Mockingbird

4/16/2015

During the last few days eighth grade classes watched To Kill a Mockingbird as the conclusion of a unit about the text. I asked the students if they feel like watching movies based on books, after reading the book, is somewhat of a let down because: 1) you spend a lot of time comparing the book to the movie rather than enjoying the movie and 2) it ruins the images which you've created in your head. What do you think?

93 Comments

Clara

4/16/2015 01:48:10 am

I actually like watching movies after I read the books because it creates a clearer image in my head, and often times it is the same as I had pictured when reading the books. Additionally, the plot lines and characters usually are more clear.

Alan

4/16/2015 01:48:33 am

It ruins the images created in my head. I guess it makes the reader feel more immersed in the content of what the're reading. As in although the reader did not write the book, the way they experience it may be completely different than someone else. Then a movie comes along and you just gradually lose all those ideas that you had.

Miles Bird

4/16/2015 01:48:38 am

I believe with the first statement, as you are doing a lot of comparing, however, it is also good to know what confusing scenes looked like, to create a stronger mental image.

Gabriel

4/16/2015 01:49:28 am

I agree with the statements because I know that when I am watching the movie based on a good book I have read, the visuals that I took from the book, might not be the same as what the movie shows, and sometimes ruins the book.

Amanda S

4/16/2015 01:49:34 am

I agree that when watching the movie you watch for every scene and every detail from the novel, and when you notice maybe some of your favorites scenes have been taken out it makes you upset. Also once, seeing the movie, you can look at the book in the same way because the image of characters have changed from the ones you imagine into the movie actors.

Erika

4/16/2015 01:49:44 am

I agree that movies can ruin books. I had thought of what the scenes would look like in my head, but when the movie was different from what I had expected, I was disappointed. The movie also left some characters and that really bothered me. I spent most of the time watching the movie comparing it to the book and the differences between the two.

Kate

4/16/2015 01:49:57 am

I enjoy watching the movie after reading the book because although some aspects may be done differently it can help clarify events that happen in the book. It can sometimes be hard to understand what is going on but when I can visually see it I comprehend whatever was confusing me.

Kendall

4/16/2015 01:50:04 am

I think watching a movie after reading the book can be interesting. I like to see how another person views things and what they have imagined things to look. It can be upsetting when the movie strays completely from the book. Changing appearances, cutting out scenes, it just isn't right and destroys the integrity of the book. Sometimes it is better to view the movie and book as separate things because while the movie may not be a good version of the book, it can be good as a normal movie and that has to also be thought of.

Mamie

4/16/2015 01:50:14 am

I think that although the movie ruins images previously created in our heads and a lot of time is spent comparing the book and the movie, it is interesting to see the movie because it lets us see how other people such as the director and screenwriter perceived the book and which events and characters they thought were either important or unnecessary. Also, the movie helps us imagine certain scenes and characters in a deeper and better way.

Mrs. Schiano

4/16/2015 02:04:49 am

Interesting "let's us see how the director and screenwriter perceived the book" Like peering into the minds of other readers. Cool.

Sophia

4/16/2015 01:51:10 am

I think that watching the movie after the book ruins the images in my mind that i have created. For example, i pictured Boo Radley as a less shy man who actually talks a little, but in the movie Boo is portrayed as a very creepy and shy man. This was a dissapointment to me because my predictions were totally off. I also wish that Aunt Alexandra was put into the movie because she was such a large part of the novel. She created issues which were lost in the movie.

Mrs. Schiano

4/16/2015 02:07:24 am

Why do you think that "your predictions were totally off"? Maybe your mental images have as much value as those who made the movie. !

Julia

4/16/2015 01:51:15 am

I liked watching the movie, however I do agree that I spent more time comparing the novel to the movie rather than enjoying the movie to the fullest extent. I also agree that the movie ruins the image I had in my head. The characters looked, sounded, and acted different than I had imagined. I like using my own imagination to bring out the characters' personality to the fullest.

Greta

4/16/2015 01:51:29 am

I agree, its fun to watch movies of the books you've read, but once you do, its upsetting because the images you have created in your head are ruined. Before watching To Kill a Mockingbird, I had clear images if the characters in my head, now the movie characters are what I picture, and I can't remember the ones I created. This especially annoying when the characters in the movie look completely wrong. Boo Radley looked nothing like I had pictured him while reading the book, I wish I could have kept my ideas instead

Sabrina

4/16/2015 01:51:36 am

I think movie forms of books help visualize characters that are undeveloped or perhaps just hard to visualize within the book. Character descriptions can be lost within the sea of the story's plot, so often times, looks of a character is not important to the reader. With actors and actresses as a constant reminder as to what certain characters look like, it is hard to forget and easier to picture.

