Pitch Perfect and Mean Girls

The stereotypes in the movie Mean Girls are different although very similar to those from the movie Perfect Pitch.

The Barden Bellas

In Pitch Perfect I have identified the sophisticated but sexual Barden Bellas, the alternative and independent Becca and the confident and cocky Fat Amy as the three important stereotypes. These stereotypes allow for contrast and conflict between each other in the movie, which causes the ending to occur as it does. They learn to accept each other for their different qualities and work together to take out the big a cappella competition.

Mean Girls is based around the character Cady Heron who moves to America after being home schooled by her parents in Africa for the last 12 years. She attends her first ever school and is taken under the wing of Janice Ian. She teaches Cady the ropes of high school and who to befriend and who to avoid. The "It" group known as "The Plastics" take an interest in Cady and invite her to join their clique. This starts out as a fake friendship so Janice can get revenge on Regina George(the Queen B) but shortly turns into a competition for the crown. Cady turns into a replica of Regina George which causes a junior girls riot as the Burn Book (filled with rude comments about each junior girl) is spread around the school. This causes The Plastics to separate and join other crowds.

Gretchen, Regina, Karen.
The Plastics

The stereotypes in Mean Girls are similar to those in Pitch Perfect, though they have their own uniqueness.
The three main stereotypes from Mean Girls are; "The Plastics", Janice Ian, and Cady Heron. The Plastics are similar to the traditional Barden Bella's although their stereotype differs. The Plastics are described as a clique of glamorous, pretty,skinny, judgmental, vain, fake, back-stabbing, barbie-like bitches who consider themselves the "Queen B's" of the school. This clique consists of three girls whom all fit the description above. They live by the girl code and the rules in which you have to follow to be apart of the Plastics. Some of these rules are:
- You can only wear your hair in a pony-tail once a week.
- Wednesday is pink day.
- Track pants or jeans are only to be worn on Fridays.
- Never like or date your friends ex.
These rules are the girls values and beliefs. They live by them. The other girls in their resent The Plastics because they are jealous of their reputation. "Normal people only hate cliques because they just want to be included too." This is a quote from the article Mean Girls? A Culture of Cliques (http://www.bcheights.com/2.6178/mean-girls-a-culture-of-cliques-1.917755#.Ux0IDvmSzVp&id=41420055&folder_id=1264035) which is featured on the Boston College website. It backs up the idea of how girls than are not involved in The Plastics clique are jealous of them and their popularity.    

As seen in the picture above, your attire has to be girly but also sexy. The mini skirts and short tops which finish near their belly buttons is the basic uniform for The Plastics. This gives them that on-trend designer look. Their accessories are very simple but also quite classy.
Each member of this clique have defined legs, luscious silky hair, flat stomachs and clear skin. They hold themselves tall and strut the hall ways, rather than walk them. Through out the movie we see a few backwards tracking shots of the incoming Plastics as they make their way down the corridors. This enhances their superiority as it allows us to see The Plastics walking through their peers as they step aside to allow a clear pathway.To top off their Queen B look, The Plastics are full of attitude. The way they speak to each other and about other people is judgmental and deceiving. They twist others words to form a different meaning and say compliments which aren't necessary true. For example in the cafeteria when they first meet Cady Heron, Regina says "so you agree, you think your pretty?" after Cady replied "thank you" for a compliment on her beauty. 
With their composure, costumes, and attitudes all combined together, you get the stereotypical popular group of teenage girls.  

This is similar to The Bellas because they both consider themselves to be superior to their peers. Although their looks are different, they are similar at the same time. The Bella's are sophisticated with a subtle touch of seductiveness; The Plastics are stunning, Queen B material girls. Short skirts, tight tops, the typical "It"girls uniform which The Bella's and The Plastics both tend to wear.

This representation of the two girl groups by the media effects teenage girls and their societies, who are audiences to these films.
Because The Plastics and The Bellas are the main girl groups in these movies, teenage girls want to be like them. We are shown the power they have over their peers (in some cases their teachers), what they wear, and who they befriend which gives us a certain perspective of what teenage girls should be like. The media has created this stereotype of teenage girls, and we, as the audience, feel like this is how we need to be. This causes consequences like girls developing issues with eating, weight, personalities, appearances and relationships. Girls put pressure on themselves and each other to live up to this "perfect teenager" image which is created. Some girls achieve it, while others do not. Because young girls respond to the media's perception of teenage girls, the society assumes that most teenage girls are caught up with gossip, themselves and boys. This happens because they see these movies and are aware of the characteristics the girls have. They can see that many girls want to be the "It" girl and so their attitude towards teenagers is impacted. They look at them as troublemakers, hard work, and obsessive. This perception of teenaged girls by society is only there because of they way the media, Mean girls and Pitch Perfect, have chosen to present their characters. 
Reality, in some cases, is not too far from this representation. Most highschools have their  "Mean Girls" and "Queen B's", but not quite to this extent. The representation which girls see in these movies, does cause them to think about themselves and ask ,"what can I do to be like this?" As I mentioned before, this leads to all kinds of issues which are not healthy for the girls, emotionally and physically. The reality of teenaged girls is that they put pressure on themselves to achieve that "Queen B" look and status. Eventually they realise not everyone can have this role in life, or that they don't actually want to be like this. Some figure this out early in life, others later, and some can never quite grasp this concept. So although this representation is not totally false, it still isn't true either. Somewhere inbetween is the perfect reality of teenage girls. Theres a bit of The Plastics, a bit of the alternative or humourous, and some smart or sporty. Reality has a range. A unique range, allowing girls to be themselves and not a copy of the media's representation.


Not only are The Bellas and The Plastics similar at the beginning of each film, but also at the end.
In Pitch Perfect, The Bellas come back to reality and grow to know and respect each other for their differences. They no longer judge each other for their personalities and actions, but accept the fact that everyone is an individual.
This is similar in Mean Girls. Due to the "Burn Book" (a book The Plastics wrote about all the girls in their level) being exposed, the girls were able to express how they really felt to about each other without it being cast as back-stabbing or bitching. Everyone was able to say the honest truth face to face which led to the break down of The Plastics. They all got over their desire to be Queen B and accepted each others differences. They stepped off their high horse and came down to reality. The Plastics, although they remained friends, no longer ruled the school. They resolved all the Bitchiness.



These stereotypes from Pitch Perfect and Mean Girls put ideas into young teenage girls minds. Some girls believe that this is what teenage girls should act and dress like just because it is shown to us in this way. It is hard for young girls to realise that this is the wrong way to act. That to judge someone and talk bad about someone is okay, when it really is not. Teenage girls need to focus on the turning point of these movies and look at the important messages hidden behind the glamorous lives of these characters.
If you judge someone and/or talk bad things about them behind their backs, it will only cause you trouble and tension between you and other people. These things are unnecessary issues that can be solved just like in Pitch Perfect and in Mean Girls. Bitchiness will not get you anywhere.