In this past year of American Literature, I have been learning about books and movies, both of which are American literature. I have also learned about the differences of each from each other. In this essay, I will explain what each of them are in, hopefully, my simplest terms, and explain what I like or do not like about each.
Personally, I love to read, sometimes even more than watching movies. In books, you have to imagine what is happening because you can not see what is happening. In movies, all you do is watch and listen. You see things and you hear things. No imagination involved. However, books explain things more clearly. In movies, you have to see for yourself. Now, most people like seeing things happen rather than imagining it for themselves because it is easier, and it is. However, I like to use my imagination. Books are better at explaining things. For example, a book says when a person is sad, happy, depressed, etc. Books also show what people are thinking. Movies can not do that. People have to say it for you to understand it. Now, you may be able to tell a person’s emotions from their facial expression or their actions, but you can not tell what they are thinking unless somebody says it. However, if there is like an animal or plant that the book is trying to describe, I do find it a little hard to try to think of what it may look like in my mind, whereas in a movie, you can see what it looks like. You sight is the most powerful of your senses, so it is no wonder people would rather see things happen then use their imagination and imagine it for themselves. I have a huge imagination, so it is no problem for me to imagine what is happening in a book. However, there is the problem of unrecognizable words. Some words you do not know and some words are hard to pronounce. However, you could go get the dictionary to figure out what they mean. But whose gonna want to read through a dictionary to find out what a word means while you are reading a good book? Not me. However, in movies you do not read (unless during subtitles or a sign or whatever). You just mainly watch and listen, which is easy. Also, one of my favorite parts about movies is the music. Music plays a huge factor in movies, and that just makes people like it more. Sometimes when I am reading, I imagine music playing in the background while a particular scene is playing out in the book. Music is definitely a big part of why people like movies and not books.
These are the biggest points I think are associated with the differences between movies and books. Personally, I like some books better than movies, and some movies better than books. I kind of depends on what I am watching or reading. I am sure it is the same for you too.