Previous to the release of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial, aliens had been depicted as monstrous creatures with detrimental effects. All aliens were considered to villainous with an evil agenda that would typically result in the destruction of humanity and Earth had it not been for the miracle that allowed humanity to overpower these villainous monsters. However, in 1982, the world fell in love with an alien by the name of E.T. E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial was the first major motion picture to portray an alien as being good and harmless to society. Children around the world swooned over the character Elliott's adventure and wished for an equally exhilarating journey.
The success of E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial brought about a change in mainstream science fiction, from that of outer space journeys to tales of social concern. In relation to events from Steven Spielberg's, the director, childhood, the themes within this film reflect the social issues of the day. The film introduced a brand new theme to the science fiction genre: the family in peril. Elliott and his older brother Michael and younger sister Gertie are having a hard time adjusting to their parents' divorce. Elltiott especially is suffering from the lack of a male role model in his life. The friendship Elliott forms with E.T. fills this missing void and helps Elliott defeat his hard times. E.T. is the relief to Elliott's problems in disguise. He represents humanity's lost compassion, caring more for Elliott than for himself. For many children in the 1980's, and even today, divorce can be a scary topic, but it helps to see other families' overcome these same, rising, social problems.
