MovieChat Forums > Stranger Things (2016) Discussion > Did anyone else feel like the bullying o...

Did anyone else feel like the bullying of El was a bit over the top?


Especially at the skating rink, they took over the intercom, they skated around her in a big elaborate scheme insulting her, then that dude tossed a milkshake on her, she was tripped at school and had her project stomped on. It was just too much imo, it felt so over the top.

They was being ruthless to her for no reason at all, just a big gang of them constantly laughing at her and torturing her.

reply

Yes, it was bad writing. The Duffer boys really folded once the accolades started rolling in.

reply

absolutely right

reply

Well thats because this show is woke trash.

reply

It was way over the top; I totally agree with you. It was difficult to watch at times too. But what I don’t understand is why El wouldn’t admit to the cops why she hit Angela with the roller skate; her only response was- “I don’t know”. I know come on El really?!?!

reply

Yeah so stupid, she could've explained "This girl and her friends have been torturing me, they all ganged up on me at the skate rink, threw a drink on me, humiliated me, made fun of my dad being dead so i lost it" but instead she goes "I don't know".....

reply

Some people are missing the point. The cruel and sadistic bullying isn’t what’s unrealistic. What’s unrealistic is the bystanders’ behavior. In real life, most people would be disgusted by the bullying, not laugh at the victim. Most wouldn’t have the courage to stand up to the bullies, but at least some people would have asked El if she was ok and most would have thought Angela had it coming when El decked her.

reply

I think they took inspiration from actual 80s films that showed exaggerated bullying, but the scenes you see can be both symbolic and inspired by what real bullying looks like.

I mean, look how isolated El was on the skating rink, with every kid from school there, surrounding her, joining in the jeering and teasing. That's exactly how many bullying victims feel, because often they are shy, lonely people who can't make friends at school due to not having strong social skills, and because the bully has already poisoned every other kid's mind against them, either convincing them not to associate with the chosen victim through lies, or threatening to bully them to if they hang out with the victim at all.

It's like, schools had a crappy justice system back in the 80s and 90s where it was okay for kids to say mean things to other kids all the time, and if nobody saw what was going on, the bully could do what they liked. But the moment the victims start fighting back, the bullies would immediately scream blue murder and bring the adults running. Since there weren't always eyewitnesses (and the schools often want to have their asses covered in court and not be accused of "persecuting" anyone) they punish BOTH kids, even if one is the victim. Evidently it's okay to be cruel to another kid until someone throws a punch, and that entire thing just disgusted me to no end.

I was cheering when El smashed that bitch in the face with the roller skate. If I'd been El, I would have yelled "Who's the crybaby now, bitch?!" And then I would have grabbed that guy with the camera and taken the tape from him to show to the cops when they came to my door.

That blond bitch deserved everything she got, and I hope she enjoyed the scar on her nose and the concussion she'd carry for the rest of her life. Maybe it might teach her a lesson on how not to be cruel to others.

reply

You would think that ADULTS would also be in the rink to stop this bullying thing too.. but seems that all adults tend to NOT go out at all..!

reply