For my media analysis I intended to investigate how identity management, including theories of social comparison, reflective evaluation, stereotypes and self-esteem are reflected in 2010 teen comedy Easy A, written by Bert V. Reale. Throughout the film, the themes of identity management are discussed at length; most of the characters are given "identifiers" about their social standing in high school, the communication patterns between the characters show social comparison through lies and truth, and the overall plot of the story is about a girl and her high school friends who they try to find their identity in high school. The film is about a high school girl named Olive, who tells a white lie to her best friend Rhiannon about losing her virginity to an imaginary college boy named George. As she tells the lie in the bathroom, the good Christian high school girl overhears the conversation and tells her friends, who in true high school style, tell their friends and rumors begin to spread about Olive's promiscuity. Olive is initially approached by Brandon, a high school friend who is bullied and beaten for being gay. He heard the rumors at school about Olive having sex, which he believes to be true, and she explains to him that it was a lie, but that if he wants to be treated as "normal" he should lie about who he is too. This prompts him to convince her to lie about having sex with him so people will believe he's straight and so he'll stop being tormented. Brandon even goes so far as to say, “I can't stand another day of this…I feel like I'm suffocating,” regarding his high school experience. She agrees, and they go to a big high school party and pretend to have sex in a room so people... middle of paper... I can't tell you, how shitty it feels to be an outcast, justified or not." This fully develops when he has such low self-esteem and thinks his identity is so bad that he is willing to have sex with a girl just to fit in. He uses sexual lying to change his identity and fit in what he wants. He considers the social norm. Later, we see Brandon's identity come to fruition when we are told that he wrote a note to his parents that says "I'm a gay bitch!" At this point, we see Brandon with positive self-esteem when his true identity is portrayed I think Easy A is a fantastic film that shows how communication, truthful or not, and self-reflection play a huge role in both coping. identity that in the self. -esteem. Even though it is a comedy for young adults, the themes and message of the film are undoubtedly related to interpersonal communication.