Stranger Things- Representation

REPRESENTATION QUESTIONS

How are individuals and social groups represented?
-group of kids, stereotypical kids, playing dungeons and dragons, eating pizza and riding on their bikes
-scientists, lab coats, secretive underground lab
-Nancy, stereotypical girl with pink bedroom, talking to her boyfriend on the phone

How are the main characters represented through the use of media language? What social groups can they be seen to fall into? 

• group of boys- there on their bikes most of the time to show how they have a lot of freedom from their parents, the clothes they wear are geeky clothes, for example, Dustin is seen wearing a karate t shirt.

Which individuals or groups are under-represented in the drama? How do you know? Why might this be? 

• only one black character
• no homosexuality- bullies call Will a 'fag'
  

Which individuals or social groups are mis-represented in the drama? How do you know? Why might this be? 

• Jim Hopper (cop) seems to be mis-represented at the start of the episode as when we first see him he's surrounded by beer cans and wakes up in the middle of the day, without knowing he's a policeman you might think he's a unemployed drunk as it seems like he has no knowledge of what time it is especially as he wakes up on his couch. Although some policemen in small quite towns in America could be like this is seems very unlikely.  

What stereotypes are used? Are any of the main characters stereotypical and if so, why might they be represented in this way? How do we respond to them as a viewer as a result?  

• It seems like the group of kids are stereotypical kids as they are first seen playing the board game dungeon and dragons, they also seem to be on their bikes a lot and when they are getting questioned by Jim Hopper two of the boys start arguing over a road name whether its from The Hobbit or Lord of the Rings, so it seems like they act like normal boy of their age at that time. 

Are the stereotypes we see used in a positive or negative way? 

• The stereotype of the group of kids seems to be done in a positive way as when we see them in the end of the episode go out in the forest to go and look for their missing friend (Will) it shows how they are fearless to what could be out there. 

How much influence will the producer have had on the way individuals, social groups or social identities are represented? 

Why might the producer have decided to construct this representation? Which aspects of media language are used by the producer to help construct these representations? 

How are events, issues and social identities represented? 

What events or issues are represented? 

Did you already know about these events or issues? Are they usually under-represented or not? Why might they be the focus of representation in this drama?

How true to their historical and socio-cultural contexts are the representations? Do they offer a realistic version of the events/ issues portrayed or a different viewpoint? Why might this be? How does it use media language to achieve this? 

Do you feel the events or issues have been mis-represented in this drama? Is the representation positive or negative? If so, what reasons can you give for this? 

How much influence will the producer have had on the way the events or issues are represented? Why might the producer have decided to construct this representation and what aspects of media language are used to create this?