A Character Analysis of Cady Heron
from Mean Girls
🚩The New girl
Cady was introduced to us as the new girl from Africa. Not only was she African but she was a white girl from Africa. To some this would mean nothing but to me it signified that Cady’s character was different. Unique. Not what meets the eye. Because when you hear African, most would automatically think of darker skin, not white. Though this isn’t the case, it is definitely a culture shock to see different due to stereotypes and misconceptions we have of ethnicity and culture. This was even implied when principal mentioned to the class there is a new girl from Africa and Tina Fey said “Oh, welcome” to the black girl with locs and she’s like I’m not African.”..Awkward but funny.
Not only is Cady was a white African new girl but she’s a new girl who’s never been to a public school before! Uh oh. She’s way out the loop here. Perfect bait for a predator.
🚩People Pleaser
It didn't take us that long to find out one of Cady’s character flaws. If you guessed people pleaser, then you’re 100% right. The problem with people pleasing is that you are so willing to get people to like you that you’ll go against your own values.
Examples of this throughout the movie was
Skipping class on the 1st day just to hang out with Janice and ….although she knew it was the wrong thing to do. She even allowed Janice to call her by the wrong name without correcting her. This incorrect name calling continued even after they became friends.
People pleasers would rather disregard their boundaries than to ruffle feathers.
Because Cady admired Regina perceiving her to be “ like a Barbie doll.” She allowed Regina to refer to her as “loser”
🚩Naive
believing Regina was sweet and had good intentions.
-Had a crush on Regina’s ex boyfriend Aaron who was off limits. Really believed that Regina was okay with her talking to him.
-Loves math. But dumb herself down to talk to Aaron.
-Geek. Nerd. Homeschooled. Sweet. Morals (doesn't want to steal)
AVOIDS CONFRONTATION
-She lied to Janice about her not being in the book to avoid hurting her feelings OR maybe to cover up her own tracks. “He’s too gay to function.”
- When she thought she was going to get in trouble by Regina, her first thought was “Start apologizing and crying.”
-After getting her heartbroken over a guy she just met due to jealousy, Cady became vengeful toward Regina with the help of Janice.
-Started becoming two faced & passive aggressive- being nice to Regina to her face but plotting behind her back.
-became an instigator between Gretchen and Regina and ultimately Karen.
-Still wanted approval. “The weird thing about hanging out with Regina George is that I could hate her but I still wanted her to like me” . Started changing the way she dressed.
- Became obsessed over Regina. Talking about her badly. Bringing her up every chance she gets.
-Liked the attention she got being a plastic because of the popularity it brought.
-Conniving. Started playing stupid again so she could get close to Aaron. This time she committed by messing up her grades. Kissed him then told him Regina is cheating on her.
-Became a bitch- wrote in the Burn book about her math teacher who was only trying to give her advice. Said she was a drug pusher lying on her.
THE NEW QUEEN B- throwing parties at her house. Lying to her friends and family. Gretchen and Karen were following her around like lost puppies. Started speaking like Regina. Used tactics like Regina.
“Making fun of Carol would not stop her from beating me in this contest.
Calling somebody else fat won't make you any skinnier
Calling someone stupid doesn’t make you any smarter
And ruining Regina George’s life definitely didn't make me any happier
All you can do in life is try to solve the problem in front of you.”- Cady Harron
TIPS
If you feel like you are Cady in the friend dynamic, it is definitely time to leave before you lose yourself completely. It is better to lose out on “friends” than to turn into the very person you despise.
