What was the meaning behind Bender's reaction to Vernon's threat. From my perspective his reaction could be interpreted one of two ways: 1. Bender's frightened reaction to Vernon's threat is Bender realizing just how corrupt Vernon is. If Bender hits Vernon, Vernon is 100% going to play the victim, an old man who got attacked by a delinquent. Bender gets expelled from school and has to finish out high school in some sort of juvenile detention center. In this case, Bender is too smart to take the bait, and his frightened appearance is just his reaction to Vernon's corruption. This scenario also vindicates Bender's whole persona of rebelling against authority because he has always seen how corrupt and self-serving authority figures are or can be.
2. Bender is genuinely intimidated and frightened by Vernon when alone and not antagonizing him in front of a crowd. Vernon called Bender's bluff; meaning that Bender hardened exterior is just a facade. Bender is just a normal high school kid, frustrated and confused, and expresses himself through a rebellious persona. This scenario would also imply that Bender's confrontation with Andrew (the scuffle which ended with Bender stating he'd kill [stab] Andrew in a real fight) was also just empty posturing.
I haven't looked into if filmmakers stated the meaning behind Bender's frightened reaction to Vernon means - whether it was an intelligent response to a trap or it was a revelation of Bender's true character as normal not-so-hardened teenager. I want to know how you interpret this scene.
Also, i think its true that Bender genuinely suffers abuse at home; given the abuse, I think this scene could still be interpreted in either of these two ways.
i'm leaning that way too, given that the overall message of the movie is that the students, each from a different subculture, all have more in common than they thought they did
Cooper Cooper
>normal
David Russell
he's more normal than he leads the other students to believe.
Leo Turner
Bender thought that adults/teachers weren't allowed to get mad or hit kids and that he could fuck with Vernon as much as he wanted and all Vernon would do is sit there and take it. For many kids, even wannabe troublemakers, authority figures have this kind of aura about them. When Vernon reacts the way that he does Bender is surprised and scared because he didn't realize the guy in front of him is a human with emotions like anger rather than just a figure of authority.
Brandon Robinson
yeah i haven't seen the whole film but sounds like it's all of the above, OP >audience gets to see that bender isn't just an edgelord maniac... he has a sense of right and wrong >we sympathize more with him because we realize just how unfair a situation vernon is putting him into andrew is the blonde kid from all those films, right? yeah bender definitely wouldn't actually stab him. just an expression of anger to threaten him. the scene where bender is asking for more and more detention is interesting because it implies that people like bender bring pain onto themselves because they're more comfortable in the position of victim than victimizer
yeah i think any character like bender is being either beaten up or at the very least threatened by an angry father figure
It's more about how powerless Bender actually is when in the face of authority and society because Bender knows he'll be in a lot more trouble, even when he hits back.
Luis Price
He looks intimidated when the guy puts on his show, but then he looks a little angry when Vernon leaves, so based purely on facial expression, I think it's Option A.
Nathan Wood
Interesting, you're the first person in this thread so far that's leaned more toward option 1. my initial viewing I also thought firmly that Bender was just too smart to take Vernon's bait. But after watching again recently, I started to think that Bender is more of scared teenager, moreso than just being aware of the consequences. Maybe in this scene Vernon's threats resembled Bender's father and that triggered Bender's meek response
Nicholas White
its worth at least one full watch
Ian Johnson
both, because whatever the situation if I was a teenager fucking with a teacher, and then they took me aside from class and basically told me to my face they as an adult were gonna beat the shit out of me then and there, and put hands up, I'd be fuckin anxious
Jose Butler
Maybe his anger after Vernon leaves is anger at himself for not being as fearless as he leads others to believe. A disappointment in himself for not being the character he wants others to think he is
Samuel James
You're over-thinking things, it's just as simple as >be scared when threat is in front of you >get angry after threat has left
Jace Morales
I need to rewatch Breakfast Club. I forgot that Bender was vulnerable at any point. Doesn’t he explain that his parents were abusive to him? I’d lean towards option B. Good thread, OP.
Samuel Kelly
As Andrew says: "he lies about everything anyway." Bender is definitely suffering some form of abuse, as are all the other students in this movie. We get a glimpse of all the other student's parents to get an idea of the degree of abuse their inflicting on the kids. But we don't see Bender's parents to get an idea of what his parents (mainly his father) are capable of. Bender's abuse nonetheless is likely unwarranted physical and verbal abuse, but to what degree is likely exaggerated by Bender, at least I think, given that Bender doesn't fully have nothing to lose: if he did he might as have fought Vernon. Also speaking of the students' abuse in general, these are how I see their types of abuse, which somewhat explains their personalities and subcultures:
Claire - spoiled Andrew - pressure Brian - overbearing Allison - neglect Bender - physical/verbal
Camden Adams
>you're the first person in this thread so far that's leaned more toward option 1.
That's because I come from a cycle of abuse that was rampant in my HS. Don't try and bring up any more because that's all I'm at liberty to say for the moment.
(2) is correct and intended Bender plays the tough guy but it's a fake persona to hide how afraid and lonely he is All the kids had bad home lives in different ways
Nolan Hughes
Great thread
Jonathan Rogers
Did Bender and Allison bang?
Juan Brooks
Bender was just your average shithead troublemaker, his "power" was derived from ridiculing authority figures in front of his peers to make himself look cool and make the authority figures weak. Vernon took his "power" from him by isolating him from the other kids, once they were alone together Bender gained nothing by ridiculing him without an audience. His entire badboy persona was a front for his insecurities, in reality he's just a scared kid.
