“The Call of the Wild,” “The Pearl,” and “Little Women”: Novels and Films

Exploring Early American Literature: Novels and Film Adaptations

When I hear “Early American Literature”, I think of Jack London’s The Call of the Wild, John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, and Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. More importantly, I think of their adaptations to film. When I was younger, I enjoyed reading books and seeing how the characters were portrayed in the movies, allowing me to compare the differences and similarities. In this essay, I will write about some of the differences and similarities I have seen between these novels and films.

Discovering "The Call of the Wild"

I first read Jack London’s The Call of the Wild as a high school student. It wasn’t an assigned reading, but my grandmother liked the book and insisted that I indulge myself in it, so I did exactly that. The movie and the book are both similar in that Buck (a dog) lives at Judge Miller's estate at the start of the story, and he is then dognapped by the same character, Manuel, who is the gardener. Buck is then sold and repeatedly beaten until he is finally purchased by a sled team. We also see similarities in what Buck learns on the sled team and his rivalry with the lead dog. Some of the differences are that in the movie, Buck wasn’t sold to Francois and Perrault; in the book, he was never a part of their sled team and didn’t steal food from Francois. And in the movie, he didn’t give any insight into the names of the other dogs. I found this book to be interesting but also very sad. I am surprised my grandmother liked it, but I am also glad she pushed me out of my comfort zone to read it as well.

Comparing "The Pearl" in Print and on Screen

When I read John Steinbeck’s The Pearl, it was in middle school for a book report. I found this book very likable. It is short and has a fabulous moral to the story. Some of the differences between the movie and the book start at the beginning, though. Kino, the main character in the movie, is starving, while in the book, he is eating corn cakes and drinking pulque. Their life in society and behaviors are different as well. In the movie, he has a nice house, yet in the book, he is well aware that he is poor. Also, in the book, he exhibits less sophisticated behavior, such as howling when he finds the pearl, in contrast with the movie, where he just laughs. I don’t know if I am being a bit picky or not, but I found that there were few similarities other than the plot between the movie and the book. I much prefer the book to the movie because of all the changes and the effect they have on the overall tone of the book.

Exploring "Little Women" through Literature and Cinema

The last story I will talk about is Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women. I read this in high school after watching the movie. I liked the movie and decided to read the book. The comparison I will be using is to the newest movie. Let us start with the differences. In the newest film, the events of the book are out of order. The novel starts with the girls in their teens, while the movie starts with Jo who would be 25 years old. In the movie, they continue to jump back and forth in time, showing the lives of the four sisters instead of a continuous story of how they are living their lives and growing. There are also similarities, such as the good deeds they do for their friends, the Hummels, and their good nature. They both also portray the girl’s growth emotionally, physically, and intellectually.

Exploring the Interplay of Literature and Film

While these three books are great reads, their movies may not always live up to the reader's expectations. Nevertheless, when “American Literature” comes to mind, I can’t help but think of both the film and the book. I believe that in comparing them, you are dissecting the narrative and truly getting a better understanding of the novel. I know that in the movies, the producers may put a theatrical spin on things, but I also like to see what their take on the book is as well. Sometimes, they may illuminate something you didn’t see originally.  

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