Heather

4/16/2015 01:51:42 am

Even though film adaptations can sometimes ruin your mental images, they can also help you visualize the events of the story which can give you a deeper understanding of it. However, if the movie cuts out a lot of important scenes and characters of if things in the movie aren't as they were described in the book, it can ruin your thoughts on both the movie and the book because the incongruity is the only thing you notice while watching the film. I would really like to see a film adaptation of the book that is line-for-line exactly like the book, even if it's 8 hours long, just because it would be giving the book the respect it deserves. Although it's probably impossible to do this because everyone pictures scenes and characters differently, it would be amazing if authors directed the movies of their books so it is exactly as they envisioned it to be when they wrote it.

Mrs. Schiano

4/16/2015 02:11:04 am

I know that authors do often have a lot of input in how their book is adopted. I'm interested in how much input Harper Lee had in the creation of the movie and how it all works now. I definitely want to learn more about the process!

Ellie

4/16/2015 01:51:49 am

I feel that watching movies after reading the books can be somewhat disappointing; many characters in the films are typically not what I picture in my head as I am reading the book, and it almost always impacts the way I picture the characters every time I read the book after. However, most well-produced movies can usually deepen one's understanding of the novel, especially people who prefer visual learning to reading. For example, after watching To Kill a Mockingbird, I was able to glean more about the character and personality of Atticus, due to the third-person viewpoint of the movie, rather than the biased opinion of young Scout in the book.

Mrs. Schiano

4/16/2015 02:12:56 am

"For example, after watching To Kill a Mockingbird, I was able to glean more about the character and personality of Atticus, due to the third-person viewpoint of the movie, rather than the biased opinion of young Scout in the book." Wow! I never thought about the added ability of seeing the story from other points of view.

Courtney

4/16/2015 01:52:05 am

I find that comparing the book to the movie is more of an interesting thing to do than annoying. Although sometimes you may be let down it is interesting to see what scenes others found most important and most connected with, rather than just you own opinions on the matter. However, I do agree with the stating that the movie ruins the images which you've created in your head because a lot of the time others have very different images created in their head and even though it is interesting to see other's perceptions, it becomes quite difficult to still picture what you originally felt while reading the book after viewing the movie.

Owen

4/16/2015 01:52:14 am

I disagree that watching movies ruins the book because when i watch the movie I like to see what the characters are going to look like. Usually when i picture the characters in my head i am completely wrong about what he/she looks like. I like to see what the characters look like and how they react in certain situations.

Mrs. Schiano

4/16/2015 02:14:05 am

What makes you think that your pictures were wrong?

Sara

4/16/2015 01:52:20 am

I agree that watching a movie after reading the book is somewhat of a let down because I end up comparing the two throughout the movie. If a scene that I enjoyed reading got cut or a character got cut it somewhat disappoints me. I don't really get too upset if the film creates images that are different from what I saw because I think it's cool too see how other people may interpret things.

Mrs. Schiano

4/16/2015 02:15:37 am

Insightful comment-"I think it's cool to see how other people interpret things". Thanks!

Holli

4/16/2015 01:52:51 am

I agree with the fact that movies can sometimes ruin the image that you've created in your head, but I also don't think it is such a bad thing. Even though it's a different image, it is still a way someone(the director) portrayed it in his/ her mind, which makes watching the movie interesting. On the other hand, I disagree with the statement that you compare the move and the book throughout the movie instead of enjoying it. For me I usually compare them at the end and just enjoy the cinematic appeal, the effects and the overall plot. I don't think watching a movie adaptation of a book is necessarily a bad thing, but it is just a new perspective on the story.

Aidan Fetterly

4/16/2015 01:53:19 am

I agree with the statements from above, as I believe watching the film adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird was a bit of a let down. In my imagination, the Finch's house was much bigger, and the town of Maycomb was grand, with a significant poor and wealthier neighborhoods. This was clearly not the case in the movie, which was quite frustrating to me, as it was hard to picture the story we read in class to look the way the film did. In addition, I believe that the side analysis of the film somewhat detracted from the viewing experience, as I kept comparing the film to the book, and only seeing the inaccuracies of the film from the novel.

