One or a combination of principles may be used to convey and articulate communication. "The Breakfast Club" presents a diverse range of contact ideas. The story follows five students who are assigned to a Saturday detention. Even though each student belongs to a particular social class and clique, contact reveals many similarities. As they get to know each other, the students engage in interpersonal communication that progresses to where they share their secrets and form an active community. The school principal frequently communicates with Carl, the school's janitor, which strengthens their bond as they express their emotions. The communication concepts displayed include decoding, dyadic communication, and small group communication concepts displayed in the movie (Adler, Ronald B et al.).
Decoding
Decoding is among the principal concepts displayed in the movie. The concept refers to the interpretation of a message by the receiver. The process starts when the receiver receives a message. The stimulus is sent to the brain whereby it is extracted and assigned meaning (Sanchez, Nick). Decoding involves interpreting both verbal and non-verbal communication. In the movie, this concept is evident where Claire and Bender engage in a conversation. Both characters send some nonverbal messages which own persona decodes. For instance, Claire is enthralled and curious to converse with Bender. Thus, she uses direct eye contact during the conversation. However, Bender avoids eye contact and displays unanimated facial expressions, which Claire decodes to mean that he is disinterested. In yet another dialogue between the two when discussing monogamous relationships, Claire asks Bender a question, who gives her a cold look and changes the topic. Claire decodes the facial expression and reaction to mean that Bender is not willing to answer her question. This interpersonal communication displayed through encoding enables the characters to understand each other and interpret other character's message based on their perspectives.
Small Group Communication
Small group communication concept is also displayed in the movie. The concept involves the interaction between three or more persons who are brought together for a common purpose or shared identity (Jones, Richard). In the movie, all the five characters are drawn together due to the common characterization of being under detention. The group meets the optimum size of a group which should constitute five to seven members (Wood, Julia, and Gerald Phillips). In the movie, the group gets tasked with writing an essay. During the ensuing communication and interaction, the characters find that they have many commonalities. The interpersonal communication displayed through the small group communication plays a role in reflecting upon the characterization of groups, how people interact, and grow closer when they have a common purpose.
Dyadic Communication
Dyadic communication is also a key interpersonal communication concept displayed in the movie. Dyadic communication refers to an interrelationship between two people involving face-to-face verbal communication. The dialogues involve various elements including disliking, liking, life queries, thoughts, and mutual ideas. The concept is displayed in the movie on many occasions, such as during the face-to-face dialogue between Claire and Bender. Both characters are involved in assertive communication about their lives. For instance, Bender asks Claire why she has so many items in her purse, who replies by asking him why he has so many girlfriends. Both choose the questions to answer and which to avoid, and the extent of their answers. For example, Bender gives vague responses to most of the questions posed to him by Claire. Dyadic communication concept in this movie leads the characters to frankly share with each other and portray their feelings of liking or disliking, as well as share mutual ideas.
Transactional Model of Communication
The transactional model concept of communication is displayed in numerous parts of the movie. The concept demonstrates the interdependence between elements in a dialogue. Therefore, in communication, every individual is a listener as well as a speaker. The concept implies that in communication, the process, the people involved, and the environments keep changing. In the movie, there are numerous instances where individuals speak with each other interchanging the role of a listener and a speaker. During the beginning parts of the film, Vernon is the speaker addressing the students going to detention who are the listeners. Claire raises her hand to assert she does not belong there, thus changing her from a listener to a speaker. When Vernon tells them they ought to write an essay, John assumes the role of a speaker and asks whether it is a test. The concept of the transactional model between the characters enables each of them to be active in dialogues by listening or speaking to each other.
Intrapersonal Communication
The intrapersonal concept of communication also gets displayed in the movie. Intrapersonal communication takes place on the inside of a person such as through internal dialogue or self-talk (Lane, Shelley D). The concept is exhibited in the "covering up for Bender" scene. After talking to the teacher in a manner he considers disrespectful, Bender gets locked in a room all alone. When locked in the room, Claire sneaks and kisses him on the neck. When Bender questions the act, Claire asserts that she did it because she knew Bender would not. This assertion implies that Claire had an intrapersonal communication in which she conversed with herself on whether Bender could kiss her. In another instance, Bender manages to sneak from the room. During the escape, he engages in intrapersonal communication. For example, he cracks a joke to himself as a strategy to calm himself down. The intrapersonal concept in the movie enables the audience to know the internal thoughts of the characters.
Works Cited
Adler, Ronald B et al. Understanding Human Communication. 13th ed., Oxford University Press, 2016. Jones, Richard. Communication In The Real World. The Saylor Foundation, 2013. Lane, Shelley D. Interpersonal Communication: Competence And Contexts. Routledge, 2016. Sanchez, Nick. "Communication Process." Web.Njit.Edu, 2017, https://web.njit.edu/~lipuma/352comproc/comproc.htm. Wood, Julia, and Gerald Phillips. Group Discussion. Long Grove, IL, Waveland Press, 2007.
