Stranger Things essay

How are different social groups represented in the sequence you have analysed? What role does the use of media language, signs and signifiers have in constructing and presenting these representations as real? 500 words

Throughout the Stranger Things Season 1 Episode 1, many stereotypes are conformed to and subverted through the use of clothing, props and setting. 

In the scenes beginning from Joyce Byers ringing people on her house phone (for help to find will) to Mike’s house at the dinner table, a few stereotypes are evident. The first of which comes from the typical behaviour of Joyce Byers (Will’s mum). Joyce both subverts and conforms to the stereotype of a typical mother. She conforms to it through the use of her emotions when she is frantically going around her house, worrying about her missing son - this is typically an overrepresented view of a mother in the family. On the other hand, she subverts the stereotype of women in the media due to the fact that she begins to take charge of how she is going to find Will. She is showing how the media typically forgets how a mother doesn’t just sit around waiting on her husband to do things for her which was quite similar to what occurred in the 80’s. 

Hopper’s personality and lifestyle subverts the typical police chief as he is quite lazy and unmotivated. although, when he goes round to the Byer’s house to return Will’s bike, he conforms to the typical stereotype of a police chief as he becomes a lot more serious and sceptical of the clues around him. On the other hand, throughout the rest of the episode, he begins to take up more of a detective role in a way that makes him come across as determined to discover where Will went.

In the following scene of Mike’s house, the audience can see the whole family sat around the dinner table - this was very normal in the 80’s. On the other hand, Karen Wheeler (Mike’s mum) completely subverts the stereotypical role of a mother. This is due to the fact that she take more authority over Ted Wheeler (Mike’s dad). This is seen through the tone of her voice in her dialogue and also through her facial expressions. Also, Karen has a lot more screen time in this scene than any of the other characters around the table which implies how she is the head of the family (and therefore, the most authoritative figure). The use of the family table conforms to the stereotypical family, where all of the family sits around the table together conversing over things. On the other hand, the things that the family are conversing over and not the typical conversations of a household (e.g. a missing child). Furthermore, Mike’s character subverts the typical teenage representation as he is quite a geeky and yet determined to go out and look for his missing friend. Whereas, teenagers are normally represented as quite lazy. 

During the first episode, the women in the families are seen to be very independent, in contrast to how women were supposed to be in the time the series is set in (80’s - women usually conformed to the housewife - the husband took charge).