Maddie

4/16/2015 01:53:35 am

I agree with both statements. During the duration of the movie, I was trying to figure out which scene of the movie was in the book, and when I couldn't find one or if the scenes were out of place, I got lost. Also, the images of the older father I thought Atticus to be were also changed. In the book, Atticus is supposed to be in his 50's, but in the movie he looks much younger than I imagined. I also thought Jem was going to look older towards the end of the book because he was supposed to me growing up. The movie really changed the way I thought of To Kill a Mockingbird.

Eve

4/16/2015 01:53:58 am

I like watching the movie after the book because sometimes it clears up some of the scenes of the book a did not fully understand while reading. However, I dislike watching movies based on books I read because often they take out a character who's personality I really liked in the book and that drives me crazy, such as Dolphus Raymond in the To Kill a Mockingbird movie. I also agree with Ms Giano about how it's hard to enjoy the movie since you are constantly comparing it to the book.

Andy C

4/16/2015 02:50:36 am

I think watching the movie after reading the book is really cool because you have a mental picture in your head of what the characters look like and the setting and then you get to actually see it in a movie.

Anthony A

4/16/2015 02:50:45 am

The second statement I hold true with. It did ruin my thoughts on how the Radley house and how the characters looked, but it was interesting to see how the author and directer saw them and how they played the characters and setting in their mind. For example, I thought that Calpurnia was an older, heavy-set woman, not middle-aged and skinny. But I do enjoy watching the movie after the book to see it again and relive it as well.

Gabriel P.

4/16/2015 02:51:56 am

While watching To Kill a Mockingbird I felt that I didn't enjoy the movie as much because I was thinking and comparing the book to the movie and how it was better. The movie To Kill a Mockingbird ruined the image which I had created in my head, the images didn't match up as the ones I was thinking about and now since I have watch the movie whenever I think about the image I think of the images showed in the movie.

Iain B.

4/16/2015 02:52:04 am

I think that watching the movie ruins the image in my head, for example my image of Boo Radley was NOTHING like what was in the movie. Even though watching the movie can let you see another persons perspective on the story and it can also let you see more of an image of things like how the courtroom looks and how the town looks, I still don't think that it is worth it because of the ruined mental images.

Ian S

4/16/2015 02:52:18 am

Comparing the book to the movie does not take much away from the movie. If anything it makes the movie more interesting. I have a deeper understanding already, so I don't have to pay as much attention to the movie as I would if I had not read the book. Additionally, the images in the movie were very helpful. They did not "ruin" the images in my head but instead added to them and made them clearer.

Cassie C

4/16/2015 02:52:26 am

I agree that watching a movie after reading the book can be let down. Instead of just watching and enjoying the movie you are constantly noticing the differences between the book and movie. You notice that lines may be changed, or the characters are not as you viewed them in your mind. Instead of watching the movie and following the movie, you are thinking about how the scenes and/or the characters were changed. Watching a movie may change the opinion you had on a character due to how the actor was portrayed by the director and/or screenwriter.

olivia j

4/16/2015 02:52:43 am

Watching a movie about a book you had just finished reading is a cool thing but also a let down. I believe that the movie helps with understanding the book better. The visual images that one creates in their head are usually very off and it gets confusing most of the time to actually see whats happening in your head. i know that some parts in To Kill a Mockingbird were very confusing and i made some images in my head but it did not help because i did not know what to create. So when i saw the movie, all the characters and the setting came to life and it helped me understand the confusing parts because i was watching it, not reading it.

Morgen

4/16/2015 02:52:44 am

I agree mostly because what ever you create through imagination will be destroyed by the movie. You also might be thinking about what the director cut out of the movie rather than whats happening in the moment. However the movie does help show you some things you might not catch in the book. Such as mood or a characters feelings and reactions.The movie could also show you the parts of the book you were confused about and clear up any questions you had about the book. Although in this situation with To Kill a Mockingbird the cons out weigh the pros.

