The movie, 10 Things I Hate About You, is a modern high-school version of Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. The story follows two very different sisters. Bianca is the popular and bubbly younger sister who really wants to date. Kat is the smart, tough, and very independent older sister who wants nothing to do with high-school romance.
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Their father has a strict rule that Bianca can’t date until Kat does. There is a boy named Cameron, who has a crush on Bianca and wants to date her. He comes up with a plan and convinces his friend, Patrick to date Kat so he could finally be allowed to date Bianca.
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At first, Patrick is paid to take Kat out, but as he gets to know her, he actually starts liking her for real. Kat slowly starts trusting him too. But when she finds out about the scheme, she feels betrayed.
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In the end, Patrick proves he genuinely cares about her and Kat lets him back into her life. Bianca stands up for herself as she chooses who she really wants to be with.
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This movie shows some very important lessons:
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Be True to Yourself: Kat refuses to change just to fit in. She stands for herself and doesn’t try to be like the other popular girls in the movie. You can make your own path.
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Don’t Pretend to Be Someone You’re Not: Patrick pretends he’s only dating Kat for money, and Cameron pretends he only wants to help her. Lies, even small ones, can damage relationships. I learned that honesty and open communication are important in building true friendships.