Books and Their Screen Adaptations

We see many books that are recreated into screen adaptations. Society in itself would tell you to read the book first before watching the movie, so you could follow along clearly. I am here to challenge that ideology and want to pose a few points to keep in mind the next time you find yourself battling this question. Reading the book first before watching its screen rendition is great, but they are two different mediums.

Movies and books follow two different methods on how they convey their messages to their audiences. Although, their methods are different they are both carrying out the same agenda, which is to tell a story. Taylor (2019) states, “So, why are we so bent on categorizing a movie as better or worse than a book when they are telling the same story?” (para 2). We often times like to say that the movie was better than the book, but we fail to realize that they are both telling the same story it’s just from two different view points. How can you evenly compare two DIFFERENT mediums who are both conveying the same message? In this aspect it would be the same as the saying “comparing apples to oranges.” They are both indeed fruits but two different fruits that may satisfy people in two different ways. There’s truly no way to measure the two in comparison when they both have their own guidlines they must follow in order to keep their audiences engaged.

When reading a book you see the story from the point of view of the author. They can go more in depth on the characters history (i.e their background, emotional well-being, family dynamic, etc) setting/plot and so much more. When creating a movie the story is being told from the view point of how the director interpreted the authors story. Singh (2020) states, “Print and screen are different mediums and the same story might have different depths in both formats..”(para 4). This goes back to my earlier point on how books have more time to go into the history of the characters while movies are on a more “strict” timeline. Honestly, no one would truly be interesed in watching a three hour long movie. So while a hand to hand combat would take maybe pages or even chapters to convey, this may only take minutes to distribute in a movie setting (Singh, 2020, para 4). You can also display emotions better through words than you may be able to genuinely do through pictures (although I know many may want to argue this fact, but reading a poetic love letter is more intriguing then watching two individuals express their love physically, which may be absolutely cringe worthy!) So we have to regard both mediums in their own rights.

Movies and books are often compared but many do not realize that they cannot be compared fairly, as they are two different mediums. We have to respect both of these marvelous storytelling aspects individually as they tell the same story in their own unique way. So the next time you go to see a screen adaptation of a book keep an open mind and see how you can view the story from a different perspective!

References

Taylor, C., & Taylor, C. (2019, February 1). What movies can do that books cannot. The Stanford Daily. https://www.stanforddaily.com/2019/02/01/what-movies-can-do-that-books-cannot/

Singh, T. (2020, September 15). Why you should always read the book before watching its screen adaptation - Times of India. The Times of India. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/books/features/why-you-should-always-read-the-book-before-watching-its-screen-adaptation/articleshow/78108771.cms?