Stranger Things Vs. IT: Stephen King's Perspective

Mei Lin

5 min read

Post on May 09, 2025

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Shared Thematic Elements: Childhood Trauma and the Power of Friendship

Both Stranger Things and IT delve deeply into the impact of childhood trauma on their protagonists, showcasing how formative experiences shape their identities and drive their actions. This resonates powerfully with many of Stephen King's works, which often explore the lasting effects of psychological horror and the fragility of childhood innocence.

• Stranger Things: Eleven’s horrific experiences in the Hawkins National Laboratory leave deep emotional scars, impacting her abilities and relationships. Mike’s unwavering loyalty to his friends, born from shared experiences, becomes a crucial element of survival. Will’s abduction and subsequent trauma highlight the vulnerability of innocence in the face of the unknown. These individual traumas, however, are powerfully offset by the strength of their collective bond.

• IT: The Losers Club, the heart of the narrative, is comprised of children grappling with their own unique traumas – from bullying and neglect to personal tragedy. Their collective strength in confronting Pennywise, the embodiment of their fears, demonstrates the power of friendship as a shield against the psychological horror they face.

The narratives powerfully depict how overcoming adversity, fueled by the bond of friendship, can be a key to healing and survival, a central theme often explored in King's work. Both stories present powerful examples of how facing childhood trauma – together – can bring about both individual and collective strength.

Different Approaches to Horror: Supernatural vs. Cosmic Horror

While sharing thematic similarities, Stranger Things and IT utilize distinct approaches to horror. This contrast reflects the breadth of Stephen King's own work, which ranges across various subgenres of horror.

• Stranger Things: Predominantly focuses on supernatural horror, blending science fiction elements with classic monster tropes. The Demogorgon, a terrifying creature from another dimension, is the central antagonist, embodying the fears associated with the unknown and government conspiracies. The suspense is built around the mystery surrounding the Upside Down and the threat it poses to the small town of Hawkins.

• IT: Embraces cosmic horror, delving into the realm of existential dread. Pennywise, an ancient, shape-shifting evil, represents a primal fear that taps into the deepest anxieties of childhood. The creature's design and its ability to exploit the individual fears of its victims showcase a terrifyingly effective form of psychological horror, a skill often displayed in King’s longer works. The fear isn't just about physical survival, but about confronting the vast, unknowable horrors that reside in the universe.

This difference in the nature of the antagonists – the otherworldly Demogorgon versus the ancient, cosmic Pennywise – profoundly impacts the overall tone and the way fear is generated and sustained in each narrative.

Nostalgia and 80s Aesthetics: A Shared Canvas

Both Stranger Things and IT effectively leverage 80s nostalgia to enhance their narratives, creating a specific atmosphere and tone that resonates with audiences. This echoes King's frequent use of specific temporal settings to deepen the atmosphere of his stories.

• Stranger Things: Immerses itself completely in the 80s aesthetic, meticulously recreating the fashion, music, and pop culture references of the era. This deliberate immersion enhances the feeling of being transported back in time, enhancing the story's impact.

• IT: While the 80s setting serves as a backdrop for the horror, the film effectively utilizes the small-town atmosphere of Derry, Maine, to amplify the sense of isolation and impending dread. The nostalgic elements are present, but they are subtly woven into the fabric of the story, creating a sense of time and place that adds to the overall suspense.

The impact of these stylistic choices on audience engagement is undeniable. Both leverage the powerful emotions associated with nostalgia to create an immediate connection with the viewer, immersing them in the world of the story.

Stephen King's Influence: Direct and Indirect Adaptation

While IT is a direct adaptation of King's novel, Stranger Things draws inspiration from his work in a more indirect manner. However, the influence of King's thematic concerns and narrative styles is undeniable in both productions.

• Stranger Things shares several thematic similarities with King's novels, including the prevalence of government conspiracies, small-town secrets, and the dangers lurking beneath the surface of seemingly ordinary communities. The show's narrative structure and character archetypes also reflect King's storytelling techniques, creating a feeling of familiarity for fans of his work. The show is an homage, a loving nod to the kind of storytelling that King pioneered.

Analyzing the thematic similarities and the indirect references to King's writing style reveals the significant, albeit subtle, influence on Stranger Things. Both shows ultimately tap into the core of what makes King’s writing so effective: exploring the darker corners of the human psyche and our enduring fascination with the mysterious and frightening.

Conclusion

In comparing Stranger Things and IT, we see both shared thematic ground – the powerful impact of childhood trauma and the restorative power of friendship – and distinct approaches to horror – supernatural versus cosmic. Both productions effectively utilize 80s nostalgia to engage their audiences and create atmosphere, albeit in different ways. Ultimately, both productions demonstrate the enduring influence of Stephen King's work on contemporary horror, whether through direct adaptation or indirect inspiration. Let the debate continue: which captures the spirit of Stephen King best – Stranger Things or IT?