How are the 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?
The first scene of the
sequence I analysed is set in Hawkins lab, and shows Dr Brenner for the first
time. The scientists are first presented as being confident, as they change
into their Hazmat suits and arm themselves. This would conform to the
stereotype of government scientists being organised and efficient with what
they are doing, while also having an element of mystery as we don’t know what
is going on in the lab, similar to how we don’t know governmental operations in
real life. The editing also helps to set the scene, as there are fast cuts as
the scientists are changing into their suits, which shows the urgency of the
situation. There is also a limited amount of dialogue from when the scientists
get ready, until the point where they walk down to the level where the portal
is. This shows the tense feeling amongst the scientists, and that they need to
be fully concentrated for what could happen. It also makes the audience more
aware of their surroundings, as that is the focus of the scene; what happened
to the scientist earlier on in the episode on that level of the lab.
The next scene shows two new
representations; Eleven, who appears to be a test subject from the lab, which
we know from her shaved head and hospital gown, and Benny who is a typical man
of the community who is respected and has loyal customers in his diner. At first,
we see Benny as aggressive as he chases Eleven, but in reality he is just
trying to defend his small business and its customers. These representations we
see do conform to the usual stereotypes of what we would think a young girl
being experimented on would look like and act like, being hungry and exhausted,
and Benny being someone who the town respects as people go to his diner and he
looks after them. The music shows the change in pace of the scene, as when
Benny spots Eleven in the kitchen, the music speeds up and gets louder, and as
soon as he catches her and starts talking to her to try and help, the music
stops and it is just a normal conversation between two people.
Later on in this scene, we
see Benny and Eleven have a conversation, Benny calling social services and
Eleven using her powers for the first time. This is the first time we see Benny’s
true personality, as he is trying to find out what happened to Eleven and who
she is. The audience is shown that Eleven has been through a tough time by how fast
she is eating the food. We then see even further into how kind Benny is, as he
calls social services to look after Eleven. We wouldn’t expect Benny to have
these character traits by the way he looks, as he is a large man with a big
beard, which would normally give of a menacing character, but we are shown how he
is a truly kind person. Therefore, although Benny’s personality conforms to the
usual local diner/café owner, we wouldn’t have thought he would be like that
from his appearance or from how we see him angrily chasing and grabbing Eleven
at first.
Towards the end of this scene,
we see Eleven use her powers for the first time when stopping the fan from
moving. It is made obvious that she has supernatural powers by her menacing
facial expression as she uses her powers, and then by the magnetic like sound
effect when the fan stops moving. This is an interesting way to introduce the
supernatural element of the show, as we don’t know much about Eleven, so it
adds to the mystery and uniqueness of the story. This revelation that Eleven
has powers also changes the view on her character from the start of the scene,
as we originally felt sympathetic towards her, but by the end of the scene we
question whether she has been experimented on or abused, as she appears to be
powerful, so maybe she is the one who we should be worried about, not worried
for.
