An essay analyzing a modern day trickster from a popular movie

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Modern Day Trickster
Most of the times the trickster is perceived as a light hearted fool or simply a person who
likes to play pranks on others. However, this is a simplistic view of a trickster. It is thus
important to fully understand the character of the trickster in order to understand the role they
play and their value in the society. consequently, the trickster archetype validates the idea that
the society is fluid in regards to good and evil and as such, there can be no clear distinction
between a hero and a villain. Rather, tricksters mock and question authority through chaos and
unrest while at the same time encouraging enthusiasm and impulse to find new ideologies and
experiences that seek to eradicate conformity. Ferris Bueller from the movie, Ferris Bueller’s
Day Off, is by the above description a trickster in that he is not only a liminal figure but he
facilitates the duality between the need of the young generation to succeed while emphasizing
the idea that success does not require a strict adherence to the rules.
Ferris Bueller is one of the movies by John Hughes that depicts the realistic notion of a
teenage experience. Like most movies released at that time, the movie which was released in
1986 spoke to the young generation and it further promoted the spirit of rebellion through such
characters as Ferris Bueller. In this regard, Ferris is a trickster in that he is a prankster and a
deceiver. This is evident as he deceives his parents into thinking he is sick so as not to go to
school and also deceives his classmates into thinking he requires a kidney transplant.
Furthermore, Ferris hacks the school’s database to reduces his absences and he also convinces
his best friend to help him get his (Ferris) girlfriend to skip school (Hughes).
To Ferris, nothing is sacred, as a result, he is a situation inverter. Ferris does not care
about material things. He is indifferent about his best friend fathers Ferrari. Throughout the
movies, it made abundantly clear that his best friend’s fathers cherish this particular car more

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that he loves his wife. And true to the nature of a trickster, Ferris sees it fit to use in getting his
girlfriend from school. Furthermore, Ferris does not have any problem impersonating people in
order to get his way. This form shape shifting also reinforces his trickster nature. For instance,
he impersonates Abe Froman, the sausage king of Chicago in order to get a table ata restaurant
where he and his friends did not have a reservation (Hughes).
Tricksters rarely use force to get what they want, rather they rely on deceit and cleverness
to achieve their end goals (Waddel 110). Ferris is a representation of the non-violent tricksters.
He does not make use of violence, rather he utilizes only his wit and charm to get his way.
Ferris’s trickster nature Is facilitated by his only objective as a bored teenager to survive through
the boredoms of school while avoiding trading in his own passions and dreams for acceptance
by the society. He has complete confidence in himself and is fully committed to rewrite the
societal rules in a way that help him get what he wants without getting anyone hurt. His sense
of adventure and mischief is relatable to many who have gone through every day routine of
high school and know that a change of pace is required in life.
Through his charm, Ferris and his friends have an extremely adventurous day by breaking
all the values and rules in the society that have been deemed necessary to become a successful
and wholesome individual. Furthermore, Ferris inspires the community with his noncompliance
to societal norms to such a degree that the audience root for his success despite his mischievous
nature. When his schoolmates and the community at large start a petition to “save Ferris”, can
be seen as an attempt to save the spirit of individualism that Ferris represents. Ferris represents
the hidden desire in everyone; the desire to step outside of ourselves and be a unique individual
that embraces and cherishes not only their own flaws but the flaws of others. Ferris’s trickster
nature is reinforced by his diverse following as “he's very popular. The sportos, the motorheads,

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geeks, sluts, bloods, wasteoids, dweebies, dickheads. They all adore him! They think he's a
righteous dude” (Hughes).
According to Hyde, a trickster is a cultural hero. Although the trickster may have selfish
tendencies and be irrational at times, he does offer lessons that facilitates the advancement of
the human civilization (Dillingham and Hyde 102). in this regards, the youth of Ferris’s period,
both in the movie and in real life, were subject to extreme materialism. Ferris, despite being a
trickster, also helps his friend Cameron by pointing out to him that all people are important and
that the best way make people feel important is by disregarding and profaning the societal
norms.
In conclusion, Ferris is a true trickster who shows that anything is possible if only people
are willing not to conform. Ferris. Like other tricksters such as Loki, displays amorality, Shape
shifting (disguises) and mediation characteristics. As such, through such actions, he clearly
shows that success is not what the society perceives rather it is a personal choice.

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Works Cited
Dillingham, Thomas F., and Lewis Hyde. "Trickster Makes This World: Mischief, Myth, and
Art." (1999): 101-103.
Ferris Bueller's Day Off. Dir. John Hughes. Perf. Matthew Broderick, Allan Ruck and Mia
Sara. 1986. DVD.
Waddell, Terrie. Mis/takes: Archetype, myth and identity in screen fiction. Routledge, 2012.