Symbolism In The Lost Thing

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The lost Thing is a fifteen minute animated film based on the Picture book by author and illustrator Shawn Tan. An unusual story with a unique aesthetic that incorporates both film and picture book. It took around three and a half years to finish the film but when it was realised it became an international sensation winning awards at short film festivals all around the world and eventually being nominated and wining The Academy Award for Best Short Film (Animated) in 2011 this is not thanks to the art style of Shawn Tan and directing by Andrew Ruheman. The Lost Thing is a simplistic yet complicated story that follows a boy who finds a strange creature on the beach while collecting bottle tops. He plays with the creature and befriends it later realising it is lost he tries to find where it comes from and where it belongs. But as he tries to seek help from …show more content…

The particular scene when the boy is throwing things into the lost thing's "head", a bright glow illuminates the area around the creature and the boy while the background is faded to black. This symbolises the point at which the boy and the lost thing make a connection, therefore a sense of connection is established. Creating a connection with the creature and trying to help is symbolizing the boy not wanting to succumb to the pressure from society to conform. The creature is a representation of the boy childhood innocence almost like an imaginary friend he doesn’t want to let go off. This is supported by the ending when the boy finds the place where the lost thing belongs compared to his world that is dark and sad the creature is bright and colourful were each creature there is happy and as a chance to be themselves without prejudice. This is the exact opposite to the boy’s life and world so he doesn’t want to let go of his only escape from his dark and lifeless

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