Mean Girls Power

Sure, it's not as cool as x-ray vision or flight, but the manipulative power Regina George wields in Mean Girls is almost as strong. She gets what she wants.

At North Shore, social standing is power, and with her rich parents, expensive wardrobe, and shiny ride, Regina is the queen bee—and she knows it. Regina regularly uses her place of power for evil, which sets most of the movie's plot in motion, as Cady leads the revenge plot against Regina, and risks becoming exactly like her in the process.

Questions About Power

1. It's clear that Regina's a master manipulator, but why does she do it? What's her motivation for being so mean?
2. Why are all the adults in this movie so ineffective? Compare and contrast Cady's parents, Regina's mom, and Mr. Duvall.
3. Gretchen tells Cady that Regina forbid her from wearing hoop earrings. What would you do if one of your friends told you that you couldn't wear what you wanted?

Chew on This

Janis was half-right: The junior girls don't love Regina, but they do love what she represents.

Regina manipulates her classmates because she can't control her parents' splintering marriage.