Basic Trope: A character (usually a parent) gives a vague justification for a decision, usually by an appeal to their own authority.
- Straight: Shannon tells her daughter Sharon that she cannot visit her friends. When Sharon asks why, Shannon simply says that its because she says so.
- Exaggerated: Shannon doesn't even give Sharon an explanation why she has no permission to do anything at all other than "because."
- Downplayed:
- Shannon does explain to Sharon why she can't visit her friends, but Sharon doesn't think the justification is that reasonable.
- Shannon gives three-year-old Sharon this explanation why she can't touch the stove.
- Justified:
- Shannon doesn't want Sharon to hear the scary truth about the dangers of going outside since she experienced the situation when she was her age.
- Shannon is an Abusive Parent who abuses her authority a lot and likes to make Sharon miserable.
- Shannon is just incompetent in her parenting skills and she couldn't come up with a good explanation.
- Shannon's actual justification would require her to admit to immoral or downright criminal activity.
- Inverted: Shannon gives her daughter permission to break a set of rules established by someone else because Shannon said so.
- Subverted: Shannon tells Sharon she cannot visit her friends because... she has to help her around the house first.
- Double Subverted: Sharon finishes helping Shannon, but she still won't let her go because... you know the rest.
- Parodied: Shannon tells Sharon that she can't visit her friends "Because I said so"... while she is visiting her own friends. For added Hypocritical Humor, Sharon's friends are studious kids who enjoy volunteering and Shannon says this from A Party, Also Known as an Orgy, where she's exhibiting her naked body for all in a five-block radius to see.
- Zig-Zagged: Depending on whether she thinks Sharon is mature enough to understand the issue, Shannon will give a more complete explanation of why she won't let her do A or B.
- Averted:
- Shannon gives Sharon a reasonable explanation to why she can't visit her friends.
- Shannon allows Sharon to see her friends, no questions asked.
- Sharon doesn't ask Shannon for permission to see her friends.
- Enforced: "We need to have Shannon stop Sharon from going to Mike's place, but Sharon is usually well-behaved." "Eh, just throw in the old 'because I said so' excuse."
- Lampshaded: "What kind of explanation is that?"
- Invoked: When Shannon gave Sharon reasonable explanations for rules in the past, Sharon broke them or at least engaged in Loophole Abuse. Now Shannon just answers "Because," since she no longer believes that Sharon cares about the reasons for the rules.
- Exploited: Shannon wants her rebellious daughter out of the house for a few days, so she puts Sharon on house arrest "Because I said so," and trusts Sharon to sneak out for a few days.
- Defied:
- "Oh no, Mom! I'm not letting you use that ol' 'because I said so' speech."
- Shannon actively tries to give a good explanation as to why Sharon couldn't visit her friends. If there's no such situation for Sharon not to visit her friends, Shannon simply lets Sharon go.
- Discussed: "Man, parents using that line makes you realize that they're overprotective of their children."
- Conversed: ???
- Deconstructed: Shannon tells Sharon she cannot visit her friends because she says so. This inspires Sharon to ask Shannon an Armor-Piercing Question: if she won't let her go to visit her friends, then why does Shannon allow Shane, her brother, to visit his friends? Offended by this, Shannon slaps Sharon across the face, only for Sharon to declare that she will stay with her friends' house and "never come home again."
- Reconstructed: Shannon doesn't want to scare her daughter with the truth but forbids her from going out at night because there have been attacks lately. Sharon sneaks out anyway, is assaulted, and escapes to get medical attention. Shannon is frantic and learns that she can't coddle her daughter for her own good, while Sharon learns to trust and discuss things with her mother.
- Played for Laughs: An exchange between Shannon and four-year-old Sharon:Shannon: Uh... I'll tell you when you're older.Sharon: Why not tell me now?Shannon: BECAUSE I SAID SO!
- Played for Drama: Shannon is a Struggling Single Mother who just had a long day at work and Sharon is acting up. Shannon wants some peace and quiet, tells Sharon "Go to Your Room!," and when confronted, is simply too exhausted to come up with any real reason.
- Implied: Sharon's conversation with Shannon lasts mere seconds. After, Sharon looks at pictures of her friends with a mixture of confusion, anger, and sadness.
Get back to the main page, Troper, Because I Said So!
