Many of the most popular movies of all time, such as Harry Potter, The Lord of the Rings, The Hunger Games, Dune, and Chronicles of Narnia all share something: They are all adaptations of beloved books. Although both interpretations are generally well-liked, there are debates about which art form is better for entertainment, books or movies?
Books as entertainment have several pros and cons. Their biggest advantage is their ability to develop the characters and the story in a way that movies cannot. Books can offer great, detailed insight into every character’s mind and actions. Without the constraint of a movie budget or extreme deadlines, the author can develop the plot and setting as much as they want, making books more detailed and thorough. Books also allow for more creative thinking because when reading a book, they often picture everything from the story in their head, allowing their imagination to run wild. Movies allow for less creativity as they provide a definitive look into the world, rather than letting the consumer make it up themselves.
However, books also have downsides compared to movies. Movies are far more visually appealing than books, and they’re more immersive to the viewer, making them feel like they’re part of the world. The audio in movies also plays a big role. A movie’s music and sound design can make it feel more alive than books, as well as giving it more emotion and weight.
Movies may be a way to relax, but they have several pros and cons. The movie’s advantage is that it gives the viewer an idea of what the author wants them to understand. For example, each person can envision Harry Potter differently, but through a movie, the directors associate Daniel Radcliffe’s face with the character. Another advantage is the sounds that come out of the device. The audience understands what the environment sounds like and how the characters speak through sound effects, dialogue, and music. The background music gives the scene more emotion, emphasizing the mood and tone the directors are trying to convey. For instance, Darth Vader’s Imperial March gives more emotion to the character itself, creating a song that is associated with him. When the audience hears his signature theme, our minds go straight to the evil characteristics of Darth Vader.
There are also many disadvantages of movies. Books offer more creativity, as the audience is stuck viewing how the directors perceive the story of the film. Another disadvantage of movies is that to be able to watch them, the audience either needs to pay money to view them in a theater or connect their device to a power source to stream them.
A poll on Fallon’s Maverick News Site asking whether books or movies were better for entertainment showed students’ opinions. It showed that 99 students (41%) voted that books were better, while 142 students (59%) voted that movies were better. The poll showed that people were in favor of movies, with books not being far behind. Elin Cheng, an eighth grader at Fallon, comments, “I like books more because they let you be more creative, and you feel more engaged. Movies don’t make me feel as invested.”
Ethan Garcia, a sixth grader at Fallon, states, “I like books more because they’re more entertaining and [more] easily accessible than movies.”
Ailee Thep, a sixth grader who stated that they like movies more, explains, “I like movies more because they take up less of my time and they are more visually appealing.”
Kevan Khakar, an eighth grader at Fallon, states, “I like movies more because they’re more thrilling and they’re much easier to understand.”
Fallon math teacher Ms. Mohyuddin says, “Movies because I can’t read. Reading takes too much patience and too much work to read each line. However, too many movies are bad.”
In summation, books and movies are both popular forms of entertainment that can be enjoyed by all ages, which naturally began debates deciding which art form is better. Both sides have a unique set of pros and cons, and features that set them apart from each other, which is why this topic has been argued about for so long by so many people. What side are you on?