Cara P

4/16/2015 02:53:30 am

I do not like watching movies after I've read the book because the movie often disappoints me. Iv'e made up what all the characters look like in my head. When i watch the movie, the characters tend to look nothing like what I had imagined. It also is hard to enjoy the movie when you are always comparing it to the book. I know that I was very interested to watch the scene where Jem, Scout, and Dill all play their made up game based on the Radley's. When that scene never happened, I was a little disappointed. I understand that not every scene can be included in the movie but that is what is a let down. When I watch a movie after the book, I anticipate certain scenes and it is very disappointing when they never actually happen. I agree with both statements because I do tend to compare every detail with the book and the images Iv'e created in my head to the actors.

Sophia G

4/16/2015 02:54:03 am

I disagree that after you watch the movie all the images you had of the book are ruined. While reading the book i like to imagine what the characters look even if i know i'm probably wrong. Watching the movie helps clarify what they look like and how they really act. So i like to watch the movie because it helps me get a better understanding.

Mariana F

4/16/2015 02:54:31 am

I personally like watching movies based on a book after I read the book. Even though I might have pictured the characters differently in my head, I think its very interesting seeing how the director interpreted the characters in the book into the movie. I do not think that noticing the differences in the book and in the movie will ruin enjoying the movie, not only because you already know what is going to happen, but I also like making connections between the two.

Blake

4/16/2015 02:55:04 am

I feel like watching the movie after the book because I spend alot of time comparing the book to the movie. there were parts in text, that weren't in the film that had been cut out. For example, Important parts like the Maudie Fire had been cut out. That night is when Jem discovered that Boo had come out of the house to give him the blanket. Someone who saw the movie and didnt read the book wouldn't have known that. Another example is with Mrs Dubose, when Jem learned an important life lesson from the incident. People wouldn't know these parts because of parts being cut out of the movie. I feel like its hard to enjoy the movie when you know import pieces of the book have been cut out of the movie

Alex Artigliere

4/16/2015 02:55:11 am

I feel that watching the movie after reading the book is a let down because I compare the movie to the book most of the time I am watching. I usually do not enjoy movies because of this reason. On the other hand, the movie helps me visualize the characters and setting better. The movie sometimes shows the story clearer than it was pictured in my head.

Caroline H.

4/16/2015 02:55:19 am

I think that watching a movie after reading a book is enjoyable because I like to know that I worked hard to finish the book, and I can reward myself with watching the movie. Also, I like being able to say that the book was better than the movie, which most usually are. Also, the books have a lot more details, or scenes, than the movies, only because movies have a time limit, whereas books do not. I like to get everything that happens in the books before watching the movie because then, when I watch the movie, I like to point out changes. That is a personal preference though, I know some people like to just watch a movie, without thinking about anything else. But, for me, I like reading the book before watching the movie.

Lucas Paul DiGiacomo

4/16/2015 02:55:27 am

It is very disappointing to me when I read a book and then watch a movie I get very bored when the movie is the exact same thing as the book. I wish in movies that are based off books that there would be a problem that a reader of the story never encountered when reading the book. This would keep the viewer on the edge of their seat and make the movie more enjoyable because the movie would be less predictable. Also when we take notes during movies I feel like the movie is ten times less enjoyable because we are always thinking that we have to do work and we cannot just relax and watch the movie. Also when I read the book first I could picture the characters in my own way but in TKAM I felt that the director picked the actors appearances just right.

Maggie W

4/16/2015 02:55:27 am

I agree with both of the statements because when I am watching a movie after I have read the book I always am aware of the changes especially when they are big changes. However that isn't as bad as how the movie is different than the image I created in my head. I imagined characters looking a certain way and Boo Radley's house looking a different way then it did in the movie. In conclusion I think that when books are re created into movies it is hard to enjoy the movie more then the book because of the images one created in their head and constantly comparing it to the book throughout the movie.

Melanie F

4/16/2015 02:55:33 am

I agree that watching a movie after reading a good book is a let down because when reading the book and watching the movie I tend to compare the differences. When reading the book people can imagine the characters in their own way, while watching the movie the characters don't look as expected. It is also annoying in movies when they leave a main scene or character out because it takes away from the plot. Overall, watching the movie after the book can be a let down because many people interpret the characters or scenes in their own way.

Margaret A.

4/16/2015 02:55:41 am

I like to watch movies after I read the novel because I feel it sometimes helps me understand scenes in the story that weren't clear to me. However, I feel like watching the movie ruins the images I had in my head. When reading a book, everyone imagines the characters and setting to look a different way in their own minds. When we watched the movie, I don't like to see how different everything is than I pictured it because in a way it is changing the book for me. I prefer to imagine all of the elements of the setting and characters in my own mind because seeing the ones that the director chose to make the movie look good ruins my imagination for the book.

