Paper 1

For this paper, I have decided to analyze how chapter 12s context from Harry Potter and the Philosophers stone changes to the same scene in the movie adaptation. Like most remixes from literature to film, a lot of details are lost and/or added. In Chapter 12 of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone, however, a deeper meaning and understanding is lost as well, or at least that meaning has faded in the transformation of words to picture. At the same time, another meaning has been added to it from that of the writing. One particular example of this faded or even emitted meaning is the danger that the Mirror of Erised can actually cause. In the movie, we are only told about this danger through Dumbledores words. For example, Dumbledore says Men have wasted away standing before the Mirror. Whilst this is also said in the book, the movie does not give us a specific example of this danger taking place, whereas the book does. It occurs the morning after Harrys first visit to the mirror, and he is eating breakfast with his friend, Ron. Harry is so absorbed in the image of his deepest desire that he realizes that he has almost forgotten about flamel (only after Ron brings it up). He then, however, questions the importance of it. In the book, Harrys train of thought leads him to question the very importance of what has been so important to the trio throughout their year. He thinks: Who cared what the three headed dog was guarding? What did it matter if Snape stole it, really? This shows a difference in the movie and the book, and the limitations a movie has in showing someones thoughts. In film, the audience can only see what someone is thinking through dialogue between characters, unless there is a monologue outside the scene or something, which rarely happens. In books, however, internal thought processes are almost required, and the audience can most often see what a person is thinking through text. Another example of where a meaning has been emitted or changed is the fact that in the movie, Harry only sees his mother and father, whereas in the book, he sees a whole family. In the movie this can be construed as Harry mourning the death of his parents, and the fact that he has never had them. Whereas in the book, it is more powerful in the fact that all Harry wants is a proper family, much like the one Ron has. This represents a limitation that can arise in movies, because it would have been more troublesome to hire fifteen people for that one scene, and to keep it consistent in their likeness to one another. In a book, however, it is up to the authors imagination and discretion to create whatever he/she wants. An example of where meaning has been added to the scene is when Harry first visits the mirror. Whilst the mirror can be seen as mysterious in the book, in the movie, the mysteriousness of the mirror is exemplified. Just like movies cant show the thoughts of characters, books cant add meaning through the use of music. This is done amazingly well in the movie, as when Harry first visits the Mirror. The audience knows that this mirror is mysterious instantly, because when the first shot of the mirror is shown, a magical tune is played instantaneously. In the books, the

author can only describe the mirror through detail, and the audience only understands the mystery of the mirror through the characters exploration and interactions with the mirror. This shows a limitation that stories and writing has to the audience.