The following seminar paper aims to analyse both works, the movie and the book "The Harder They Come" by asking the question which paratextual elements are used to present the plot. Obviously, a movie can make use of different strategies and methods to create a masterpiece, like a setting and the soundtrack. However, a book has also specific paratextual elements that can support the pure text, like a glossary. The following paper will try to compare both ways.
In order to get an answer at the end of this paper, the first chapter will provide an overview of Genette’s theory of paratexts. The second chapter briefly summarizes the plot of the story of both works. In the third chapter, the movie and the book shall be analysed regarding the use of paratextual elements to create unity. Due to the limited scope of the seminar paper, only certain selected elements will be analysed.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theoretical Background
2.1. Genette’s Paratext
2.2. Paratextual Elements in Movies
3. Plot summary
4. Analysis of the Use of paratextual Elements
4.1. The Harder They Come – Perry Henzell
4.2. The Harder They Come – Michael Thelwell
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This academic paper examines the role and function of paratextual elements in both Perry Henzell’s 1972 film and Michael Thelwell’s 1980 novel, "The Harder They Come." The primary research aim is to investigate how different media utilize paratexts to present their plots, provide context, and achieve thematic unity, while specifically exploring the transition from a cinematic work to a novelized narrative.
- Application of Gérard Genette’s paratext theory to both literary and audio-visual media.
- Comparative analysis of narrative strategies in film (setting, soundtrack, language) versus literature (prefaces, epigraphs, glossaries).
- The significance of cultural and political context in the representation of Jamaican society.
- The interplay between the author’s intent and the audience’s reception through paratextual guidance.
Excerpt from the Book
4.2. The Harder They Come – Michael Thelwell
After analysing the use of paratextual elements in the movie The Harder They Come, the following chapter will deal with the identically named novel and its paratexts.
The Jamaican novel The Harder They Come written by the author Michael Thelwell was first published in 1980. Thellwel is not only as a novelist a person of importance in contemporary Caribbean and African American culture, but also as a professor (University of Massachusetts in Amherst) and civil rights activist (Booker and Juraga 2001: 76).
The story of the novel is based on the identically named movie. In contrast to the film which is set in the 1960ies, the novel is set in the 1940ies which shows the author’s aim to relate to the real story and characters more than just to the movie, as the novel predates the movie by approximately 10-20 years (Cooper 1995: 103). Moreover, Thelwell sets the chronical order differently than the movie (Booker and Juraga 2001: 76f.). Furthermore, the plot of the book starts much earlier with Ivan being a small child, living with his grandmother in a Jamaican village. This part of Ivan’s live captures about one quarter of the book and functions like a background story, providing a “[…] psycho-sociological account of the making of a Rhygin […]” (Cooper 1995: 102f.).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Outlines the significance of "The Harder They Come" and defines the comparative research focus regarding the use of paratexts in film and literature.
2. Theoretical Background: Introduces Gérard Genette’s literary theory of paratexts and discusses how these concepts are adapted for audio-visual media.
3. Plot summary: Provides a brief overview of the narrative, focusing on the protagonist Ivan’s journey through Jamaican society.
4. Analysis of the Use of paratextual Elements: Examines specific paratextual devices in the film and the novel, such as setting, language, epigraphs, and glossaries.
5. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings and confirms the essential role of paratexts in creating unity within both literary and cinematic masterpieces.
Keywords
Paratext, Genette, The Harder They Come, Perry Henzell, Michael Thelwell, Jamaican Culture, Film Analysis, Literature, Peritext, Epitext, Narrative Unity, Postcolonial Studies, Reggae, Soundtrack, Cultural Authenticity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper explores the use of paratextual elements in the film and the novel "The Harder They Come," comparing how these works utilize surrounding information to frame their narratives.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The core themes include the representation of Jamaican society, the relationship between film and literature, cultural authenticity, and the structural influence of paratexts on reader/viewer perception.
What is the main research objective?
The goal is to determine which specific paratextual elements are employed to present the plot and how these elements differ between the cinematic and the literary medium.
Which theoretical framework is applied?
The work is based on the literary theory of Gérard Genette, specifically his classification of paratexts into peritext and epitext.
What is covered in the main body of the paper?
The main body consists of a theoretical introduction to paratexts, a plot summary, and a detailed comparative analysis of the film and novel.
Which key terms characterize the research?
Key terms include paratext, peritext, epitext, cultural authenticity, and narrative unity.
How does the film use paratexts differently than the book?
The film relies on non-verbal paratexts like soundtrack, setting, and acting, whereas the book utilizes written elements such as prefaces, chapter titles, epigraphs, and a glossary.
Why did Michael Thelwell include a glossary in his novel?
The glossary was included to explain vernacular terms and Jamaican idioms, ensuring that the work remains authentic to the local culture while remaining accessible to international readers.
- Citation du texte
- Anonym (Auteur), 2020, The Use of Paratexts in Henzell’s Movie and Thelwell’s Novel "The Harder They Come", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/1032873
