Ferris Bueller: American Hero Or Typical Lazy American?

Ferris Bueller: American Hero or Typical Lazy American?

Ferris Bueller is a street-wise kid who knows all the tricks. He has no fear of getting what he wants, when he wants it. He does what every high school student dreams of doing: skipping school without getting caught. Ferris represents the personal traits that all high school students want to attain. They want to be popular with everyone and be able to get away with anything. In the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Ferris decides to take a day off from school for a little fun by pretending to be sick. As Ferris says, "Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while, you could miss it." To this end, Ferris convinces his best friend Cameron to take his father's 1961 Ferrari 250 GT California out for a spin even though Cameron's Dad has so little trust in him. Furthermore, Ferris is an "angel" in his parents' eyes. He can do no wrong. Some people may believe that Ferris Bueller is just another lazy teenager in America, but he is really an American Hero.

In Robert B. Ray's essay "The Thematic Paradigm", Ray frowns upon the American people for choosing someone such as Ferris Bueller as a hero. In his essay he categorizes myths in terms of having an official hero and/or an outlaw hero in the American film. The official hero is a person of a respected profession, such as a teacher or lawyer, and the outlaw hero is an "adventurer". The outlaw hero takes chances without worrying about the consequences. Ferris Bueller is an outlaw hero. He skips school knowing that if he gets caught, he will have to repeat his senior year. He also knows that getting caught will mean that his parents will lose respect for him and he will no longer be their "angel".

Ray also claims that age represents one of the traits that the American audience favors in an outlaw hero. Ferris is a child. The seventeen-year-old changes students grades and plays childish pranks. He even tells his best friend Cameron that he will not be his best friend anymore unless he comes to pick him up. America loves Ferris's boyish charm and his ability to get away with playing hooky without getting caught. There is something attractive about the childishness of an outlaw.

On the other hand Ferris Bueller also possesses the traits of an adult, which means he also shows the qualities of an official hero. Ferris has acquired insight by pulling pranks over the years and learning from any mistakes along the way. He knows how to act in every situation and he gets along with everyone. Grace, the secretary of Edward Rooney, dean of students, states when asked if the students like Ferris, "Oh, he's very popular Ed. The sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, waistoids, dweebies, dickheads - they all adore him. They think he's a righteous dude". He unites everyone in the town to start a campaign to "Save Ferris" because they are all concerned about his health. In the end the American public loves him as an outlaw hero rather than an official hero.

The second trait that Ray describes in his essay discusses