Characters

“Characters are either central or minor figures who anchor the events in a film" (Corrigan and White, 224). Characters are perhaps the most important part of a coming of age film. Its the main aspect of the films story in that they endure a journey that will in some way change or mature them for the better. Most coming of age films have a complex character relationship e.g. between the child and the parent, a friendship or a romantic relationship. Its often these relationships that drives the main protagonists journey or changes. For example in Richard Linklaters Boyhood, protagonist Mason’s relationships with his parents weighs heavily on his life; his father had been awol for the earlier years of his life and his mothers constant search for companionship elsewhere. These relationships not only shape Masons life but are also extremely relatable for audiences as many people experience similar situations in their lifetimes. Jason Reitman’s Juno however focuses more on the main protagonist Juno and her relationship with her unborn baby and those involved. This is an interesting concept for a coming of age film as teen pregnancy isn't often looked at through such an open minded scope thus watching a teenage girl try to deal with something as difficult as teen pregnancy is both enlightening and heart warming. John Hughes’ The Breakfast Club focuses less on individual characters and their relationship with others but more on a small group of characters and their lack of relationship to each other. The beauty of this film is that it perfectly encompasses high school stereotypes and at the same time completely abolishes their significance. Characters are also vital in Stephan Chbosky’s The Perks of Being a Wallflower. In this film, main protagonist, Charlie, has deep rooted social issues and it isn't until he makes friends and joins a ‘community’ that he begins to discover the root of his problems and be comfortable with who he is. The Characters in this film all work together to portray the highs and lows or friendship in a way that abolishes stereotypes and condones differences. The use of characters in coming of age films adds to the authenticity and charm of a film as well as helping the audience understand the individual characters from more than one point of view. 

The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Dir. Stephen Chbosky. Summit Entertainment. 2012. Film.

Boyhood. Dir. Richard Linklater. IFC Productions. 2014. Film.

Juno. Dir. Jason Reitman. Fox Searchlight Pictures. 2007. Film.

The Breakfast Club. Dir. John Hughes. A&M Films. 1985. Film

Corrigan, Timothy and White, Patricia. T he Film Experience: An Introduction. 3 rd Ed. United States of America: Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2012. Print.