fbpx
Potentash
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Potentash
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
Potentash
No Result
View All Result
Reading the book is better then watching the movie. Image from http://tysonadams.com/2013/02/11/books-vs-movies/

Reading the book is better then watching the movie. Image from http://tysonadams.com/2013/02/11/books-vs-movies/

The age of machines: Literature vs. Movies and Series

Shingai N. Kagunda by Shingai N. Kagunda
September 2, 2015
in Books, Entertainment, Lifestyle, Opinions
Reading Time: 4 mins read
72 0
2
87
SHARES
482
VIEWS
FacebookTwitterWhatsApp

I will be the first one to tell you I am a movie/series maniac! I love them, and honestly when I am stressed one of the chilliest things for me to do is to watch and episode of modern family, big bang theory, community, Mindy Project, or something light and funny that will make me laugh. Then when I want to think, I will turn to Elementary, Castle, Bones, Criminal Minds, or something that will captivate my mind and attention span for some time.

Reading the book is better then watching the movie. Image from http://tysonadams.com/2013/02/11/books-vs-movies/
Reading the book is better then watching the movie. Image from http://tysonadams.com/2013/02/11/books-vs-movies/

I have even read somewhere that for a writer watching the latest movie or series is not just entertainment but also research. This is so true, because as a writer you tend to be a people watcher in whatever form that may take. Be it watching a movie, reading a book, or literally just sitting down in a mall or café and observing other people go about their day. This not only gives you inspiration but also helps you understand people, making it so much easier later on to create people/characters based on reality.

The problem becomes when you focus on one aspect more than the other. We are living in a culture of electronics, which means that when a child who is eight years old or so has the option between a children’s book in front of them, and endless cartoons they will pick the endless cartoons. So that by the time it is an adult choosing between a captivating James Patterson book and a Jack Baur movie they will chose the movie.

There are a few reasons people will go for the movies and series over books, one being we are lazy. Yes, I am calling you out. Television does three quarters of the work for us in telling a story by showing us the picture and sound, while reading forces us to use our imagination. It forces you to actually create a profile of the character in your head, almost like you are mentally envisioning the story play out in your brain which is obviously more taxing.

Books help you use your imagination. Image from http://www.gagbay.com/gag/books_vs_movies-383994/
Books help you use your imagination. Image from http://www.gagbay.com/gag/books_vs_movies-383994/

Following that reason is that a movie is basically the shortcut of a book. I once got into an argument with my friend who doesn’t read and he said, “What’s the point of reading it when you can watch it and be done in like an hour and a half?”

He made a valid point though I disagreed with his viewpoint and still so to some extent. Recently there have been more and more movies made based on books than there have been in the past such as The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games, The Giver, Divergent, Fault in our Stars, and many more. In my opinion most of the best movies ever made were based on books including The Lord of the Rings, The Hobbit, Chronicles of Narnia, and Harry Potter for those who are diehard fans of it.

Yet when you talk to someone who has read the book and watched the movie, of any of these blockbuster films, they always say the books were better. That is a fact of life, no matter how good the movie is the book is almost always better. That is why they turn them into movies, because books are better, and I for one, have never heard of a movie being turned into a book; please comment below if you have heard of any.

Books have a way of transporting you into that time and place, of letting you be as much of the writer, creator, and director as your brain’s creativity would allow. Literature is more than just words; it is expression, love, laughter, anger, the essence of the human spirit and who we were created to be captured into the corners of your mind. Books tell the very intricate details of the story which can only be glazed over in a movie. I believe that is what unlocks your mind to observation, details, and a world of possibilities.

I for one do not think literature is a dying art; it has been the only way mankind has known to express themselves and leave a legacy for generations to come throughout history. I do however, believe that people are losing the value that should be placed upon it and degrading the standard at which it should be at.

My suggestion to the literature lovers out there is to incorporate literature into the day to day conversations. The same way you ask a friend if they have watched this and this movie, ask if they have read any book by a certain author. Look for a common place of interest in the genre of book to be bought. Buy books as birthday gifts, Christmas gifts, and holidays in general because they are treasures worth more than can be described. Teach the next generation to read; read bed-time stories to your kids, give them reading assignments, and find out what kind of stories interest them so that they enjoy the process. Do book reviews, join a book club or even start one, challenge yourself to read one African author a moth or something of the sort.

Literature will live on past us, I would rather try to capture its life in the time that I have.

Share35Tweet22SendShare6Pin8
Previous Post

Man Around Nairobi: James Murua

Next Post

I am taking you back. 10 #TBT tracks for today

Shingai N. Kagunda

Shingai N. Kagunda

Shingai is an upcoming writer with a passion for words and expression through writing. She lived in Zimbabwe as a child and has traveled to over ten countries. She craves adventure and hopes to be an inspirational writer. She is currently pursuing a degree in English Literature with a minor in Psychology at Daystar University.

Next Post
Kidum. Image from http://indundi.com/news/page/90720/diasporamusic-kidum-yarahiye-kuvuga-abagore-afise-uko-bangana/

I am taking you back. 10 #TBT tracks for today

Please login to join discussion

Recommended

Money. Photographer: Trevor Snapp/Bloomberg

Is Your Man Stingy?

May 19, 2016
1.3k
Couple watching TV. Image from https://creativemarket.com/Milkos/4507128-Happy-black-couple-watching-tv-rela

Relationships: 8 Simple Date Ideas For Busy Parents

August 28, 2020
146

Popular Stories

  • Black man admiring his date. Image from https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/06/12/188643185/for-black-singles-a-big-gender-split-on-views-of-long-term-relationships

    The Singlehood Series: The Date Who Couldn’t Keep His Eyes Off Other Women

    19 shares
    Share 8 Tweet 5
  • A Public Proposal Exposed The Cracks In Their Relationship

    14 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • The Singlehood Series: Breaking Up With My Rich Boyfriend Humbled Me

    40 shares
    Share 16 Tweet 10
  • The Singlehood Series: He Took Me To A Kibanda On Our First Date As A Test

    12 shares
    Share 5 Tweet 3
  • The Singlehood Series: The Beautiful Date With Bad Table Manners

    10 shares
    Share 4 Tweet 3

Potentash Blog

Potentash

Potentash is an award-winning lifestyle blog. We publish lifestyle content that intersects with health, women, beauty, travel, business, relationships, finances and entertainment.

Explore

  • The Singlehood Series
  • From Stairs To Ramps
  • Man Around Nairobi
  • Pearls And Heels
  • Personal Finance
  • Food + Beverage
  • Editor’s Pick
  • Reviews

Get the Potentash Newsletter

  • Newsletter Archive
  • Subscribe
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us

Copyright © 2023. Potentash, In Partnership with Decima

  • Login
No Result
View All Result
  • Relationships
    • The Singlehood Series
    • Dating
    • Sex
    • Parenting
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Food + Beverage
    • Fashion
    • Interviews
  • Fiction
    • Poetry
  • Skin + Beauty
    • Skin
      • Skincare
    • Hair
      • Haircare
  • Wellness
    • Physical Health
    • Emotional Wellness
    • Mental Wellness
    • Social Wellness
    • Spiritual Wellness
  • Business
    • Business Finance
    • Personal Finance
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Investments
    • Personal Investments
  • Entertainment
    • Internet
    • Events
    • Music
    • Books

Copyright © 2023. Potentash, In Partnership with Decima

Welcome Back!

Sign In with Linked In
OR

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In