What’s one difference between this reading and the movie version? How does the change affect the story, change the meaning and/or alter our perspectives of the characters?
This story was very interesting to read once you have seen the movie and see how many differences there were between the two. One difference that I saw was about how in the story it talks about Thomas’ parent’s death and what happened. In the story Thomas’ dad died in Okinawa in World War II fighting for his country and his mother died giving birth to him. She took her final breath pushing Thomas out. This is totally different than what the movie stated and was such a big part to the plot. Now in the movie version Thomas’ parents were killed in a house fire that Victor’s dad started with fireworks.
This difference in the description of how they died does affect the story because it is the main reason for Victor and Thomas and their relationship. You don’t really know that they are cousins in the story but it points it out right away in the movie. The movie ends with Victor telling Thomas that his father didn’t mean to kill his parents and in the story the main topic is the relationship between the two boys. Thomas already knew at the end of the movie how his parents died. You never hear about Thomas’ parents as much in the story as you do in the movie. The perspectives on the characters don’t really change because Victor is still the tough one and Thomas is the annoying one with all the stories. The fire in the house to me is the signal of the whole movie just like when the girl in the movie burns down the trailer. The smallest details can change a story around and make it sound different. I do like both the story and the movie but do have to agree the movie was better. If we read the story before the movie I believe my opinion would be the same.
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Deborah wrote "You don’t really know that they are cousins in the story but it points it out right away in the movie."
ReplyDeleteI must have missed that part. It makes me wonder why the families were not closer. The grandmother who raised Thomas seemed very close to him but I wonder if she was also close to Victors family?
Hi Debbie,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your ideas. You’ve highlighted a crucial difference. You have me wondering about the difference in meaning I give Thomas in the film versus the story. In neither version is he raised by his parents, but in the film version, he is drawn to the man responsible for killing his parents, which he doesn’t know, but is still perplexing. In the film version, Thomas comes across protective of Victor, he’s even fulfilling a promise he made to Victor’s dad.
Lauren :)
Debbie,
ReplyDeleteYour comparisons and contrasts between the two stories are on point. I agree that the cause of death for Thomas's parents is a key difference. the tension between the two characters is removed and the conclusion to the stories are far different.
I agree with you I do think that is such a huge plot in the movie. I think that it bonds the guys a lot more because Thomas is happy that he was saved by Victor's father. Thomas would also talk a lot about Victor's father and tell him how greatful he was of his father.
ReplyDeleteYes I thought It was odd they changed the detail of Thomas' parents death for the movie. I wondered what would make them do such a thing and then I wondered if it was because the story is not nearly long enough to base a whole movie off of.
ReplyDeleteYou pointed out such good things about both that i didnt realize. Specially that they are cousins and I didnt know that so that got me thinking about both stories.
ReplyDeleteIt was very suprising to read how Thomas's parents died in the written version because in the movie his parents death in the fire was a huge part of the movie.
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