Just Different

 Just different 

Do you guys know the feeling when someone asks you “what do you like more, movies or books?” You really just want to say movies but you also want to impress them so you say books. 

Look, I’ve been there, but my view has slightly changed recently. So I’m here to tell you why one isn't better than the other, they’re just different.  

I want to explore a classic example, The Hunger Games. However, this could be applied to many books/movies like Lord of the Rings, Wicked, Jurassic Park, or Harry Potter (which you’ll know lots about, since we all read my last blog, right?). 

The Hunger Games was one of the books that got me into reading, so I feel quite passionate about the series. For this series, me and my family would wait for me to finish a book and then watch the movie right after. During this process I really realized just how much movies have to cut out of books. This maybe should have been obvious since the length of audio books are always ten-ish hours long and the movies are 2 hours long. 

In the books it’s also a bit different because they have to describe the setting and surroundings but in movies they can give you the finished image and present it to the audience. In the books they take time describing all the details on the arena and the capital whereas in the movies they just put you there. In books you can use your imagination to visualize things for yourself but in movies you only really see it the way the director imagines. The director has to decide all the ways the character interprets things, including the setting, character appearances, tone, music and how everything looks and feels. It can be really interesting to see how one person interprets the original book, but having the opportunity to make it your own lets you personalize the book with your imagination.

In many books, you also get the insight of hearing the main character(s) thoughts and feelings. In movies the director has to come up with new dialogue or show it all through action on screen. In Hunger Games it really helps reading Katniss’s thoughts because I remember when watching the movie they conveyed different feelings then what I remember it to be. Having the chance to hear the character’s thoughts gives you a unique insight into their feelings and helps you really relate to who they are, and what they are going through.

One more point is that books/movies can differ in favorites. I loved the first Hunger Games and it was my favorite out of all the books but when I watched the movies, I couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. It felt a bit low quality and wasn’t how I pictured. Then I read the second Hunger Games (Catching Fire), again I loved the book but still thought the first book was better. Then I watched the movies and I liked it so much more than the first movie. This movie had changed everything I disliked about the first movie.

So, when it comes down to which is better between these options it is really difficult because in a way it doesn’t even feel like the same thing. It’s like asking if you like writing on notebooks versus writing on a computer. They both accomplish the same thing, the method and pacing just isn’t the same. 

So this is why I think it’s really hard to answer the question “Movies or Books”, because it’s really just how you're feeling at the moment. 

What are your opinions about books versus movies? 

Thanks for reading my blog!

-Eva Gleason