Displace Not Replace

Displace Not Replace

In many instances we see books evolve into movies. On page 77 of the Shallows, Carr states that “electronic media: radio, cinema, phonograph, television… were always limited by their inability to transmit the written word. They could displace but not replace the book.” Books are able to give so many more details than any other type of media, such as movies or radio.

I agree with this quote for that reason exactly. In many movies based on books, there are so many details left out. For example, in Harry Potter the books contain so many more details than the movie makers can possibly fit in without written word. After seeing movies that are based on such great books it is hard to appreciate the movies knowing there should be so much more to them. Without written word many details go unnoticed. Although entertainment has moved so far from books, a lot of ideas come from them to begin with.

Also as movies only last for a few hours at most, books can capture one’s attention for a while longer and therefore provide longer entertainment. This goes for radio as well since radio shows last only about an hour. These long lasting entertainment mediums are more economic as well, because they are cheaper to make and movies are so expensive.

Another example is that books allow a reader to create the world they are reading about, which is always exceptionally different than the way producers portray it. When people read books they create a world specific to images they have witnessed or experienced, which causes the reader to ultimately be disappointed in the movie. The certain left-out details can be important parts of the book which will never be known to people who chose to only see the movie. Along with the last example, it is hard to find actors that resemble the characters described in books. Another example from Harry Potter is that the book character has bright green eyes, whereas in the movies, Daniel Radcliffe has blue eyes.

From The Shallows this is one quote I actually agree with. Over the years, written word has replaced oral story and other entertainment has tried to replace written word. Even though many new technologies have been developed, none have been able to completely end the written word. Books will never be obsolete as long as new ideas are constantly being developed and created into movies.

-Kim Fairweather