Adolescene as Represented in 'thirteen' and 'puberty Blues'

When comparing the movies "Thirteen" and "Puberty Blues," there are obvious changes in context and time, however the key issues presented remain largely the same between the two films. Both texts attempt to examine the implications of various influences- such as personal relationships and drugs and alcohol- on adolescents at the time the texts were produced. Although one could argue that adolescence is purely a fictional western construct, both stories are based on truth, and have been written with real people in mind. Therefore, the films could be seen as snapshots of certain groups in society from previous years. While both texts are set in the past, the nature of adolescence was an equally interesting issue then as it is now.

There is a certain level of continuity between the two texts. Major themes in "Puberty Blues," like ideas of sex and sexuality, reoccur in the later "Thirteen." As adolescence is the gateway from childhood to adulthood, it is obvious that this is a time when many people start to discover sexuality. This is looked at in some way in both productions. The way in which this is approached however, varies between the films. In "Puberty Blues" sex is seen as something that defines your place in society. Virginity is an embarrassment, and as the two protagonists Debbie and Sue become more accepted by the popular group the expectation of sex also becomes more acceptable and normal to them. When one looks at "Thirteen," however, sex doesn't appear to be so much of an issue. The emphasis of the film is not placed here, and while it is certainly implied that two main character here, Tracey and Evie, are using their sexuality, it doesn't seem to be something the filmmakers see as confronting or as important as the other ideas in the film. The varying attitudes here could be put down to all four girl's relationships with males. While in "Puberty Blues" sex is something done to please their boyfriends, in "Thirteen" Evie and Tracey relate to boys on a more equal level, and appear to be more interested in their own enjoyment. The combination of greater women's rights and a more open attitude to sex in the media has a major role in these changes.

The differences between genders are not limited to the above, however. Although in "Thirteen" the girls can relate to boys in a seemingly informal and relaxed way, in "Puberty Blues" there is a constant façade put up by the female characters. This is apparent in one of the beach scenes, where Debbie describes how all of the girls were hungry, but wouldn't eat in front of the males in an attempt to preserve their femininity.

This lack of genuine relations between the two genders, however, doesn't stop them from socializing regularly in "Puberty Blues." For teenagers in the film most, if not all, social gatherings are fuelled by either drugs or alcohol. The movie doesn't attempt to romanticize this, with one character dying of a drug overdose towards the end of the film.