‘You live several lives while reading
a book.’
- William
Styron, American novelist
On the occasion
of World Book Day on 23 April it was encouraging to see a spirited defense of
books over movies at a recent school debate. The event was the culmination of
Book Week being observed by the school. On display at the venue were colourful
bookmarks made by the children, journals on the book or movie of their choice
and even a book exhibition-cum-sale of children’s favourites.
Despite the
prophets of doom sounding the death-knell of reading, here was a whole new
generation that was hooked on books. ‘Books are portable,’ one said, ‘Can you
cart your TV around?’ Another pointed out that books spur the reader’s
imagination. In a movie the visualization is already done for you. The special
effects which the Harry Potter movies incorporate, take the story beyond the
scope (or intention) of the book.
Time was
another factor which was debated. Movies have a limited timeframe of 2/3 hours.
While going for a movie is an occasion to hang out with friends, it can never
be compared to a 400-page novel.
In books
there is more detailing of character.
Whereas most movie-goers go to see the movie only for the actors, in a
book it is the story which is the criterion. Reading exposes you to new words
and improves one’s language and IQ.
The debate
was so enthralling that at times I had to remind myself that I was on the jury
– or else I would have rushed up on stage at Navy Children School (NCS),
Dabolim and had my say!
Not all
books have been visualized in movies. Both are independent genres and mediums
with their own features. For me, a book offers amazing flexibility. You can
read it on the train, at home after lunch, or while waiting for someone. Literature
is always embedded in history and politics, says Catherine Belsey. Therefore a
reading of a novel is always against the backdrop of its time. The discerning
reader is always engaging with the text, searching for the multiple implications of a sentence, be it in Joseph
Conrad’s Heart of Darkness -- a fable of imperialism -- or Saadat Hassan
Manto’s short story, ‘Ten Rupees’-- the price for a girl in Bombay.
Poetry can
never be translated into a movie, unless the prose itself is lyrical enough to
be poetry like in Thomas Mann’s Death in
Venice. Poetry takes the intensity of reading to its height. Most of
Shakespeare’s plays have been made into movies, but give me the book any day --
preferably the handsome Arden edition with its elegant notes to quarry. World
Book Day commemorates the birth as well as the death anniversary of Shakespeare
on 23 April.
Today people
spend too much time wading through the predictable pap of dailies which
hoodwink you with manufactured news. Creative writing -- which is often an
indictment of society -- is rarely published, let alone read. But that’s another story.
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Published in Gomantak Times Weekender St. Inez, Goa on 28 April 2013. Pix courtesy kirbymuseum.org. This blogpost notes the amazing absence of a doodle on the google search website today 23 April 2014 on the anniversary of Shakespeare's birth as well as death!
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