Have you ever met a person who is completely different when they is around their friends? Well, that would describe Danny Zuko (The great John Travolta) right on the mark. Danny is a teenager who is driven by his reputation of being the coolest kid in the school. This film provides an excellent view on the issue of reputation. It argues that having a reputation is more important than developing a relationship with the person whom you fell in love with. During the first song, called "Summer Nights", you can see the difference between Danny's real personality and his personality when he is with his friends. During the song, all the guys sing about is what they did sexually, and asking how good she was, and all that stuff, whereas Sandy and her friends sing more about the "falling in love". Sandy describes the lovely things that they did on the beach, and all the fun they had playing around in the water and watching sunsets and such. I think this song really sets the tone for what happens later in the movie, and is foreshadowing the separation between Sandy and Danny. Another time when we see the issue of reputation is when Sandy and Danny first meet after the Pep Rally for the football team. When they first see each other, it's almost like they are genuinely happy to see each other, but then Danny takes a look at his friends, and immediately changes. He acts very stuck up and full of himself, just like his friends expect him to do, which leads into him saying some really stupid, snotty jokes to Sandy. Danny is known for treating girls like toys, and acting like he is the most important person in the relationship. He can't let this sweet little girl ruin his image! This is the first real time where we see the issue of reputation, and how the film portrays it; as something more important than love. This issue is also apparent when they go to the diner. Danny doesn't want to go in, since he doesn't want his friends to see him alone with Sandy, but she insists. Danny is a completely different person when his friends come up and sit with him. He makes jokes and rejects Sandy when she asks him if he wants to meet her parents for tea. In this particular scene, it is apparent that Danny is afraid to show who he really is. He doesn't want his friends to see him love another person. As you can see, there are many scenes in this film that really show the issue of reputation. I get it, your reputation is a big part of high school. You care a lot about what others think of you, and you want to keep your friends, but does this aspect of a reputation mean that you should lose the girl you fell in love with? I don't think so. That is why I do not agree with how they presented this issue. It teaches kids the wrong idea about how a relationship should work.
