Skip to main content

Are We Living In “Heathers”?

A Film By Maya Stokley

 

“Are We Living in Heathers?” is a video essay that analyzes how the 1989 cult classic “Heathers” unintentionally foreshadowed the severity of suicide, aggression, and violence among youth today. Mass school shootings and representations of suicide in the media are related to the movie’s conflict and the characters’ actions. By utilizing case studies and historical context, it becomes clear why “Heathers” continues to be popular and relatable to target audiences. “Heathers” is considered satire, but its content is still dangerously relevant today. Will there be a point in time when we live past “Heathers”? How far will we go?

Maya Stokley is expected to graduate in the Spring of 2025 as a Journalism and Media Studies major. She currently resides in Orange, New Jersey, but her hometown is Newark, New Jersey.