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Gospel Benson_70676225_50046900 Page 117 QATALUM Po Box 23086 Doha, Qatar [email protected] 2nd Dear  Student,     I  am  returning  your  exam  because  it  requires  further  work.  Please  review  the  instructions  in   your  study  guide  on  pages  123-­‐147.           Exam  500469  is  an  OUTLINE  for  a  comparison/contrast  exam,  where  the  writer  analyzes  the   differences  between  a  novel  and  its  movie  counterpart  to  focus  on  how  the  changes  affected   the  overall  ideas  and  themes  of  the  pieces.    While  you  have  broken  this  up  some,  it  is  still  not  an   outline:  

I.

  Introduction  

  Thesis  

II. Body  Paragraph  I  (main  idea  1)   A. Sub  topic  1   B. Sub  topic  2  

III. Body  Paragraph  II  (main  idea  2)    

A. Evidence  1   B. Evidence  2  

        Additionally,  please  review  specific  feedback  from  your  grader  at  the  END  of  your  paper.  Please   note,  the  exam  will  be  returned  indefinitely  until  the  student  composes  and  submits  an  outline   prewrite.       If  you  have  any  questions,  please  contact  the  school.        

Gospel Benson_70676225_50046900 Page 117 QATALUM Po Box 23086 Doha, Qatar [email protected]     Sincerely,     English  Instructor   Penn  Foster  College    

Comparison and contrast of Book and film

Introduction It has become a common practice to translate into movies some of the best and most captivating plays, which were initially published as books. When a book narration is translated into a movie, many similarities and differences come about them.’ An Enemy of the People’ is a book written by a Norwegian citizen, Henrik Ibsen in the year 1882 (Ratcliffe). It features politics and corruption in one of the Norway cities. This book was translated into a film in the year 1978 (Schaefer). The movie has come out more interesting than the original book itself, and this paper examines in detail the contrasting and the similar effects between the book and the movie. Similarity in plot development

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In both the movie and the booknarration, the story has been developed from a

common point that is to address the decay and expose corruption among the top leadership in town. It also highlights that despite the leadership being corrupt there is a small percentage of leaders who are opposed to this rampant corruption and who with all means fight to make things right and end this evil in the town. An instance is Dr. Thomas Stockman who is a medical doctor in the town who makes a discovery that the bathing water has been contaminated with bacteria, and therefore using such water was harmful both internally and externally. (Shekoofeh493).

In the film and the book, Dr. Stockman fights even to a point of losing his job and

having his property vandalized by the town’s people who are summoned by the corrupt leadership to teach a lesson the doctor for what they call irresponsible behavior. A common climax is reached when the doctor is fired from being the medical officer of the town, and his own elder brother who is the Mayor of the town brings him his suspension letter. His house is destroyed by an angry mob and the story ends as the doctor claims to have another discovery, saying that the strongest person is he who stands alone. (Ibsen).

Contrast in the plot development

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Contrasting effects are also observed between the film and the movie in that the

film appears livelier than the book itself. The book begins by listing the characters the brief explanation of the venue, the mood and the atmosphere. The film begins directly with a set stage and characters are flung to action immediately. The audience is able to read the mood and the atmosphere which is more interesting than reading it in the book itself. The audience is also in a better position to predict the nest episode on how the events unveil based on the movie. The climax is most exciting as the crowd chanting threatsagainst the doctor approaches the doctor’s house with stones to destroy his house.

Character development and presentation has come out clearer in the film than in

the book narration. The audience is able to clearly identify the character traits of these individuals than in the play recorded in the book itself.

Dr. Thomas Stockman, this is the protagonist in the play in which all the issues

revolve around him. He is the cause of the conflict and as well as the final Character to be mentioned in the book and movie. It’s in the movie that his character traits are coming out very clearly in the play.

Opportunist, this trait has come out clearly in the film as he looks for every

possible chance to exploit. The moment he madehis discovery it became his starting point to bring down the corrupt town officials. He therefore influences

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some of his friends who included the likes of Aslaksen, Billing and Hovstad. He goes an extra mile to publishing his article so that it could be made public, but he is intercepted along the way and the leadership prevents him from publishing it, not even talking about it again. He is finally fired from his job as the medical doctor of the baths as he loses his battle. I the end he stands alone, calling himself the strongest person in the world. This drama has come out perfectly clear in the film acted in 1978 bearing the same name as the book (Cliffnotes).

Extravagant, Dr. Stockman is portrayed as the most extravagant character in the

play. It is recorded that he spends as much as his whole salary on food and this is evident as the audience could see a lot of stale beef going waste, having been eaten even by the outside friends like the pressmen. There was also every type of beer, rum and whisky in his table. A bunch of cigarettes also depicts his extravagance. This behavior has made him not to invest anywhere, to his own fate when he is fired from his job (An enemy Of The People characters).

Considerate, this trait is seen as he suspects some contamination of water, and he

goes an extra mile to do the investigation. After the results are out he also fights for necessary repairs in the baths. This shows he was such a considerate man (Huffpost).

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Mr. Peter stockman, this is Dr.Stockman’s elder brother and the mayor of the

town.

Conservative, Peter is one of the most conservative people in the town. First, as

the film shows him, he does not want to give out his leadership position in the town as the mayor. He does all it takes to retain his seat. His brother Dr. Stockmanwas a man who could not be silenced, so to bring him under control he gives him a job to act as the medical doctor. This mayor also is resistant to accept the changes recommended by the medical doctor of the baths who happens to be his brother.

