Readit1st “The Help”
Hey Everyone,
Not a travel blog, but a worthy thought nonetheless-
You know the movie that came out recently, The Help, about a bold young reporter who realized it was time to change the way the help was being treated in Jackson Mississippi in the ’60s. Well, I really wanted to watch it and was planning to go with a friend. But then I was here at the house and suddenly saw the book. I wouldn’t have looked at it twice among the abundant and varied pile of books, but having been interested in the movie, I picked it up and gave it a chance. I was immediately entranced. The writing is so genuine, written from the perspectives of the different characters and I couldn’t put it down. After about ten pages, I decided that I would not watch the movie until I finished this book. It turned out to be a great idea. First of all, it really pushed me to read as fast as I could with the incentive of seeing the movie after. (Not that I really needed it though, since the book was so engrossing!)
And secondly, because the movie was so much more enjoyable after. I felt like the relationship between Skeeter and Stuart was a lot more complex and involved in the book than the simple construction portrayed in the movie. This led me to realize that the pages and pages of dialogue and thought that I read gave me a fuller picture of the story and the back-story and the interweaving plot lines. Despite the simplicity in the movie, it was still really wonderful to watch since I knew everything and was not busy constructing the story, but was then able to really focus on production, costumes, cinematography- other elements of the movie that make it uniquely a movie experience- without being bogged down with ‘catching’ the story. Basically, by reading the book first, I got a layered experience rather than a one-dimensional one of simply following the plot in the movie.
The wonderful Hank Green (DFTBA!!!) has started a new initiative called readit1st, which advocated reading books of movies before watching them. I wholeheartedly support this initiative and think you should consider pledging as well.
Many of you know that I am a nerdfighter, but I will be the first to shamefully admit that I have never read/seen the Lord of the Rings series. The book, ‘The Hobbit’ is sitting on my desk waiting to be read- and I’m making a decision now- in my blog for all to witness/read 🙂 -I will read the hobbit and the next two Lord of the rings books before watching the movies! My disclaimer is I am not putting a time limit on myself, but do have a week break next week, so you might be hearing a lot of ‘noooooo froddo’s from me soon.
All the best,
Lil
http://www.youtube.com/user/AnHourInAMinuteLG?feature=mhum
