Stranger Things Representation

Learner Resource 23

Detailed textual analysis 1 – representation in long form TV drama

Task: You will complete some close textual analysis of a key sequence from your chosen drama. The purpose of the analysis is to:

·       identify how characters, social groups, social identities, events and issues are represented in the sequence

·       how these representations are constructed through the use of specific media language techniques and signs

·       how ideological values and viewpoints are represented 

·       the meanings audiences might interpret from these representations

Watch the sequence and complete the grid below with notes from your analysis. Give as much detail as possible in your answers.

Areas of representation	Questions about the representation?	Analysis notes
Characters, social groups and social identities	Who are the main characters? Which social groups are they part of?  Are any of the characters usually under-represented in the media? How do they reflect the social identity of the country in which they live? Are any of these characters mis-represented in the drama? Do the characters conform to common social stereotypes? What are the main messages and values that the producer is trying to communicate through the characters in this sequence? Which aspects of media language are most useful in constructing these character representations?	·      Will, Joyce, Hopper, Mike, Eleven. (Dustin and Lucas) ·      Will, Mike, Dustin and Lucas are all in a friendship group. Will and Joyce are family related. Eleven is the only individual that has no other links or unites with anyone through the first episode at the start. ·      Will and Mike are underrepresented in media as they are smart, young and caring teenagers whereas throughout various media platforms teenagers are represented as lazy and evil people. ·      Mike and the rest of the ‘gang’ show social identity by playing Dungeons and Dragons, riding chopper bikes and wearing baseball caps, all of these objects show typical values of a teenage American in the 80’s which conforms the stereotype. ·      The teenagers do not conform to the stereotype as typically the ‘nerdy’ boys would typically be scared and worried about the events that occurred to Will however they are determined to do the detective work subverting the stereotype. However, over Dustin conforms the stereotype of an unpopular student as he admires a older female and is ignored in society with minimal change. ·      The overall stereotype for the teenage boys being subverted, adds a sense of originality and adds audience

Areas of representation	Questions about the representation?	Analysis notes
Events and issues	What events are represented in the sequence?  What issues or topics are represented in the sequence?  Are the issues or events usually under-represented in the media? Is the representation of the events or issues that unfold in the sequence stereotypical? Is the representation positive or negative? Do you feel the event or issues surrounding the event are mis-represented? What makes you think this? Why has the producer constructed the representation of events and issues in this way? Which aspects of media languageare most powerful in constructing the representation and communicating messages and values about the event/issue?	·      Hopper is shown to be slumped on the sofa surrounded with beer cans, cigarette buts and rubbish. ·      Policemen are seen to been responsible and organized however this is heavily contradicted. ·      When Hopper enters work he seems unbothered about the problems in the area and uses the morning to WAKE Up, however there is a child missing, this subverts the stereotypical ideologies of police sheriffs. ·      The representation is negative however as the episode unfolds it becomes more positive as he uses core skills eventually to try and find Will showing more care and devotion towards his job and the town. ·      The beginning poor representation of Hopper makes the audience feel no sympathy however as the episode unravels sympathy is acquired as Hopper has had a rough life, which is emphasized through the loss of Will and the intoxication on the day of rest Sunday. ·      A panning shot of Hoppers messy house helps the audience gain an instant judgment upon him; we feel he is the local slob however his occupation subverts his house state. The lack of lighting emphasizes the lack of hope and passion Hopper has for his job and life.
Realism	How does the drama appear to be real? What aspects of the drama (such as characters, events, issues and storylines, locations and settings, costume choices, performance etc) help to create realism in the sequence? Which specific elements of media language enable the representations of the characters, social groups, events and issues to feel real? How does the use of realism help the representations in the drama to feel natural and ‘real’? How does this influence the way you respond to the sequence?	·      Hoppers story seems very real as in real life Police officers’ lives are very private and separate to their profession therefore there is a sense of realism to the LFTVD. The location (his house) therefore fits this storyline.  ·      Setting is a key component to show representation of Hopper, it makes the scene feel real with a back story to the characters. ·      The use of realism makes the narrative more realistic, as this allows the audience to gain an opinion upon Hopper and the Police force in that era.
Signs and signifiers	What key signs and signifiers can be seen in the sequence? How do we recognize the signs in the sequence? Why might we be familiar with them? How do these signs and signifiers help to communicate messages and values about the characters, social groups, events and issues that are represented in the sequence? What are the main connotations(meanings) offered in the sequence? Are the meanings they offer stereotypical?  Do they reinforce existing ideas about how we should live and behave in certain situations? Can the signs and signifiers used in the sequence be seen to provide an alternative meaning or viewpoint?	·      The ideologies of intoxication and depression are evident, as these to themes heavily contrast a profession such as Police Sheriff therefore is adding a type original theme to the narrative. ·      The original signs and settings seen the characters in combine to make their character and responsibility’s.  ·      The main connotations of Hopper from his house are that he is having a midlife crisis, depressed or having an intoxication problem, the meaning represented are not stereotypical. However, the meaning showed could just show how Hopper relaxes as he has a stressful profession however he doesn’t, shown through the secretary’s speech about the garden gnomes going missing.
Ideology – viewpoints, messages and values	What viewpoints and ideas are expressed by the representations offered in the sequence? Do the representations in the sequence support or challenge dominant ideology – are they stereotypical or not? Do the representations of characters or events feel ‘real’ or natural’? Is the producer inviting you to accept general social stereotypesor to question them? Can the values of the writer, producer or owner be reflected in the representations? Do the representations offer a range of meanings and values for audiences to think about, or do they provide a single preferred meaning?	·      The viewpoints in the scene of Hoppers house challenge dominant ideology’s as the most iconic individual in the town is shown in his weakest format behind closed curtains. ·      The representations feel real as a Police Sheriff could feel vast amount of pressures from time to time however this is contrasted by the actual meanings of Hoppers job not being difficult therefore somewhere else in his life has been difficult.

