High School Musical

High School Musical

High School Musical is a movie that broadcast a diverse cast of characters all which have a lot of talent and end up staging a show together. A message that High School Musical sends is that you can do whatever you’d like and shouldn't have to stick to the social norms or “status quo” of society if it isn't what makes you happy. Troy learns that he should do what makes him happy even if he looks weird or funny to his father or to his other classmates. Along the same lines, this movie tells kids that they shouldn't care what others think of them and to keep confidence and positivity. Even if you’re steered by a family member or peer pressured into something that you don’t really want to do, you should keep trying at your goals and dreams and work while being confident. I believe that this could positively effect children who watch HSM by making them want to do the same and be prideful if they're ever shamed for their hobbies. Troy and Gabriella making themselves happy is the centeral plot of the first movie, many children from my generation and below struggle with that. I think that the pursuance of dreams in High School Musical will get more kids to believe they can accomplish things even if others around them think that they are incapable or shame them for doing so. 

Many negative messages show up in High School Musical in all three of the movies. In the first movie Troy and Gabriella become very dependent on each other from the beginning. They do everything together and never really ever separate. This is an unrealistic representation for relationships for children. Also Sharpay and Ryan, even though they are brother and sister, have an abusive relationship where she's the queen and he is very much her servant and helper. She pushes him around and he never retaliates or sticks up for himself. Sharpay is also a bully throughout all the movies and is praised for it. Everyone looks to her as the ruler of the school and the one that knows everything even though she puts everyone down. Nothing ever comes crashing down for her till the last movie but that didn't come out till a few years later. As far as the first movie goes she still get she lead of the musical, her teacher’s still respects her and she still has friends and brother by her side. In the third movie she even gets a person to follow her around as her “number one fan” and wants to be the next school queen and bully. 

High School Musical shows bad messages of bullying as well as gossiping. The students conversations consist of gossiping 90% of the time at least. It shows children that High School is supposed to be clique and gossipy and that you have to find yourself by associating with one group. A positive element of High School musical is that Troy and Gabriella break away from the school social norms and do what makes them happy. They audition for the play confidently and get great results because of it. Even though abusive and dependent relationships are a big theme in the movie, the theme of them going towards their dreams and aspirations is more prevalent. I do believe that children could want a relationship like Troy and Gabriella because they're so happy together, but I don't think it could be completely mimicked at the age the movie is targeted to, therefor it isn't very detrimental.