Movies and games are a form of literature

Other View vs Mainstream View

There is a non-mainstream point of view that "Movies and games are a form of literature". Let's take a look into pros and cons of this statement:

1. Pros: Movies and games are powerful storytelling mediums that can explore complex themes, develop memorable characters, and evoke deep emotions, just like great works of literature.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Movies and games rely heavily on visual and interactive elements, which can detract from the depth and nuance found in written literature.

2. Pros: Many acclaimed movies and games are directly adapted from literary works, demonstrating their strong connection to literature and ability to bring stories to life in new ways.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Adaptations often simplify or alter the original story to fit the new medium, potentially losing some of the literary qualities that made the original work great.

3. Pros: Movies and games can be analyzed and critiqued using the same literary lenses and techniques as books, such as examining narrative structure, characterization, themes, and symbolism.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): The addition of visual and auditory elements in movies and games fundamentally changes how they are experienced and interpreted compared to pure text, making literary analysis more challenging.

4. Pros: Some movies and games have scripts or storylines that are so well-written and compelling that they could stand alone as literary works, even without the visual and interactive components.
   – Cons (Mainstream View): Most movies and games are designed to be experienced primarily through non-textual means, making them fundamentally different from traditional literature, which relies solely on the power of the written word.

Terms

• Literature: Written works that tell stories or express ideas, especially those considered to have artistic value.

• Narrative: The story or plot of a movie, game, or book.

• Adaptation: A movie or game based on a book or other written work.

• Script: The written words of a movie or play, including dialogue and actions.

Analogy

Saying movies and games are literature is like saying a sculpture is a painting. They are different forms of art that share some similar ideas and can make you feel emotions, but they use very different methods and materials to do so."The Godfather" movie tells a powerful story with interesting characters and ideas, but it uses a lot of visual images and acting to do this, making it a different experience from reading the original book.

History

1. 1920s: Early movies start to use stories and ideas from books.

2. 1970s: Video games are invented, focusing more on fun than stories at first.

3. 1990s: Games start to have more complex stories and characters, becoming more like movies.

4. 2000s: More people start to see movies and games as a form of art and literature.

5. 2010s-present: Games have even more detailed and interactive stories, while movies keep pushing boundaries with complex plots and ideas.

How to use it

1. When talking about your favorite movie or game with friends, think about it like you would a book. Look at the story, characters, themes, and symbols to understand it better.

2. If you want to be a writer, study how movies and games tell stories using pictures and interaction. Think about how you can use these ideas in your own writing to make your stories more interesting and engaging.

3. In a literature class, suggest looking at a movie or game as a form of literature. Prepare a presentation that analyzes its literary qualities and talk about how it compares to traditional books.

Facts

• The video game "Minecraft" has sold over 238 million copies worldwide as of 2021.

• The movie "Avengers: Endgame" made nearly $2.8 billion, making it one of the most successful films ever.

• Americans spend an average of 2.8 hours per day watching TV and 1.8 hours playing video games.

• The first video game with a full story was "Adventure" in 1976.

• The longest movie ever made is "The Cure for Insomnia" (1987), which is 87 hours long.