A major reason I choose if I stay is because it was also a movie and movies can be used to encourage students in the classroom. When students are analyzing the differences and similarities between the book and the movie they are using critical thinking. I used that critical thinking to determine the reason why their were so many differences and similarities between the book and the movie. One reason is the movie forced some parts of the book to be left out and, the second reason is when they were making the movie they were targeting teens who have and have not read the book. The differences are the reason I prefer the book rather than the movie.
The movie was about an hour and forty six minutes meaning they couldn't include every scene that was in the book, only the important one's. Most books that are turned into movies usually cut scenes from the book, and the Movie staff knows what scenes to cut out and what scenes not to, this was not the case in If I stay. In If I stay the director, producers and, writers cut out major scenes that help shape Mia into the character she is when she ends up in that car accident. In the book they had a scene where Mia went to a Musical camp over the summer to learn how to better play her cello, at this camp Mia becomes good friend with a fellow band mate and works hard to receive a chance to perform with a professional symphony at an actual concert. This scene was vital to story because it showed how determined Mia was about becoming a great cello player. Another scene that was in the book but not in the movie is the scene where Mia cuts Teddy's umbilical cord and her mom tells Mia that she is like teddy's second mom because of that scene. That scene was important it shows how important Teddy was to Mia, that close relationship between brother and sister affects her decision to stay alive or die. There were other scenes in the book that were not in the movie but I didn't think those scenes hugely affected Mia's personality or her decision to stay alive or die.
The book if I stay was published in 2009 and the movie was released in 2014, that is a 5 year difference. That may not seem like much but some major technological advances were made between the gap like smartphones and wireless head phones. In the book Mia and her family fight over which Discman to put in the Discman player but in the movie they fought over which song to play on the IPod. This shows that because the movie and book were made at different times it created more differences between the book and the movie. They also made these changes so they could attract people who have not read the book. This would make the movie more profitable so people who read the book wouldn't be the only one's watching the movie.
Even though the movie and book had differences that made me prefer the book over the movie doesn't mean the movie wasn't good, in fact the movie won 2 teen choice awards. I think I would like prefer the movie if they made more time in the movie to include key scenes that help shape Mia and the story and didn't change details because of the difference in time between the book and the movie.
The movie was about an hour and forty six minutes meaning they couldn't include every scene that was in the book, only the important one's. Most books that are turned into movies usually cut scenes from the book, and the Movie staff knows what scenes to cut out and what scenes not to, this was not the case in If I stay. In If I stay the director, producers and, writers cut out major scenes that help shape Mia into the character she is when she ends up in that car accident. In the book they had a scene where Mia went to a Musical camp over the summer to learn how to better play her cello, at this camp Mia becomes good friend with a fellow band mate and works hard to receive a chance to perform with a professional symphony at an actual concert. This scene was vital to story because it showed how determined Mia was about becoming a great cello player. Another scene that was in the book but not in the movie is the scene where Mia cuts Teddy's umbilical cord and her mom tells Mia that she is like teddy's second mom because of that scene. That scene was important it shows how important Teddy was to Mia, that close relationship between brother and sister affects her decision to stay alive or die. There were other scenes in the book that were not in the movie but I didn't think those scenes hugely affected Mia's personality or her decision to stay alive or die.
The book if I stay was published in 2009 and the movie was released in 2014, that is a 5 year difference. That may not seem like much but some major technological advances were made between the gap like smartphones and wireless head phones. In the book Mia and her family fight over which Discman to put in the Discman player but in the movie they fought over which song to play on the IPod. This shows that because the movie and book were made at different times it created more differences between the book and the movie. They also made these changes so they could attract people who have not read the book. This would make the movie more profitable so people who read the book wouldn't be the only one's watching the movie.
Even though the movie and book had differences that made me prefer the book over the movie doesn't mean the movie wasn't good, in fact the movie won 2 teen choice awards. I think I would like prefer the movie if they made more time in the movie to include key scenes that help shape Mia and the story and didn't change details because of the difference in time between the book and the movie.
Characters
Denny Hall (Mia's Dad)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/433612270347177734/
Mia's dad dressed in the movie like he was described in the book. I even like how they showed a scene in the movie to his old band days where it showed how he used to dress and act before he had kids. In the book he showed he loved mia by being a supportive parent and giving her encouragement like that time in the book she got scared before her recital so he gave her courage. In the movie he showed his love for Mia by buying her a cello with the money he got from selling his drum kit.
Kim Schien (Mia's best friend)
https://www.emaze.com/@AFORLLWZ/Presentation-Name
The book described Kim as a girl with a messy French braid and ugly sweaters but as you can see in the picture from the movie above she does not meet those descriptions. The movie focused on Kim and Mia's relationship as casual unlike in the book where they include scenes of how they became best friends, better explaining there relationship.
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Kat Hall (Mia's Mom)
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/246431410835469304/
Mia's mom was not that a big role in the book or movie but the scenes she did have made an impact in her love life with Adam. In the movie and book it included a scene where Mia's mom is talking to Mia about the fight she had with Adam after new years in the kitchen while washing dishes. There was another scene in the book and movie when Mia asks for help with a Halloween costume and her mom helps here look like a rock star groupie.
Adam Wilde (Mia's Boyfriend)
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/if-i-stay/images/37617716/title/adam-photo
Adam in the book is very similar compared to Adam in the movie. There were minor differences like the name of Adam's band was changed for the movie due to legal reasons. Adam wasn't as sensitive in the movie as he was in the book. In the movie the made it more about Adam and Mia's love story, making Adam a more pertinent role to the story.
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Mia Hall
https://www.mixbook.com/photo-books/all/if-i-stay-11096774?vk=2XNgn5GjAC
There are really no differences between Mia in the book and Mia in the movie. The book and movie equally represent her love for the cello and they both show how much she loves her family and Adam. In the book when mia was in ghost form she started to get weaker as the story progressed but in the movie she never got weaker while she was in ghost form.
Teddy Hall (Mia's brother)
https://perksbewithyou.wordpress.com/2014/09/02/bucket-of-tears-and-lessons-with-if-i-stay/
Teddy was not a key part in the movie but he was a key part in the book. The book included scenes like Mia cutting Teddy's umbilical cord and Mia putting teddy to sleep at night. These scenes made Mia and Teddy closer and when Teddy dies it affects Mia's decision to stay or leave.
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Scenes that didn't make it
- scenes from the musical camp Mia went to over the summer for 4 years
- scene where Adam’s friend Brooke Vega performs in the hospital lobby to distract the hospital staff
- scene where Kim prays in the hospital
- scene where Teddy ask for input on his Halloween costume
- scene where Mia and Kim become best friends
- scene where teddy is born
- scene where Mia and the rest of her family go to a friends funeral
- scene where it showed her first ever recital
- scene where Mia sees the person that caused the crash