A written comparison of "The Well"'s adaptation into film. By Sean KennedyThe main comparison to be drawn between the film and the book version of “The Well” is the fact that the book is able to be more free form than the film, which is much more concrete in content. This is because the novel is basically a character driven piece relying on deep character development throughout the novel with the two characters shifting in relation to each other. The film on the other hand as it is constrained by the possible length of a film (usually around 2 hours) stands with the characters already developed and unable to shift positions much at all. The changes in character development become apparent when you examine the different interpretations of Katherine and Hester. In the book Kathy is very responsive toward Hester and really feels quite enamoured of Hester and treats her as if she is a close friend. As the book progresses and Katherine ages she becomes more independent this is shown by her wanting to learn to drive and her manner towards the arrival of Joanna. The catalyst for the change is the death of the person on the road, as Katherine it seems slips into madness and then finally she snaps at Hester releasing years of pent up rage towards her. The film, on the other hand, has Katherine from the beginning being much more separated and distant towards Hester. You sense an undercurrent that Katherine is only using Hester for her own ends and you only receive a very vague feeling that Katherine cares for Hester at all.The film approaches the story in a very different way from the book. This can be partially explained by the fact that it is a film and no matter how focused a screenwriter or director is there must be parts of a novel that must be jettisoned if the film is going to be at all successful. Many of the character building scenes in the book where you find yourself re-evaluating the relationships between the character...
