I think the answer to the ending could be pretty simple actually. I think maybe Cameron after "taking a stand" begins to disperse from reality and integrated with his true identity which is Ferris. I think its possible that Ferris and Cameron are the same character, just different parts of how one man views himself as a youth. I think "Cameron" could represent how the character feels and how feels he's viewed. "Ferris" as we see in the movie is a caricature of the facade. Ferris probably being his actual name, the Ferris presented to the viewer is the man the character WANTS to be. I think this would make sense given how teenagers typically view themselves (usually quite self deprecating) and how they wish to be (superhuman). Teenage minds often seem to think extremes, say things like " you've ruined my life" or " I'm dying" ( the latter which Cameron says when refusing to go out at first). I think really Cameron and Ferris are one in the same, just that Ferris is his name in reality. His day off is his "day off" from the confines of his own self concept (ie physically embodied for the viewer as Cameron) and by the end of the movie, he reconciles his inner demons, and fully integrates after "destruction of the car". Perhaps taking the car itself was more of a symbolic device, like Cameron himself. The car doesn't exist any more than Cameron does, the car and Cameron serve as physical devices to explains Ferris' choice to just fully become the man he imagines he should be and discard his previous self concept. I think like the car, perhaps a lot of the movie serves as allegory. That beings said, however, this is all conjecture. I think this is really interesting to think about and it makes for and interesting "read" of the film, so to speak. However, perhaps Ferris Bueller's Day Off is everything that it seems on the surface and there really is no hidden meaning. Alas, sometimes a cigar is just a cigar... and a movie is just a movie.

okay wait, do you seriously think Cameron gets murdered? I don't really know about that. That's a pretty big jump to make.

Here's my theory.

I think that Ferris is a figment of Cameron's imagination. But I don't really think that it's as intense as people are making it out to be. I don't really think he's THAT insane. I just think he's fantasizing. Aren't some of our imaginations a little wild sometimes? So what about the side stories? He's imagining shit. He's imagining people CARING about him, in every way. His mom and dad, calling and coming home from work to check on him. The student body rallying around his illness, raising money for him. Even his pissed off sister, who in the end proves she DOES love Ferris and saves his ass after trying to get him caught all day. Cameron wants that. Having the school principal chase after him is a bit far fetched, but it's his IMAGINATION. Plus like, if they were trying to make the plot THIS vague, why WOULDN'T they add more back story and side story? I mean, come on.

The main reason I think Ferris is in Cameron's mind: Who wants a perfect hero that never actually HAS any problems and overcomes nothing? Ferris is clever, congenial, good looking, and seems to have no enemies. His story never changes. His only flaw? He doesn't own a car! The very thing that Cameron can provide him - a ride. Perhaps the only thing Cameron likes about himself, having a car. That makes him a little cool.

So Cameron is the one who overcomes something. He was a ball of nerves and in the end he decides to stick up for himself. Now THAT sounds like a story. Triumphant music plays.

And then there's Ferris and his ending. He kisses the girl, he makes it home in time to Jeanie getting rid of the principal without having to do ANY work himself yet again, and his parents lovingly dote on him. He never gets caught. Meanwhile, Cameron is awaiting his father's wrath. And that's how his story ends. It's a better ending than Ferris', if you think about it. Cameron's story ends on a much more resonating note. Ferris' ending is almost feels, to me, like it's trying to smooth over Cameron's much more ambiguous ending. What's going to happen to Cameron? We know Ferris is just going to win, again and again. HE didn't get caught, and Cameron will.

So yeah. I like the movie. It's one of my favorites. And I like this theory. But really, it's just a movie and that's PROBABLY not what the writers meant. Maybe we're reading into it a little more than we should.

I think, much with the fight club theory, that Cameron IS ferris, ferris' sister is Cameron's sister, and so forth. That would mean the gentleman they see in the restaurant is Cameron's father, mr Rooney is after Cameron (who is a hypochondriac and frequently misses school). After all when they are in the sears tower Cameron mentions that his father will be below, however back on the streets of Chicago it's ferris' father we see, because its the same person. So perhaps much like the nameless narrator in fight club, ferris may be a figment of Cameron's imagination, but Cameron is actually, in name, ferris beuller. Even subtly so we learn ferris and Cameron share both a home room class and gym period. Interested how the only classes we are made aware of, are shared by both characters. I hope this insane ramble makes sense, it did in my head.