Compare And Contrast To Kill A Mockingbird
The novel, To Kill A Mockingbird, has been critically praised as a landmark work and important piece of American literature dealing with such fundamental issues of society. The 1962 movie adaption has received similar proclamations of genius storytelling. But when compared side by side, does the movie truly stand up to the literary masterpiece and accurately present the themes and lesson intended by the author? After examining the restrictions on character and plot development by formatting, the difference in voice from the movie to the novel, and the shared themes, it can be concluded that although the movie succeeds in passing along the same messages that the book does, it fails in fully living up to the amount of detail and technique in plot and details that the novel provides, making it not entirely sufficient as a transcription of the original To Kill A Mockingbird into film. The varied pace and notation of the passage of time used by Lee in the novel is lacking the movie, leaving it to feel rushed in some places, as
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if so many events are packed into so little time. It greatly lessens the effect of character development, especially that of the children, taking place in the novel. This is likely due to length limitations for a movie making it difficult to portray multiple years into less than two hours of screen time. Another sacrifice made for the sake of time during the transition from book to movie is the multiple scenes and characters that were entirely omitted or changed, like the majority of Scout’s school time, Miss Rachel, and Finch’s Landing and its inhabitants. These are just a few examples of how the movie failed to give reason and backstory to the children’s growing maturity. Many events that taught Scout and Jem, along with the readers, important life lessons were not included in the movie and are why it is not entirely accurate and does not give the full impact provided by the book.
Harper Lee’s choice to have To Kill A Mockingbird entirely voiced by Scout, a child, is so fundamental to its strength and effect on the reader.
It provides an objective and innocent view of the blunt racism and bitterness that runs amuck in the Southern society of Maycomb. Scout’s naive thought process of to what is right and wrong in the world she see is what teaches the reader that the flaws of adults become clear to the most basic logic of a child. The novel’s 1st person perspective from her is truly an inside view into the world without much of the bias collected as one grows up. As the movie is told in 3rd person, with an occasional narration from the grown up Scout, it lacks that clear view, and is telling not showing the Finch’s story, losing the specificity in her experience and the strong connection Lee forged between the audience and Scout. This is detrimental to how relatable and emotionally affecting To Kill A Mockingbird
is.
One of the main features positively shared prominent in both movie and book is the concept and theme of racism. Harper Lee’s crafting of Tom Robinson’s case is a major part of what made To Kill A Mockingbird so influential. Both show the town’s racist views and bitterness towards Atticus’s pride in defending Tom. Although the book goes deeper into the concept, the movie also presents people like Atticus, Dolphus Raymond, and Judge Taylor who do what they can to not succumb to the racism and in their own small or large ways fight for justice and equality. To Kill A Mockingbird also gives a hope for the future in the rage of Jem and Dill towards Tom’s trial. In this way the movie does show up to the expectations set by the novel and gives the audience a strong understanding of societies harshness and unfairness, while still showing the hope for a better future society in the children.
if so many events are packed into so little time. It greatly lessens the effect of character development, especially that of the children, taking place in the novel. This is likely due to length limitations for a movie making it difficult to portray multiple years into less than two hours of screen time. Another sacrifice made for the sake of time during the transition from book to movie is the multiple scenes and characters that were entirely omitted or changed, like the majority of Scout’s school time, Miss Rachel, and Finch’s Landing and its inhabitants. These are just a few examples of how the movie failed to give reason and backstory to the children’s growing maturity. Many events that taught Scout and Jem, along with the readers, important life lessons were not included in the movie and are why it is not entirely accurate and does not give the full impact provided by the book.
Harper Lee’s choice to have To Kill A Mockingbird entirely voiced by Scout, a child, is so fundamental to its strength and effect on the reader.
It provides an objective and innocent view of the blunt racism and bitterness that runs amuck in the Southern society of Maycomb. Scout’s naive thought process of to what is right and wrong in the world she see is what teaches the reader that the flaws of adults become clear to the most basic logic of a child. The novel’s 1st person perspective from her is truly an inside view into the world without much of the bias collected as one grows up. As the movie is told in 3rd person, with an occasional narration from the grown up Scout, it lacks that clear view, and is telling not showing the Finch’s story, losing the specificity in her experience and the strong connection Lee forged between the audience and Scout. This is detrimental to how relatable and emotionally affecting To Kill A Mockingbird
is.
One of the main features positively shared prominent in both movie and book is the concept and theme of racism. Harper Lee’s crafting of Tom Robinson’s case is a major part of what made To Kill A Mockingbird so influential. Both show the town’s racist views and bitterness towards Atticus’s pride in defending Tom. Although the book goes deeper into the concept, the movie also presents people like Atticus, Dolphus Raymond, and Judge Taylor who do what they can to not succumb to the racism and in their own small or large ways fight for justice and equality. To Kill A Mockingbird also gives a hope for the future in the rage of Jem and Dill towards Tom’s trial. In this way the movie does show up to the expectations set by the novel and gives the audience a strong understanding of societies harshness and unfairness, while still showing the hope for a better future society in the children.