Why is it that E.T. is seen as an outsider while he has human-like qualities?
His appearance plays a major role. He has a wrinkled skin, extendable neck, and extremely short legs. He looks undeniably different as humans. Yet he shares human traits like learning English words and showing emotions.
While the audiences find him endearing, in the film he is seen as a problem by the adults. Once the government learns about the alien who is on Earth they try to hunt him down. This reflects a broader media trend in which aliens are often seen through a lens of stereotypes. We judge them based on their perceived intentions, much like we do with humans (Zimmerman, 2002). E.T. only want to go home, a desire we all know, making him ‘good’. But his strange appearance sets him apart and makes people to not trust him. Society in real life also often fears the “Other” because feel threatened by those who are different (Zimmerman, 2002).
In this way E.T. is not only an adorable alien, but he can also be seen as a mirror that reflects how we treat those that are not like the dominant “Us” group.