Explore strategies used in Stranger Things
The Danger behind the Pretty Town
The directors enhanced the horrible atmosphere and formed many contrasts in the show
Stranger Things is my favourite show on Netflix in 2021, and before I even read the assignment prompt, I was so fascinated by the various rhetorical uses in the show: from background music to scene changes in the show. These rhetorical uses not only promote the development of the plots but also strengthen the argument of the essay: we need to work together to overcome obstacles and fight monsters, and things are not always what they seem. The directors utilize figures of speech in many places of the show, but these uses are not obvious. When I watched the show for the first time, I missed many rhetorical uses because I focused too much on the storyline. However, I found more details about the figures of speech when I watched the show again. The directors of the show put much effort into the uses of background music, costumes for character and sets of suspense.
There are many contrasts about the background music in Stranger Things, and these contrasts reveal the main point of the show: things are not always what they seem. In this show, although the town Hawkins seem peaceful and lovely, there is a big crisis about monsters behind the peaceful look. The setting of the show is in the 1980s United States which was a Golden age for the country. During that time there were many splendid songs coming out. Most of these songs are delighted and joyful in rhythms because they represent the prosperity of the 1980s. Stranger Things has many of Madonna’s songs like Lucky Star and Material Girl which were icons in the 1980s. These nostalgic songs create a nice and sweet atmosphere in the show before monsters invaded the town. Every character and family seem to have a normal life in the happy town. However, the background music has been switched from delighted songs to horrific music which is very thrilling when monsters begin to invade the town and attack residents there. In one episode, when monsters chase victims like Barbara and Will, the music becomes tense and suspenseful which makes the scene breathtaking. Audiences like me usually become silent and afraid but curious about what is going to happen next. Here, the thrilling background music makes Stranger Things more exciting to watch. I am so immersed in characters’ chilling adventures due to this background music. The contrasts between the joyful background music and thrilling background music seem like a conflict, but they actually strengthen themes in Stranger Things. The town of Hawkins seems to have a lot of happiness like wonderful carnivals and entertainment, but we can see that the war behind the happiness never stops. El and her friends are always fighting this evilness. The contrasts between the two distinct background music always remind me that the town is not safe, and it is El and her friends who always save the place.
Contrasts are not only found between background music but also different scenes in Stranger Things. Contrasts in colours and location reflect the sterling qualities of characters. The directors are full of imagination since they make the location of the evil lab which will release monsters just beneath a fancy mall named Starcourt. This strong contrast caught my attention when I first watched the show. Residents in Starcourt only care about happiness and entertainment but do not realize that the danger is very close to them and could kill them anytime. The location of the evil lab is very ironic. Contrasts in lighting and colour are also big characteristics of the show. In the upside human world, Starcourt and other buildings look colourful and vivid, but in the down world, the Starcourt and the town look like a dead place controlled by monsters. The directors use these colour contrasts to reveal the point that El and her friends are brave and clever. Even the down world is much more horrible than the upside world, they are still not afraid and go to the down world to save their people. According to the online journal Color Contrast in Movies, the author writes that: “Color contrast allows to amplify the perception of crucial and dramatic moments.” Through using this strategy, more audiences will be attracted to the show and pay more attention to essential plots. Colour contrasts between the upside and downside world in Howkins help me put myself into the show better especially to understand how did Will feel when he was trapped between the two worlds.
Another strategy used in the show is the characters’ costumes. In Stranger Things, directors are trying to show audiences authentic 1980s outfits like classical polo shirts, blue jeans and Converse sneakers. These costumes bring audiences back to that golden era, and I like the nostalgic vibe. The directors of the show use these vintage elements to be consistent with the setting: a 1980s town in the United States. For me, I think if directors can choose costumes accurately, my impression of the show will be better. The directors of Stranger Things also create a suspenseful environment through characters’ costumes. In the show, the evil doctor in the lab is always in a suit, and his colleagues who work at the underground lab are either in black suits or white lab coats. With the eerie lights in the lab, these staff who are in suits and lab coats look horrific. These costumes can reflect the qualities of the characters indirectly. The doctor and his colleagues’ suits and white lab coats reveal that these guys might not be good, and they might be doing some inhuman experiments. Costumes can promote the development of plots in the show.
The intended audience of Stranger Things is very broad except for people who are panic about bloody scenes. For some people, they like to watch Stranger Things because they are fascinated with chilling adventures such as fighting monsters and solve puzzles in the Howkins. Some people are just obsessed with nostalgic feelings like vintage outfits and songs from that time. The different audience can interpret Stranger Things distinctly. The show can be interpreted as a sign for humans who want to break boundaries between different worlds, and another unknown world might be very dangerous. Progress in science is bringing us, humans, more challenges and mysteries. My understanding and argument for Stranger Things are that teamwork can lead to success, and also we should not trust what we see. Things can be totally different between the upside and downside world. We have to rely on our precise thinking and judgement before making any conclusions.
Through rhetorical analysis, I have a more clear understanding of the argument of Stranger Things. These elements like background music, costumes, colour and lighting are all critical for the show, and none of them can be left behind. Thrilling background music needs to match with doctors’ black suits and white lab coats to make audiences’ blood run cold. The dark colour and weak lighting also create suspense to make audiences get immersed in the adventures. Furthermore, the author uses these elements to form contrasts between the peaceful town and the scary downside world which is full of monsters. These contrasts show that characters like El and Will are brave and intelligent, and they work together to overcome many obstacles to save the town and the whole world.