Why the Book is Better

There has been, and always will be, a debate over whether or not a book is better than a movie. While both are entertaining, there is only one right answer. Books offer more captivating experiences for their audiences than their cinematic adaptations.​​ They provide more depth in storytelling, paving the way toward imagination, by giving a more personal experience to its recipient. Books give freedom in many ways that books cannot, such as stronger emotional connections, limited external influences, and no time restraints. Here’s why the book is better: 

1. More depth 

Books allow for authors to create complex and intricate worlds. This freedom allows readers to perceive this information in a personal light, one that allows them to explore the plot as a privilege that movies are very limited to. Books create an immersive environment for the audience to navigate characters, settings, and even themes in a way that a movie could not compare. 

2. More imagination 

Imagination is heightened with the hand of a book. The author provides a world in his text that the reader interprets in their own way. Movies merely display the imagination of its directors, which is something that can be known to disappoint when encountering a film adaptation of a lively novel. 

3. Stronger emotional connections 

Books invite readers inside the minds of its characters. An audience can explore a book at their own pace, sometimes taking days or weeks to consume its contents. This builds a connection that movies cannot possess, since a movie shows you an outward perspective of someone’s life in merely two hours. 

4. Limited external influences 

When reading a book, the audience can set their reality however they choose. Enjoying a book can look like reading in the dark with a lamp, or even while eating breakfast. Watching a movie brings about external influences such as soundtracks and special effects that can distract from the film itself. 

5. No Time Restraints 

A movie adaptation of a book is often forced into a two to three hour timeframe. Books allow the freedom of time to give their readers an opportunity to absorb important details, such as characters, settings, and themes, at their own pace. A movie cannot accomplish this in a limited time restraint. 

Conclusion: 

While the movie can be a consideration for audiences, the book is always better. Movies provide instant gratification and visual spectacles at a lower rate than that of a book that bears deeper and more personal experiences to its readers. Books provide freedom, a time to connect with its intricacies, and the opportunity to explore complex themes in richer detail, giving them the upperhand in every decision. 

-Riley Tanner