Books Versus Movies
With the increase in the number of OTT platforms, there has been a steady decline in habitual reading among adolescents and adults alike. At the same time, there has been much discussion on the pros and cons of books and movies. While both are equally enjoyable for leisure, books have an edge over movies due to their positive influence on self-development.
One of the primary arguments in favor of books over movies is their duration. The time necessary to read a good book is vastly different from the average length of a movie. This is evidently demonstrated when comparing a book to its movie adaptation. For example, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is an 800-page novel, but its movie adaptation is only a couple of hours long. More often than not, movies tend to rush the progression of the plot and character arcs in an effort to fit an entire story into mere hours. As a result, significant moments are often omitted from movies, and their plots can be drastically altered. Based on an analysis of the number of movies adapted from books, it is clear that books are undoubtedly favoured by the public.
In terms of genres, non-fiction is a genre that movies cannot portray as adequately as books. The graveness of a true story can be lost in the prospect of adjusting it to fit the traditional two- to three-hour-long movie timeline. In general, books allow us to foster our imagination more freely and conjure visionary images to our hearts’ content. They let us “customise” our experience, rather than leaving us to rely on the imaginative constraints of a movie. Books allow readers to be a part of a whole new world. They provide insight into the nuances of a character's thoughts and feelings, creating a third-dimension. However, the main benefit of books is that they do not strain our eyes as much as prolonged screen time. The first step to being a good reader is to have good posture in order to avoid eye strain, although most of us tend to lie down when we read.
Although books are more fitting for many individuals, movies can be useful aids for those with visual learning styles. Immaculate videography can be captured by someone’s mind much more effectively than the small text of a book. Unlike bookworms who find solace in books regardless of the occasion and theme, there are plenty of people with an affinity for movies as an ideal relaxation method. Videography can make a story easier to relate to, as it helps us picture the scenario in our minds.
A survey conducted by Super Summary about books and their movie adaptations has brought an end to this debate, showing that 34% of people prefer books over their movie counterparts, while 27% said that the movies were better. While this is a debate that will likely never have a conclusive result due to the varying viewpoints present, we cannot help but share our collaborative thoughts!