Walter

4/16/2015 02:55:58 am

I think that watching a movie after reading a book is a let down because you compare them and it ruins the image you previously had in your head. Comparing a book with a movie can be a let down because it does not allow the watcher to stay focused on what is happening in the movie, and movies do not always tell the entire story, so the viewer may be let down when they do not see a scene they read in the book. Also, a movie can be a let down because it will ruin the image of the story in your head. When you think that you have come up with the look of the setting but then you watch the movie and turn out to be wrong, it can be a very big let down because it turned out they you were seeing the wrong setting the whole time. Comparing and seeing the setting in a movie can end in a big let down for someone who had read the book.

Emilee G

4/16/2015 02:56:24 am

I personally believe that watching a movie after reading the novel the movie was based on, is a major let down due to the fact that the movie ruins the image I pictured in my head. When I read a story, I'm constantly creating pictures and ideas of what I think the characters look like and where everything takes place. To actually see it in front of me, I realize how different everything is. For example, in To Kill a Mockingbird, I absolutely loved everything about the novel from detail to detail, but when I saw how the movie was played out on the screen, I felt as though it wasn't enough nor was it as good as it could have been. To sum up, I think that if a movie is to be made up from a book, then it should at least resemble most of the scenes from the novel the way they are written.

Jordan L.

4/16/2015 02:56:45 am

I personally love books and movies. But, I feel that when a book is made into a movie, the screen play writer and the director never do the book justice. The only good movie based on the book was The Fault In Our Stars. In movies based on books, the movie skips good parts, changes key moments, and even adds in a whole new plot to make the movie "more interesting". But, the reason that these books are being made into movies are because they are so successful. If they were not interesting and well-loved by people all over the world, they would not and should not be eligible to be made into a movie. The director of one of these movies should stick to the story line because changing the story gets bad reviews and leaves fans unhappy. When I read, I picture things and fantasize about the book in my head. Also, books are long, and not every word can make it into a movie. Directors do need to cut out things, but they need to be careful not to cut out important content. But, not everyone's head images can be formed into movies. I guess what we need to understand is everyone is different and have different opinions and ways of interpreting things. Some movies that were based on books are not whats in your head, but it's in the head of the director.

Caroline M

4/16/2015 02:56:46 am

I agree with both of the statements. I agree with the first because after watching a movie there is a lot of comparing due to the movie not having all the scenes and characters that are in the book. . Also I agree with the second statement because when character and scenes that are seen as less important are cut out it changes your view on the story since the main character new met some characters or experienced some scenes that are in the book.

Johnny P.

4/16/2015 05:07:43 am

I think it is good to have something to compare your book experience to. Also to see how the Author interpreted their own book different than how you interpreted it. The images in your head may be flooded with other ideas seeping in, or other fictional characters. So having a movie to see may help cleanse your thoughts of how the novel went

kierstens

4/16/2015 05:08:08 am

I agree with the statement because it ruins the image created in your head and you can not imagine things. It also doesn't include all of the parts of the movie, which sometimes the parts of the book they did not include in the movie was your favorite part.

Laurel C

4/16/2015 05:08:57 am

I agree with the first statement. I agree because there is a lot of comparing with how the book and movie differ. Also as you watch the movie there is lots of comparing with how the characters are dressed and how it makes it fit the character better. This takes away from really watching the movie and enjoying it.

Ben R

4/16/2015 05:09:14 am

I agree with this statement. I think that I compare a lot from how much they put from the book into the movie. Also with books that became movies like To Kill A Mockingbird there are some scenes that looked different than I pictured them to be when reading the book.

Gabe S

4/16/2015 05:09:26 am

I don't think that watching the movie after the book is a let down at all because you get to see what the setting actually looks like and what the characters actually look like. It does not ruin the pictures that you've created in your head, it just gives you a chance to see what the director pictured the characters and setting as.

Stevem

4/16/2015 05:09:47 am

i just think it would be boring because u know what is going to happen thats y i dident like hunger games

Christian W.

