Rebel Without A Cause

In class, we watched the movie, "Rebel Without A Cause" with James Dean, directed by Nicholas Ray in 1955. The film brought to mind a lot of the identity struggles that come about during teenage years. I certainly remember my teenage moments where I was overly dramatic and eager to fit in.

The film is iconic not only because of the famous actors who played in it, but because it introduced the idea of the teenager which didn't always exist in popular culture or even within society. The title of the film is an accurate sense of what teenagers do, and that is they rebel without any reason or cause, except for the fact that they can and have the desire to go against social norms.

Parents and adults play a dominant role in the life of a teenager. Values and traditions begin to be questioned as well as gender roles. The character Judy is very rebellious and doesn't seem to get the same attention from her father as she did growing up. Family life begins to become a challenge as well as a disappointment. Although Judy loves her father, he begins to treat her differently becomes she is a girl becoming a woman. Their connection begins to deteriorate and it breaks Judy's heart. Her father views her and her actions in a disappointing manner, leading her to rebel rather than be obedient.

Jim, played by James Dean, has a very iconic seen where he screams out to his parents, "You're breaking me apart!" This line reveals the essence of being a child who has to deal with parents having conflicting views on decisions that effect the child. Jim becomes frustrated and acts out. This reveals the immaturity that teenagers tend to posses because they are still growing and still learning, yet are torn apart by adult decisions and childish desires.

I really love this film. It really shows that no matter how much time passes or how the roles of men and women alter within families and society, the concept of the teenager remains significant and continues to exist throughout the years.