Stuart Hall Theory

Stuart Hall: 

Was looking into mass media and the power of how media can represent DRCAGES

the opposition negotiated and preferred readings example

‘drink this drink for a week and you’ll lose 5 stone’

Opposition: I defo won't, definitely don’t believe 

Negotiated: I might kinda believe 

Preferred reading: I will definitely believe 

• Media use stereotypes a lot 
• Stereotypes reduce a group of people to some minor characteristics
• Ethnic minorities are usually portrayed In a negative way
• Dominant hegemonic groups (white, rich, male etc)  make these stereotypes and portray ethnic minorities as violent and mean

Livingstone and Lunt

Regulation:

•     the idea that there is an underlying struggle in recent UK regulation policy between the need to further the interests of citizens (by offering protection from harmful or offensive material), and the need to further the interests of consumers (by ensuring choice, value for money, and market competition).

•    the idea that the increasing power of global media corporations, together with the rise of convergent media technologies and transformations in the production, distribution and marketing of digital media, have placed traditional approaches to media regulation at risk.

Jean Baudrillard

Jean Baudrillard (1929-2007)

• Baudrillard was a controversial Philosopher whose main ideas and concepts have been used to understand the effect of living in a postmodern environment

Postmodernism:

• the idea that in postmodern culture the boundaries between the 'real' world and the world of the media have collapsed and that it is no longer possible to distinguish between reality and simulation.
• the idea that in a postmodern age of simulacra we are immersed in a world of images which no longer refer to anything real.
• the idea that media images have come to seem more 'real' the reality they supposed represent. (hyper reality)

Hype-reality: 

• a condition in which 'reality' has been replaced by simulacra.

Simulation:

• The process in which a representation of something comes to replace the thing which actually being represented.
• The representation then becomes more important than 'the real thing'

Hesmondhalgh

Hesmondhalgh:

• The idea that cultural industry companies aim to minimise risk and maximise audiences through vertical and horizontal integration, by formatting their cultural products (e.g through the stars, genres and serials.)
• Vertical integration: One firm engaged in different parts of production (Growing raw materials, manufacturing, transporting, marketing, retailing).

• Horizontal integration: A consolidation of many firms that handle the same part of the production process.

• As well as this it holds the idea that the largest companies now operate across a number of different cultural industries.

• A third Idea from the cultural industries theory is that the radical potential of the internet has been contained to some extent by its partial incorporation into a large, profit-orientated set of cultural industries.

Curran and Seaton

James Curran and Jean Seaton
(Power and responsibility in the media)

• Newspapers should reflect the interests of an audience otherwise they will go out of business. The practice and press can be used as a propaganda tool to influence the audience.

• ''The broad shape and nature of the press is ultimately determined by no one but its readers.''

• The free market makes the press a representative institution, newspaper and magazines are to respond to the concerns of the audience if they are to stay in business.''

• ''The press is the peoples watchdog, scrutinizing the actions of the government and holding the country's ruler to account.''

• Due to the creation of large media companies the individuality of various newspapers has been demolished, however the message is being published to a vast number of people which could bring either positive or negative effects.

• Curran found evidence that media owners did interfere and manipulate newspaper content at the expense of journalists and editors. Rupert Murdoch in 2003 strongly wanted a war with Iraq and its no coincidence that all of his 175 newspapers internationally (that he owned) supported this.

Genre Theory (Steve Neale)

Steve Neale:

• The idea that genres may be dominated by repetition but are also marked by variation, difference and change. 
• The idea that genre changes, develops, varies and borrows and overlaps with on another.