4/16/2015 05:09:49 am

Watching a movie based off of a novel can be enjoyable to watch, however sometimes it can be a let down based off of the quality of the movie. If a movie has actors who do not seem to act as much like they do in the novel, the movie may not be as good, however if the characters are extremely similar to how they are in the book, then the movie in my opinion would be good.

Jett T

4/16/2015 05:09:49 am

I agree that it is kind of a let down because you spend most of the movie thinking back to the book and comparing the movie and book. Also when watching the movie, your images are ruined because the movie set isn't what you had thought throughout the whole book. You have to adjust during the movie to what it is actually like.

Shengzi M

4/16/2015 05:10:19 am

I think the movie does ruin the book because it ruins the images which I've created but it does help created an image that was hard or confusing to form. Seeing some of the characters were surprising and it was disappointing that some of the scenes that I wanted to see were not shown.

Ian M

4/16/2015 05:10:25 am

I felt that watching the movie ruins all the images I have created in my head. It takes away my imagination. I also do not like comparing the book to the movie when we could just enjoy the movie. Finally, the movie is always a let down to me because they skip so many things from the book that I feel it is never properly explained. I feel you would not understand the movie unless you read the book.

Anthony M

4/16/2015 05:10:25 am

Watching a movie after having read the book is both a let down and an aid to the story. I would agree that for most of these kinds of movies I am comparing the characters to those that were in the book however I do not feel it takes away from the movie. As for the movie destroying the images in my head, I feel that after watching the movie and reading the book I can better understand the entire story because the movie acts as a visual while the book is like a detailed document.

Gillian Sarrett

4/16/2015 05:10:25 am

I agree with the statements, but I enjoy watching the movie after i read the book because it deepens my understanding for certain characters or scenes that I may have been confused by.

Michelle M

4/16/2015 05:10:36 am

When watching the movie after reading the book, the movie does have the viewers comparing many scenes with the ones of the book, but it also helps to get a clear understanding of what occurred in a visual way and still is enjoyable. The movie does ruin images that have been set in my head but it as well clears the confusion of where things took place and reaction of others.

Matt M

4/16/2015 05:10:52 am

I feel that watching the movie ruins the way you imagine the character in the book. When this happens it can really ruin parts of the movie because it makes you think that the character in the movie is completely different then the character in the book. This happened to me with TKaM because i visioned Boo Radley very differently than he was in the movie. That's why I feel watching a movie after reading the book can ruin the way you look at the book.

Caroline W

4/16/2015 05:11:03 am

Watching a movie after reading the book is sometimes somewhat of a let down. I usually do compare the book to the movie but not always in a bad way. I compare the actor to the character and the way one would do or say something in the movie than the book. Also, I usually keep the image of the actor to the character and throughout the book that's how I see them. However some things are different than I would except some things to happen and they turn out to be not incorporated in the movie and it is a let down.

cjs

4/16/2015 05:11:11 am

I believe the first statement you spend a lot of time comparing the book to the movie rather than enjoying the movie is not true because when i watched the movie i didnt compare them at all i just wathced the movie.And the second statement it ruins the images which you've created in your head. I think it doesnt ruin it i think it enhances it.

Sidney Sheppard

4/16/2015 05:11:12 am

I think that reading the book first is a better idea before watching the movie, because you'll get a better understanding and vision of the plot in the book you've been reading. My mind becomes more clearer after the book and watching the movie because I don't understande what is going on in the book but when i see something with living pictures, and action, it's just better.

Hannah B

4/16/2015 05:11:21 am

I agree that watching a movie after the reading the book is a little bit of a letdown. As I was watching To Kill a Mockingbird, I kept contrasting the book and the movie, by characters, lines, and settings. As I read the book I was picturing the characters based on the characteristics given. In the movie the characters did not look at all like the characters I had imagined. Since I kept comparing the book and movie, I did not enjoy the movie as much as I could have.

Chloe O

4/16/2015 05:11:32 am

I agree with both of the statements. Throughout the movie there is a lot of comparing to the book, along with wondering why they did not add certain scenes from the book into the movie. I also agree with the second statement that it ruins the image of the book, because as you are reading the book you create a very clear image and a lot of times that image is not the same as the image in the movie. Watching a movie after reading a book is very hard to meet all the expectations you have.

Chris P.

