises to keep a
secret and not tell Regina. Later on, however, we learn that Gretchen has
spilled the news to Regina after a late night conversation with Cady. The video
link is below, please watch in its entirety.
First, the viewer can identify it as a triangle due
to the initial interaction between two people, Gretchen and Cady, which may
affect a third, Regina. The triangle plays out with Gretchen informing Regina
about Cadi’s secret, where Gretchen holds power. It then switches to Regina
confronting Cady and attempting to get her to accuse Gretchen of being a bad friend,
a situation where Regina now holds power.
Another point in which we see the triangle dynamic
play out is later in the movie when Gretchen starts to distrust Regina. At the
annual talent show, Regina moves Gretchen’s place as her right hand woman in the
dance and criticizes her afterwards for using a word she did not approve of,
which really causes Gretchen to “crack”. Please begin the video below at 55
seconds and watch until 1:35.
After Regina’s harsh actions towards Gretchen, she
begins to break down and turn her back on Regina. In the clip, you see that she
criticizes Regina for how she bosses people around. She then divulges some
serious information to Cady about how Regina cheats on Aaron weekly in the same
place at the same time. The triangle has now rotated again with Gretchen in
power as she turns to Cady with secrets and with Regina now becoming the weak
end.
This is only one example of a triangle threesome
that appears in Mean Girls, however,
it serve as an excellent example for how they work. It could even be considered
that this group is embraced in a toxic triangle for how much they are
attempting to destroy one another’s reputations by exposing their important and
personal secrets. Because of the constant confidence in each other, with one
being talked about or excluded, this is a prime example of a conflict triangle
that could seemingly be toxic.
Power is not only a struggle in the triangles,
though. As Queen Bee Regina is the most popular girl in school, throughout much
of the movie we see her take control in many of the conflicts. However, as the
movie plays out and Cady and her side group successfully begin to destroy
Regina (figuratively), we see how the power shifts. Cady begins telling her
friends what she can and cannot do. She finds herself taking charge of
situations with her never-ending crush, Aaron. Eventually we even see her yell
at her true best friends in the movie. This power is somewhat designated by the
school’s population of females due to Cady’s quick climb up the social ladder
with the Plastics. This also means that it is the interpersonal linkages that
Cady creates which cause her to gain power as Regina progressively loses it.
Please watch the video below as an example of Cady’s power gain.
Overall, Mean
Girls portrays excellent examples for many conflict theories. The triangle
that plays out between Gretchen, Cady, and Regina shows how two people can
control a conflict whether a third is involved or is just a shadow in the
scheme of it all. It also show how triangles could be toxic for relationships. This
is important to society because it teaches people, especially teenage girls how
not to handle conflict whether it be
in triangles or with maintaining power. With power, we see that it has the
ability to really hinder interpersonal relationships when they experience
conflict, which could effectively destroy the future of it. Overall, this new
age comedy is a great example of what to avoid when dealing with conflict in
friendships.
Mean Girls - Clone Of Regina - Cady
Fandub [Motion
picture]. (2011). Youtube.
Mean Girls (4/10) Movie CLIP - Such a Good Friend (2004) HD [Motion picture].
(2011). Youtube.
Three Way Calling Attack-Mean Girls [Motion picture].
(2011). Youtube.
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