How are different social groups represented in the sequence you have analyzed? What role does the use of media language, signs and signifiers have in constructing and presenting these representations as real?
In the TV Drama Stranger Things, there are many representations featured throughout. One of the main representations in the storyline are teenagers and the different types. There are two different types of teens one being the pre-teens, who are Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas and are represented as the stereotypical nerdy, excited, prepubescent youths. We can imply this because throughout the first episode before Will goes missing, they are all playing a board game getting heavily excited and enthusiastic about being together. This shows how much they enjoy hanging out with their friends and then be with their families just like the stereotypical young teen. We can also know they are enjoying hanging out with each other by their facial expressions and the close-ups used by the camera to show their faces lighting up with interest after every game movement. Concentration was another expression on the boy's faces suggesting they had a serious side to them making them all very similar and with a close friendship. The teenage representation is shown again through their use of language when they shout at one another the word “pussy”, which is a word often used when throwing an insult and potentially showing power. By using this term, they show their ages because ‘pussy’ is most commonly used by young teens to show the power of opinion. This reinforces the audience how close and honest friends they are. When Mike’s mother tells them to stop playing later on in the scene, they are represented as a stereotypical grumpy teen. This shows that when told what to do the boys moan are not happy due to their age and the fact they are having fun hanging out.
In the TV Drama Stranger Things, there are many representations featured throughout. One of the main representations in the storyline are teenagers and the different types. There are two different types of teens one being the pre-teens, who are Mike, Will, Dustin and Lucas and are represented as the stereotypical nerdy, excited, prepubescent youths. We can imply this because throughout the first episode before Will goes missing, they are all playing a board game getting heavily excited and enthusiastic about being together. This shows how much they enjoy hanging out with their friends and then be with their families just like the stereotypical young teen. We can also know they are enjoying hanging out with each other by their facial expressions and the close-ups used by the camera to show their faces lighting up with interest after every game movement. Concentration was another expression on the boy's faces suggesting they had a serious side to them making them all very similar and with a close friendship. The teenage representation is shown again through their use of language when they shout at one another the word “pussy”, which is a word often used when throwing an insult and potentially showing power. By using this term, they show their ages because ‘pussy’ is most commonly used by young teens to show the power of opinion. This reinforces the audience how close and honest friends they are. When Mike’s mother tells them to stop playing later on in the scene, they are represented as a stereotypical grumpy teen. This shows that when told what to do the boys moan are not happy due to their age and the fact they are having fun hanging out.
The authority in the town is another representation featured in the drama and is through the Sheriff. He is represented as the typical lazy sheriff who sleeps, smokes and gives off a laid back persona. This is because in one of the opening scenes the camera slowly rises and it shows the sheriff laying on the sofa with a mess all over his house and being late for work. This instantly makes the character seem real as he fits the stereotypical lazy, unorganized sheriff making the audience feel like they know him. The lighting also helps represent him because it is dull and the weather looks miserable. However, due to the fact it's fragmented throughout the episode, our opinion changes about him and we find out he lost his daughter changing his representation to a more softer, caring character. This makes the audience feel sympathy for him and shows the series may have more to offer and find out.
The other type of teens represented is the older, more mature ones showed through Nancy and Steve. Nancy is represented as the typical ‘girl next door’, unpopular high school girl who is always studying and always wants to make her grades. This is shown through her fashion taste, wearing long skirts and high necks, being represented as a teen who is well dressed and cares about her appearance. It is also shown by the slow panning of the camera on her body in order to show off her 80’s styled clothes and her innocent face. However, Steve is the complete opposite ‘bad boy’ rebellious teen, who in the storyline is trying to get with Nancy. He is represented as this through his clothing choice; roll necks, clear up, gelled back hair and a repeated smirk throughout the first episode. Steve is represented as a ‘trouble maker’ teen because in the narrative he distracts Nancy from studying and is a bad influence on her. This is a stereotypical real representation of teens because many incidents like this happen all the time within the youth making the characters more realistic to the audience.
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