Literature into Film
ORA
Fall ‘09
Read your story carefully and critically. Take note of word and image repetition and
narrative elements and techniques. Film adaptations of short stories rely on expansion to
a degree greater than what we have encountered thus far; therefore, you should notice a
number of added elements.
According to Desmond and Hawkes, “the filmmaker usually accomplishes ‘expansion to
feature size’ by using one or more of three different strategies.”
1. Concentration strategy: keep most of the elements of narrative from the short story;
concentrate those elements at the beginning, middle, or end of the film; and add invented
elements to the rest of the film.
2. Interweaving strategy: keep most of the elements of narrative from the short story;
disperse those elements throughout the film, although not necessarily in their original
order; and interweave either invented elements or invented expansions to already existing
elements.
3. Point-of-departure strategy: drop most of the elements of narrative from the short
story; keep perhaps the plot premise, a character’s name, or just the title; and, using these
elements as a point of departure, add an invented narrative (128).
With these strategies in mind, view the film and take notes on at least three expansive
elements, which will be the basis for your essay.
As you sit down to write, begin by answering the following:
What is the dominant expansion strategy?
Does the adapter use any others?
How does the adapter employ the strategy or strategies?
What are specific expansion elements?
Why have those choices been made?
What are the effects of such choices?
Consider your observations before choosing one answering one of these questions:
A. In the context of the adaptation process, how does the film manipulate the story’s
main theme or idea?
OR
B. Does the adapter make successful choices in expanding the source material?
Your 2-3 page essay should include textual evidence as well as one quotation from an
outside source (film review or criticism, news article, etc.).