4/16/2015 05:11:32 am

During the last few days eighth grade classes watched To Kill a Mockingbird as the conclusion of a unit about the text. I asked the students if they feel like watching movies based on books, after reading the book, is somewhat of a let down because: 1) you spend a lot of time comparing the book to the movie rather than enjoying the movie and 2) it ruins the images which you've created in your head. What do you think?

I personally disagree completely, I believe that watching a movie can be just as thrilling as reading a novel, yet there are good instances where either the movie or the book were done better. I also think that everybody has their own personal preference of entertainment of story-telling.

Lujan P

4/16/2015 05:12:24 am

I partially agree, seeing as the movie may ruins the images created in my mind. Yet, I enjoy comparing the similarities and differences between the novel and the movie because I get to see how the director incorporated the different scenes and parts of the novel. Though yes, I had already created an image in my head and seeing the movie, makes it different and changes it.

Madison D

4/16/2015 05:13:08 am

I agree with both of the statements. If you read the book than watch the movie you see the differences from the character's personalities, even if there is only a small difference. If the character's hair color is different, it usually frustrates me that it does not follow the book. Also, I picture the setting and characters one way but than the movie usually is not what I thought so it is a huge difference. It can change your thoughts about the book if you enjoyed it.

angelina

4/16/2015 06:56:10 am

I like watching movies after i read the book because even though the images in the movie may be different in my head I like to see the directors point of view other than mine. I also do not think that noticing differences between the book and the film will ruin anything for me. If anything I like seeing the differences because again, I like to see different peoples perspectives and their take on things.

Brendan F

4/16/2015 06:57:06 am

While watching the movie version of To Kill a Mockingbird I felt I did not get to enjoy the movie as much as i would have liked to. Although I thought this was a negative I enjoyed getting to see the real images of the characters that I pictured in my head. I thought it was cool to be able to see how the author intended the characters to be. Over all I like watching movies in class about topics that we learn about.

Nick A

4/16/2015 06:57:07 am

I think i spend more time comparing the movie to the book instead of enjoying the movie. I always wonder what scenes they will leave in or what scenes they will take out. I would rather watch the movie first then read the book personally so that I know how the characters look like and what they say and do the the book does not specify.It helps me get a better visual of what I am reading .

Gabe R

4/16/2015 06:58:08 am

I agree with the first statement that we take more time to take notes than pay attention too the movie. I do not agree with the second statement though because the images we make in are head are just ideas of what they look like. I feel the movie helps put a actual real image in front of us that we can use in are heads. This may not apply to all people because they might not like how the characters are shown but others may have no problem. So the first statement is completely true and I would agree but the second statement is just a opinion based on what the person thinks.

Chris D

4/16/2015 06:58:18 am

I agree watching the movie after reading the book ruins the images that I created in my head because I created the image and then we watch the movie and the the image is nothing like what I created.

Jhoan H

4/16/2015 06:58:19 am

In the film of "To Kill a Mockingbird" the images are close to what i had in the story, but there were many parts in the book that was skipped in the movie and the film was missing some few minor people and some images were not right cause of the missing character. The only problem with me was the comparing with book and the film .

Jesse Easterling

4/16/2015 06:58:27 am

I believe that watching the movie after reading the novel is part interesting, and part let down. Let me explain, When you read the novel you make a visual on how you thing the story looks. Personally, I pictured all the characters to look different from how they look in the movie. The only sad thing is, is that i now can't remember how the looked in my head, only the movie versions. That was the only thing that was really a let down for me. The other part of me thinks that seeing the movie is a cool experience because you get to see another person's point of view, and their take on the movie. So personally I am split between two opinions.

Justin

4/16/2015 06:58:43 am

I like watching the movie because you can see all the characters and what they look like and what the town looks like. But I also like picturing what they look like like Dill looked realy weird in the movie and it was a lot diffrent then what I thaught. Also it is easier to watch the movie then read the book so i like watching the movie.

Emilee

4/16/2015 06:58:49 am

I agree with the two statements because, while I was reading To Kill a Mockingbird I thought of something similar but sort of different then it was in the movie. I pictured exactly how they described it in the book. When we watched the movie It was frustrating how they changed parts of the story and made it the way they wanted and then in the book it was a total different thing.

Emma M

4/16/2015 06:58:55 am

I agree that watching a film after you read the text does ruin the image you created in your head but also it creates a better understanding about who the characters really are and what the setting actually looks like. For example in TKaM the image of Boo was a lot different than what I pictured from the book, but seeing the setting made it clear what Maycomb really looked like. Overall, I think watching the movie might be distracting and annoying but it creates a better image and makes things clearer about the plot.

