‘What the hell are you looking at me like that for?’

This chapter discusses the significance of camera angles, and how this affects the way the story is received by the audience. It discusses how the camera, under the control of a filmmaker, can be put to use as the 'eyes' of the intended audience. It cites that the subjective point-of-view (POV) shot has been put to potent use in horror cinema many times, and how this is able to heighten the suspense. It describes how the different camera angles employed in The Thing allows the audience to witness the story from the point-of-view of different characters in the film. It also talks about how framing affects the way the audience is invited to view a character. It compares The Thing to The Shining and how the two films also offer their own interpretation on the concept of 'alienation': The Shining on a psychofamilial and spiritual/supernatural level, and The Thing on a psychosocial and actual physical level. The chapter also discusses the film's soundeffects and soundtrack and how these have added an extra visceral edge through the vocal range of the characters, both human and Thing.

‘I know how this one ends’

This chapter gives a detailed outline of the film's plot. It disambiguates between the titles of the various Thing film versions. It describes John Carpenter's version of The Thing as a film that is all about the loss of identity. The chapter also gives a few descriptive conventions and shorthand terminology for some of the key concepts and characters involved in the analysis. These are commonly used terms in Thing fan culture. The chapter gives a detailed summary of the film. It carefully describes how each character is introduced and how each meet their unfortunate demise, and chronologically narrates the events in the film.

‘First goddamn week of winter’

This chapter discusses isolation as the main theme of The Thing. It discusses how The Thing was able to achieve an emphasised sense of internalization and isolation throughout the film, starting with the juxtaposition of contrasting colors across scenes. It discusses why it was necessary for The Thing to be situated in the harsh white wilderness of the south pole region. It compares certain elements of The Thing to John Campbell's novella Who Goes There? The chapter discusses the science behind The Thing and how anything Thing-influenced is apt to disobey the laws of physics. It describes how its bronze-like qualities binds all of the characters together in a state of physical and psychological homogeneity, while Macready, its main character, seems much less affected by the magnetic or gravitational pull that the Thing exerts, creating an atmosphere of isolation. The chapyter then discusses 'The Thing Effect' as the feeling of polarization.