Mean Girls

Mean Girls Literary Elements

Director

Mark Waters

Leading Actors/Actresses

Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, and Lacey Chabert

Supporting Actors/Actresses

Lizzy Caplan and Amanda Seyfried

Genre

Teen Comedy

Language

English

Awards

No significant awards

Date of Release

April 30, 2004

Producer

Lorne Michaels

Setting and Context

Evantson, Illinois

Narrator and Point of View

We see the events of the film mostly from the perspective of Cady Heron.

Tone and Mood

Comedic, Fun, Cruel, and Surprising

Protagonist and Antagonist

Cady vs. Regina George; later, Cady vs. herself as mean girl

Major Conflict

Initially, the conflict is between the "mean girls" of the school—namely Cady and Regina. Later, the internal conflict between Cady and herself leads to the resolution to the film.

Climax

When Regina exposes the contents of the Burn Book to the school.

Foreshadowing

When Cady is almost hit by a bus on the first day of school, foreshadowing Regina's accident.

Understatement

Regina says she only wants to lose "three pounds" despite always being on a diet.

Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques

Split-screen technique, montage sequences, and flashbacks all used in various scenes.

Allusions

Damian alludes to Danny DeVito, and has Mariah Carey and Madonna posters on his wall. Cady does not understand an allusion to Ashton Kutcher.

Paradox

Janis points out that The Plastics thinks everyone loves them, when actually everyone hates them.

Parallelism

Janis and Gretchen both tell Cady, "It'll be our little secret," when trying to lure her into their cliques.