Michael P

4/16/2015 06:59:01 am

I agree with both these statements. There have been many instances where I have read the book and developed my own landscape and characters the way I pictured them. However when movies give the readers a visual of what it "really" looks like, it alters you're on. I know from past experience. After reading the Percy Jackson series I had my own set representation. But after the movie came out every time I read one of the new books I did not picture my Percy Jackson, I pictured the movie's Percy Jackson. Though movies based off books can be somewhat annoying at times they can aid people who didn't quite understand the story or someone who cant read. At least then everyone can enjoy them.

Ian S

4/16/2015 06:59:01 am

I agree with the statement that sometimes watching movies based on books, after reading the book, is somewhat a let down. But only in the sense that it ruins the image created in my head. When reading the book, someone's imagination turns the words and characterizations into a picture. That picture turns into a scene or person that moves and "speaks" the words that you have read.

Mrs. Schiano

4/19/2015 12:28:46 pm

Your comment reminds me of someone's description of reading as "creating movies in your head".

Chloe M.

4/16/2015 06:59:02 am

I agree to the first statement because when you read the book, you have every single detail and then in the movie it leaves out a lot of detail. When a scene come up then you think that you know what happens next or you get really mad because they skipped so many things that make the story. When I read a book and then watch the movie, I think it is very helpful to see the scenes after you picture it because it is fun to compare both scenes. Other times you can get very disappointed when they describe a scene very vividly in the book and it is completely different in the book. Overall, I like to watch the movies after the book especially if you love the book.

Carina P

4/16/2015 06:59:15 am

My interest in the movie normally depends on how much I actually liked the book. I never really expect a movie to be exactly how i pictured the book in my head, but I often am surprised with how different movies can be from their original counterpart. Sometimes different than I would expected, or sometimes so completely off the story line of the book that I wondered if the author even knew that a movie about their book was even being shot, or if they even bothered to go over the script.

Christopher P.

4/16/2015 06:59:28 am

I agree with both of these statements, and am leaning towards the second statement, the one about ruining images in your head, being even more true than the first, talking about how comparing the book to the movie ruins the fun in watching the movie. To start off with, the first statement is definitely true because with all book-based movies, almost everyone compares the book to the movie, rather than comparing the movie to the book. This makes people watch the movie but also have a nagging thought in the back of their brains saying, "This isn't what happened in the book!". Therefore, people can't help but automatically notice and look for only the flaws in the movie, rather than the good aspects of it. I also say that the second statement about ruining visuals in people's heads is even more important. This is because I personally like to imagine scenes in my head, trying to see what my mind produces, and let my brain be strengthen in imagination. But the second you watch the scenes in the movie you liked to visualize about, all imagery you kept in your head dissipates. Even after months after you watched the movie and you go to read the book again, you can't seem to get the movie image out of your head, and your imagery for that book is completely gone for good.

Mrs. Schiano

4/19/2015 12:24:47 pm

This is exactly what happens to me "all imagery you kept in your head dissipates. Even after months after you watched the movie...". I also find it especially difficult to read the next book in a series after seeing the movie version of the first, because I miss creating my own images.

Natalie O

4/16/2015 07:00:02 am

I completely agree with the first statement because throughout my experiences, I always end up comparing the book to the movie. I usually end up disappointed with the movie because often times, movies do not cover everything in the books. I feel that maybe if I did not read the book I would not be disappointed because there would be no comparison.

Nasir L

4/16/2015 07:00:11 am

Although the movie does ruin the picture you create your head it can also give a different view point on things. For example the book only gives scouts point of view while in the movie you can see how Dill, Jem, Atticus ect. react to the situation. Movies may also ruin pictures you have of the characters and can easily let you down.

John Kovac

4/16/2015 07:01:55 am

I agree with this statement. whenever I read a book I can picture it in my head and when I watch a movie it is sometimes is off from what I pictured it as. This can be annoying because the story might be diffrent

matthew bradley

4/16/2015 07:02:00 am

I don't usually spend time comparing the book or movie together because the adpations of the flim are nearly the same to their conturpart but into kill a mockingbird the deffirence4s were very oddvious. It does neccasily ruin your image of the movie actors but that is up to the viewer to decide.

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