Mean Girls isn't Cady Heron's comedy. It's the tragedy of Gretchen Wieners.
Happy Mean Girls Day, all
Editor’s Note: We’re back, baby! I’ve been gone due to vacation and immediately coming back and getting sick with the worst sinus infection I’ve ever had. Nevertheless, we soldier on. I decided to return with a light article. Those of you who know me well know that I discuss writing this article every year. I’m finally getting around to it. I hope you guys enjoy it.
It’s almost October 3rd, the nationally recognized Mean Girls day. Well, maybe it’s not nationally recognized, but it’s recognized by those of us that matter. The initiated, if you will. The adored social rags-to-riches story sees the protagonist, Cady Heron, go from weird new girl to Queen Bee to regular old Cady again. Meanwhile, the social hierarchy of the school is thrown into upheaval.
The film is light and funny, with some poignant themes about growing up. It’s one of the most loved comedies of the past 20 years, but it’s not a comedy for every character. For Gretchen Wieners, the second in command plastic played by Lacey Chabert, it’s a tragedy.
Let’s examine the evidence. When Janice and Cady mark “Army of Skanks” off the chalkboard, they’re really only talking about Gretchen. Karen, the third plastic, is largely inconsequential throughout the film because she’s oblivious to most machinations between Cady and Regina.
It’s Gretchen that’s the first domino to fall. Gretchen is clever, pretty, rich, and popular. With some prodding by Cady and Janice, she comes to see no reason to be secondary to Regina any longer. In fact, Gretchen is so smart she recognizes herself in Julius Caesar’s Brutus, the underestimated and much-maligned General. Karen could never.
Furthermore, Gretchen loses on nearly every front in the film. She’s rich, but no one cares because her dad invented toaster strudel. She gets pummeled with a ball in gym class. She’s supposedly dating a guy named Jason, but he’s seen at the mall with another girl. She gets in trouble for writing the Burn Book. Regina turns on her. And to cap it all off, Glen Coco gets four more Candy Canes.
Every plastic falls from grace in Mean Girls, but they all end up in a healthier place. Regina goes from Queen Bee to the captain of the lacrosse team. Cady just becomes a regular student but appreciates her friends. Karen gets hired as the school weather person, and Gretchen goes from Vice President of the plastics to an Asian clique member. That doesn’t track.
Gretchen is the only character in the film who doesn’t find a healthier way of living. She doesn’t find self-actualization or independence. She doesn’t go on to lead her own clique either. She simply trades one master for another. She receives the suffering of the Plastics while never having the power to do anything about it. She’s just along for the horrible ride.
The theme of Mean Girls is clear: you’re better off being yourself. It’s a teen comedy, for God’s sake. Don’t try to be what people want you to be. Each character’s realization of this makes for a more comfortable school environment and a better life for that character. It’s mostly true across the board. Gretchen is the only one that stands out. Gretchen Wieners is the only character in the film that doesn’t grow. She ends the movie as the same person. She’s just pretending to speak Vietnamese, and that’s a tragedy.