Mr. Peter stockman could not get himself any luxury of food or any other

material. This is shown as he refuses to take the meat in his brother’s house saying he would have a problem with digestion. The gestures brought about by these actions in the movie make the movie more appealing than the book itself.

Aslaksen, this was the owner of the paper, which was the dominating printing

press in the town. He was also the chief editor.

Coward, in this film Aslaksen, has been highlighted as a coward. During an

instance in Dr. Stockman’s house after his house was stoned the previous night, Dr. Stockman fights the two pressmen including Aslaksen. Cowardly, Aslaksen begins speaking of his feeble legs, the injuries he had long ago, and many other

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excuses to evade being beaten with an umbrella. Finally he flees away. The going round the table and the final escape has made the movie interesting as opposed to the book.

Themes

The theme of family is widespread in the play. Peter Stockman is described as a

brother to Thomas Stockman. Also the family of Dr. Stockman is well described as a husband to Catherine and a father to three, two boys and a girl. In the book the family description and presentationis less clear than in the film. This is because in the film factors such as the family structure are factored in. for example in the end when Dr. stockman makes his final discovery, the whole family surrounds him in anxiety and amazement showing solidarity with him whereas the description in the book is not sufficiently.

Another instance that shows the movie being effective than the book narration

itself is during the argument between the mayor and the doctor. In the movie the audience clearly gets the message, the intonation of each character and the mood that makes the events interesting. The book narration lacks these aspects.

The reader also has to imagine many instances in his own mind, for example the

crowd chanting and yelling as they approach Dr. Stockman’s house. In the film the audience just observes these scenes as they unfold in an interesting manner.

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Corruption, this is one of the main topics depicted in the narration by Henrik

Ibsen. This theme is also well demonstrated in the movie better than in the book. We find the town Mayor Peter Stockman going to the pressmen, Aslaksen and Hovstad and sweet-talk them to deny Dr. Stockman support and give their support him and the town management as well. The mayor hands them an official communication from the town committee, which is published in the paper to be read to conceal the roaming words about pollution spread by Dr. Stockman. This series of events in the movie create a captivating atmosphere of how corrupt leadership uses the press to conceal matters.

What makes the movie better in an enemy of the people is this other instant after

Dr. Stockman’s house has been destroyed. The town mayor, Mr. Peter Stockman visits Dr. Stockman with a letter of firing the doctor. He also advises him that should he drop the baseless allegations regarding the condition of water, he promises that they town committee may consider returning him his job as a medical doctor. Knowing this scheme to soothe him, Dr. Stockman refuses to drop his findings. The movie highlights these events as they unfold in perfect presentation, while the book will require the reader to carefully read and follow the scope of events, which is more challenging (An Enemy Of the people: Theme Analysis).

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Power, politics and money, these words sum up a very crucial theme in the play.

Basing on the movie, the style in which greed and the hunger for power is presented is captivating. An interesting example is during the meeting in Captain Horster’s house called by Dr. Stockman to deliver his speech. The people yell for the mayor to be made the chairman of the meeting, the people whom have been brainwashed by the leadership into believing whatever the leadership brings on board. Therefore Dr. Stockman is not granted a chance to speak on the topic he had prepared with claims that it would tarnish the name of the town. This depicts how politics work in some societies. The yelling of the people, the clapping and chanting as Peter Stockman takes over in the film is well portrayed and gives a real picture in society, as opposed to reading a book which lacks the aspects of yelling and chanting as in the incident.

Furthermore, watching the movie will bring the audience to a conclusion that to a

larger extent Dr. Stockman was fighting for power. From the events on the movie from the point when he made the discovery, a spirit was rekindled in him since he has found a base to bring down his brother Mr. Peter stockman take over as the mayor. The audience also observes him as he attempts to gain the support of the pressmen by inviting them for dinner so he may sway them to his side. He also

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persuades them to print his paper of his findings, which was to bring commotion in the town. These episodes are brought well in the film as opposed to the book.

Conclusion

In summary it is clear that a film presentation is better than a book narration due

to the fact that the audience can the gestures, the actions and even predicts the next move in a movie. The same play in a book when read will not sufficiently captivate the audience as the film does.

Works cited

An  Enemy  Of  the  people  :Theme  Analysis.  January  2015.  12th  January  2015   <http://www.novelguide.com/an-­‐enemy-­‐of-­‐the-­‐people-­‐/theme-­‐analysis>.     An  enemy  Of  The  People  characters.  2015.  12th  January  2015   <http://www.shmoop.com/enemy-­‐of-­‐the-­‐people/characters.html>.     Cliffnotes.  2014.  12th  December  2015  <http://www.cliffnotes.com/literature/an-­‐enemy-­‐of-­‐the-­‐ people/character-­‐analysis/drr-­‐stockman>.     Huffpost.  10th  October  2012.  12th  January  2015  <http://www.huffingtonpost.com/henrik-­‐ ibsen/>.     Ibsen,  Henrik.  An  Enemy  Of  The  People.  Lightning  Source  Incorporated,  1st  June,  2004.  

Gospel Benson_70676225_50046900 Page 117 QATALUM Po Box 23086 Doha, Qatar [email protected] Ratcliffe,  Susan.  Concise  Oxford  Dictionary  of  Quotations.  Oxford  University  Press,  March  17,   2011.     Schaefer,  George.  An  Enemy  of  the  People.  1978.  18  January  2015   <http://zolue.com/movie/12373/an-­‐enemy-­‐of-­‐the-­‐people-­‐1978.html>.     Shekoofeh493.  Sparknotes.  4th  September  2012.  12  January  2015   <http://www.sparknotes.com/lit/enemyofthepeople/summary.html>.