The Lost Thing Belonging by Shaun Tan

“More than anything else, belonging is about finding a sense of place in the world. ” Do you agree? Argue your point of view, referring to Shaun Tan’s “The Lost Thing”. Achieving a sense of place in the world, mentally and physically, allows an individual to feel an awareness of belonging - a feeling unobtainable through little else. Places where imagination and distinctiveness are condemned force those who adapt to live a dull reality that holds no challenges or freedom of thought. Minority groups are set apart from the majority, with the mainstream becoming blind to those who are excluded simply because they don’t fit society’s standards.

Shaun Tan’s “The Lost Thing” explores a world that directly reflects society and its inability to accept indifferences. Through Tan’s use of film techniques such as tones, costuming, and camera shots, the audience is able to have an increased understanding of belonging and the necessity of finding a sense of place in the world. Until an individual is able to find a place where they feel security and a sense of identity, they are unable to belong in the world. Conforming to a society that eradicates individuality and creativity results in a mundane existence without challenges and freethinking.

The fundamental need to belong can consequently see many altering themselves in order to fit society and its perceptions. A monotone narrative voiceover introduces the premise of the film, as the young protagonist reveals his wavering ability to remember stories that use to humour and amaze. Amused by the irony of his reflection, “I used to know a whole lot of pretty interesting stories, some of them so funny you would laugh yourself unconscious…but I can’t remember any of those…”, the audience’s rapport with this character is immediately established.

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Sepia tones are juxtaposed with the bright colouration of the lost thing portraying a dichotomy between the industrialised world and the misplaced ‘Thing’. Curiosity and a sense of trepidation lure the protagonist and the audience simultaneously. A playful bell on the Lost Things tolls waking the creature, which is followed by an increased diegetic sound including a growl, further displaying Tan’s use of dichotomy to create a distinction between the mechanical aspects of the society that the ‘lost thing’ has found itself in and its own gentleness.

Dull and uniformed costuming of the members in society highlights the suppression of individuality in a conformed society. Dirty off-white coloured prison-like uniforms with numbering imprinted on each uniform illuminates to the responder their imprisonment and insignificant existence. A mob of members of society is seen walking in one direction, together. This use of synchronized choreography exhibits their subconsciously controlled lives. Their robotic movement implies their loss of independent thought, forcing the responder to evaluate their own society.

It becomes clear to the audience that more than anything, belonging is about finding a sense of place in the world encouraged by the use of these film techniques. As conforming is blatantly the prominent theme throughout Shaun Tan’s “The Lost Thing”, Tan expresses that following a society where imagination is lost can lead to mere existence rather than having purpose, yet the protagonist conforms nonetheless. Tan stresses that although conforming might not be ideal it is by doing this that an individual is able to gain a sense of place in the world and consequently feel as though they belong.

The majority of society is blinded to the ostracised minority, as they don’t follow the preordained path. The protagonist in this short film only finds the lost thing by chance, while no one else pays attention to ‘the thing’, as they have lack of sight for things they don’t ideally fit into their lives. An engaging panning shot around the ‘thing’ when the protagonist finds the ‘lost thing’ emphasizes the singularity of the ‘thing’ he has found, reflecting specific groups that don’t adhere to society’s perceptions of normality.

The responder, consequently, is influenced to feel sympathetic towards those in society who don’t inherently know where they belong. Subtle allusion utilised when the protagonist goes to pick up what he believes will be a bottle top for his collection, but unintentionally discovers the thing, introduces the concept that individuals who have molded to society are blinded to any of their surroundings that don’t coincide with society’s expectations. It is implied to the audience that unless those that are different manage to intrude on the activities of popular society they would go unnoticed due to the subconsciously encouraged blindness.

The audience is humoured by the idea that due to his lack of sight the protagonist was unable to see the huge object that is soon discovered as the ‘thing’, but instead took notice of the small bell buried in the sand next to it, for which he probably mistook as a bottle top. This literal sightlessness is further enforced by the repetition of a specific line in the dialogue of the narrative voiceover, “…too busy doing other stuff I guess” that is used when talking about how the ‘lost thing’ or ‘things’ go unnoticed.

Specifically the very last lines, “I see that kind of thing less and less these days…maybe I just stopped noticing, too busy doing other stuff I guess” leads the responder to assume that the protagonist has been absorbed into society and so has inadvertently gained that blindness, allowing him to be able to simply ignore the presence of the minority. Through this line, the responder is now left feeling sorry for not only the ‘lost thing’ but for the protagonist as well.

Symbolic representation, or the presence of the street-like arrow signs elucidate that society believes there is a path you must take, except that the chaos and disorder of these signs in many of the scenes suggests that following one particular path is difficult and that you shouldn’t have to just follow one path when there are so many to choose from. The responder is forced to question how a society can decide what particular path everyone is meant to take if there are ultimately hundreds of options.

The ludicrousness of conformity in a collective group of people is highlighted due to the use of this technique. Suppression of minority groups makes it difficult for the excluded to feel as if they belong. Through demonstrating that not belonging comes from feeling as if they have no place in the world Shaun Tan successfully instills the belief in the responder that without a possibility of belonging in a physical place it is not possible to belong in any sense.

Through finding a location where one can feel a sense of acceptance an individual can achieve belonging, more than anything else. Conforming to society, although not necessary or ideal, can allow an individual to gain this feeling, even if it means adapting to dull surroundings that lead to nothing more than a mundane existence. Suppressed groups find it difficult to belong as they have no ability to feel ‘at home’ in a location, but through understanding this it is possible to apprehend that it truly is a sense of place that allows a genuine sense of belonging.

Shaun Tan uses many film techniques to successfully display these concepts and ensure the responder is able to also grasp them. Tan’s “The Lost Thing” ultimately displays a metaphoric world that reflects our own society and encourages us to question our own behaviours. More than anything else, belonging is about finding a true sense of place in the world.

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