An outsider I often a person who is perceived to be on the borders of society and it’s through their actions they outlook from the rest of the public. Being an outsider is often associated with segregation and disapproval, however in Shaun Tan’s short film the concept of outsider is celebrated. In ‘The lost Thing’ audience can see an outsider in the sterilized community and through Tan’s use of juxtaposition and narrative voice, we discover and follow the lost things voyage to be in the right place, belonging.
Recall Firstly the use of colour is a vibrant technique used by Shaun Tan to explore the role of the outsider in The Lost Thing. The lost thing has been found in the wrong ‘world’ and is noticeably out of place. This is revealed first and fore mostly through the use of colour which shows the lost thing to be frankly different to the world around him. While the sterilized and plain world of the boy is symbolized through dull colours and solid, harsh lines of the buildings and homes.
The grey and black of the boy’s world is juxtaposed against the bright red and roundedness of the lost thing which in turn, clearly shows that the lost thing is the outsider in this world. This is obvious to the audience during the scene where the boy is taking the lost thing through the city and in the long-shot of the city street we see the bright red stand out against the greyness of the city streets as all the citizens move in one direction, dressed all alike in grey and black.
The Essay on World without colour 2
No doubt, a World without Colour will be extremely boring. But, one many of us will gasp in disbelief when we understand that various colors seen in this world of objects are actually non-existent. Every object is basically colorless but when it is exposed to solar rays these objects absorb certain colors from the rays and reject others. It is only on this basis that we see ‘colored’ objects. That ...
In the meantime the lost thing moves brightly in the opposite direction posing the question to the viewers, is it a negative factor to be the outsider here in this dull and plain world? Moreover an alternative technique that is used by Tan to discover the concept is recurring motif. A motif is a frequent/ repeated pattern or design in a work. For instance, in the concept of the outsider and referring back to the film ‘the lost thing’ we can see that tan had incorporated this technique of reoccurring motif by the use of symbolism.
A major example from the film is the repetition on the signs. Signs paly vital role in society and in the short film, because signs are used to show the presence or occurrence of a place or thing. So looking at the film the sign is important in the like of the lost thing. A person narrating the story, is always a pleasant way to intake a story. Therefore anther technique which is understandable in concept of the outsider is the technique of first person narration. This technique is seen all throughout the film. By using this
technique, Tan adds emotion to the story. Through his tone of voice we can experience his feelings. With technique of first person narration we can also incorporate the technique of sound and music. These two techniques plays a vital role in this short film because it is through the use of sound the message is conveyed. A prime example of this could include when at the starting of the film the music is all dull and gloomy and the sound effect of lost thing moving gives us as the audience a sensation that the big rounded thing doesn’t fit in that society.
In addition to this, when the boy get that sigh form the assistant at the lost property place, the music starts to change. Through the rest of the lost things journey to belonging the music is all happy and cheerful. The change is atmosphere is very visible to the audience. In conclusion it is through the use of all these techniques the concept of the lost thing is clearly celebrated trough this short film. All the techniques tie in to give it that extraordinary effect, via the use of these techniques the audience are able to connect with the emotions of the lost thing, and follow its journey to belonging.
