Representation in Media

In class we were learning about the way representation was used in media. I was not in class during this lesson as I was absent, but using the presentation my teacher provided for us, I learnt that representation is understanding the difference between was is real and was is being represented. This is important for understanding media texts and the way the world and our actions are being demonstrated, which makes it essential for finding out the truth. However, representation can have an inaccurate showing of reality that can be partially or completely false, portraying someone or something incorrectly. In this blog, I will be showing how 3 movies or TV shows portray me:

"Stranger Things"(2016-2022)

"Stranger Things" is a supernatural series in 2016, which was made by Matt and Ross Duffer. The story develops around a group of friends which have to go through the struggles of growing up, school dynamics, relationships, and friendships. Even though the setting of this series is during the 1980's I feel like it does a good job at representing the average experience of a 15 year old boy, like me, while in and out of high school. Furthermore, the series also adds on the element of supernatural, and with it, the kids are given multiple obstacles which test their strengths. The challenges given to these kids, like having to fight these spiritual beings, while also balancing their social and academic life in school, is seen by many 15 year old boys in this era. A sport, hobby, managing between relationship and friendship, or just the thought of growing up and "grown up expectations" being set upon them are ways in which many teenage boys are challenged and are able to learn and achieve a new level of growth within themselves, just like the kids in "stranger things".

The representations were made by the Duffer Brothers. They more then likely drew out parts of the series, or certain characters, from their own experiences as their childhood was in the 1980's, just like the time that the series took place. Works by Stephen King and John Carpenter were some of the many books and films that were also used to influence the tone and style of the show. As they were born during this time period in which the film takes place, they are able to show and represent 15 year olds more accurately since they are able to amplify certain themes such as growing up and the management of relationships through their own experience.

Even though the Duffer Brothers made this show during their adulthood and not during their teen years, their representation may have some parts which aren't as relatable as others. But, since they tied in childhood moments with universal themes, in which anyone from any generation could relate to, I really feel like they did a great job at showing a 15 year old's struggles and the stuff they have to go through, such as trying to balance school, friends, relationships, and obstacles in which you face in and out of school. So, Even though the show is full of supernatural things like aliens and monsters, which aren't a normal thing for 15 year olds to have to face against everyday, the show is still showing the emotional part of growing up and tense or pressured situations, making the show more relatable to many 15 year olds, including me.

"A quiet place"(2018)

In quiet place, the movie is centered around a family of four. They are trying to survive a worldwide apocalypse. Marcus, the son, is around 15 years old and suffers from fear and self doubt as he is trying to help his family survive in this intense setting. He is relatable for many young boys, like me, because even though he feels the desire to help out and protect his family, he has a mix of vulnerability and fear within him that limits how much he can help. His mental and internal struggles of fear and vulnerability in a world where any sort of sound can get them killed, can be compared to the anxiety and pressure kids growing into their teenage years may feel in the real world. Due to this, he has to go through the tension of still feeling like a child and the expectations of being more mature being set on him for the sake of the family's survival. This stage and feeling of tension is something many kids go through as they start maturing and being trusted with more. Because of these representations, I strongly feel that the author has done a good job to make the character relatable with accurate representations that many teenage boys go through.

A Quiet Place was made by John Krasinski, who is also the dad in the film. He is known for his work in "The office" and his comedic and dramatic scenes. His ability to successfully play the dad in the film reflects the way that he is able to add on themes such as family and maturity, especially because of his fatherhood experience, which adds realism to the movie and more emotion to the message of boys in stressful situations. As he is not a 15 year old boy, the way in which he shows character growth of a 15 year old through horror and intense moments, he uses to show Marcus's internal journey into a braver and stronger teenager.

As a 15 year old boy who (obviously) had to go from child to teenage years, Marcus's journey into a more mature and braver teenager is easy to relate to. Even though he had to do this process in an intense situation where he had to fight for his life with his family against aliens, which this isn't an experience teenage boys in the real world have, his internal struggles are universal and relatable. Marcus goes through the feelings of fear, invulnerability, and the need to protect the ones he loved, which is understandable why he feels scared at first, since for 15 year olds in real life, the weight of holding that much responsibility, especially in difficult and dire situations, can become overwhelming. Which for teenage boys, this situation can come when exposed to real world scenarios, where your parents won't be much help and you have to solve this with little to no help. As time moves on, you can tell Marcus starts becoming more confident in his ability as well as fearless. This is something that regularly happens to teenagers as they start growing up because they have been exposed to these situations for longer and are learning how to handle them and pressure better.

"Outer banks"(2020)

Outer banks is a series where a group of teenagers or young adults (16 years old) are fighting against other, older, adults to find a treasure that was first discovered by John B's dad (John B is the one in red) while having to depend on themselves and each other to protect one another and keep their connection strong. In the show, the one that can be used to represent an average 15 year old boy is John B. This is because he is seen as an independent and "rebellious teen" by many of the adults in the show, which is easily seen and heard in the real world as many parents, as their kids reach the teenager stage, parents feel that they start to lash out or lose respect for them, earning them the title of "rebel" or "independent". Back to John B, his character was crafted for the specific reason of capturing the emotions and experiences that appears with teenagers around his age, and keeping the intensity and dramatic tension of the show's mystery and adventure. In the show, He had lost his dad and with his mom no where to be found, he is left to fend for himself as his uncle was not much help, making him independent. He felt that his friends were people he could trust and depend on, which is something many kids now a days do. Many 15 years old trust their parents, but feel like they won't understand everything that they tell them, making them lean towards their friends for a "safe place", I would relate to this.

The representation of John B and the other members of the group was made by adult writers, specifically Jonas and josh pate, and Shannon Burke. As the writers know there show will target younger audience, they shape their characters (like how John B was shaped above) to target and show certain themes or traits that they believe will be relatable for their audience. As I previously stated, John B's character was made to show the rebellious side of many teens, which is seen often. Since the show is an action pact film, the writers made sure to exaggerate the character's extreme actions to fit the narrative. Even though they don't reflect a teenager's normal actions, they are engaging and dramatic for the viewers while also being relatable.

As a 15 year old, when I watched the show I felt that John B's personality and his life were relatable, specifically his friendships, the search to fit in, or the small parts of rebellion. There are certain emotional moments, like the conflicts against his friends or the independency that he has to show are realistic. However, Moments like when the group ran from the cops, the dangerous activities, and leading his friends into a treasure hunt are actions that most 15 years old won't do. Along with this, the constant pressure of high stake drama and being chased by someone constantly are far from the reality of a teenagers life. however, this could be compared to a teenagers risky actions and their growing feeling of independence from their parents, since this usually starts fights or drama between the teen and the parent. All in all, the show does interpret a 15 year old correctly, just with an added intensity which is fake in the real world.

Overall, These movies are used to represent different things, depending on how you see it, but as a 15 year old, it does correctly show a teenagers life in and out of school, with the added pressure of friends, family, homework, and many other stuff.