Midterm Essay Revised​​

Revision

Translating a Masterpiece

The task of bringing to life great literary works is not a simple one.  And yet, the 1992 adaptation of the novella Of Mice and Men is a strong rendering of Steinbeck's literary style as visuals. As said by Megan Rosenfeld from The Washington Post, "all of the collaborators seem guided by the intention to let Steinbeck's brilliance shine through, unaugmented by false modern analysis or technical gimmickry.".

Firstly, the film wonderfully transforms the vivid descriptions of rural California into a stylized color palette.  In the book, vivid descriptions of nature are peppered into the story to add a sense of realism: " A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool.” (Steinbeck).  When it came to turning these eden-like places into a reality, the film accomplished it effortlessly.  The color palette of the movie is a combination of drab colors, oversaturated pastels and natural colors; the sky is ­"technicolor blue”, the grass is emerald green and the dirt is almost bubblegum pink.  The bright colors are used for nature, to mirror the book, and the drab ones are used for the ranch (the men's clothes, the buildings, etc.).  Likewise, this stark contrast is present in the book; the ranch is never described with any kind of color and neither are the men.  The detailed descriptions that feature colors are reserved for nature.  This represents how nature is viewed by the protagonists, versus how they view the ranch.  They have no interest in mundane people, things or tasks, as they are simply an obstacle to getting their farm and "living off the fatta the lan'”.  This view of nature and the ranch is then shared by the viewers, thanks to the color palette. The scenery in this film is as brilliant as in the novella: "The new film adaptation [...] remains faithful in almost every way to the stark Steinbeck tale. Yet this "Of Mice and Men" [...] emphasizes something in the original work that never before seemed of foremost importance: "Of Mice and Men" is a mournful, distantly heard lament for the loss of American innocence.  [...] it is the dominant mood of the film, which is gorgeous in the idealized way of beauty remembered. The wheat fields are golden, the skies blinding blue. There is a stylized perfection [...]" (Canby).  In other words, the oversaturated colors of the film magnify the ambience and tone of the book.

Secondly, the death of Lenny is a stylistically pivotal scene in the novel and it is incredibly done in the film.  "In every bit of honest writing in the world there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other.", this quote by Steinbeck shows his intention with his work, and therefore, this scene.  It is to make people understand each other.  When Lenny is shot by George, Steinbeck doesn't tell you how to feel, as a result he lets you decide for yourself.  This is mirrored in the film as the scene features no music.  It's a simple, yet brilliant touch by Sinise (the director); by not putting music in this scene, he lets the viewers form their own opinion.  Instead of taking the easy route and playing a sad song, Sinise makes us confront our emotions and, like Steinbeck, forces us to think about what just happened.  

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men was wonderfully adapted into a film that stays true to the author's vision and it is an accurate adaptation of the literary style.  As said by Clark Douglas, a film critic: "Like Steinbeck's novella, the film is spare, tender, honest and human.".

Editing

Translating a Masterpiece

The task of bringing to life great literary works is not a simple one.  And yet, the 1992 adaptation of the novella Of Mice and Men is a strong rendering of Steinbeck's literary style as visuals. As said by Megan Rosenfeld from The Washington Post, "all of the collaborators seem guided by the intention to let Steinbeck's brilliance shine through, unaugmented by false modern analysis or technical gimmickry.".

First of all [first sentence opening], the film wonderfully transforms the vivid descriptions of rural California into a stylized color palette.  In the book  [second sentence opening], vivid descriptions of nature are peppered into the story to add a sense of realism: " [third sentence opening] A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool.” (Steinbeck).  When  [fourth sentence opening] it came to turning these eden-like places into a reality, the film accomplished it effortlessly.  The color palette of the movie is a combination of drab colors, oversaturated pastels and natural colors; the sky is ­"technicolor blue”, the grass is emerald green and the dirt is almost bubblegum pink.  The [fifth sentence opening] bright colors are used for nature, which mirror the book, and the drab ones are used for the ranch (the men's clothes, the buildings, etc.).  Likewise, this stark contrast is present in the book; the ranch is never described with any kind of color and neither are the men.  The detailed descriptions that feature colors, like the one shown earlier, are reserved for nature.  This represents how nature is viewed by the protagonists, versus how they view the ranch.  They have no interest in mundane people, things or tasks, for they are simply an obstacle to getting their farm and "living off the fatta the lan'”.  This view of nature and the ranch is then shared by the viewers because to the color palette. The scenery in this film is as brilliant as in the novella: "The new film adaptation [...] remains faithful in almost every way to the stark Steinbeck tale. Yet this "Of Mice and Men" [...] emphasizes something in the original work that never before seemed of foremost importance: "Of Mice and Men" is a mournful, distantly heard lament for the loss of American innocence.  [...] it is the dominant mood of the film, which is gorgeous in the idealized way of beauty remembered. The wheat fields are golden, the skies blinding blue. There is a stylized perfection [...]" (Canby).  In other words, the oversaturated colors of the film magnify the ambience and tone of the book.

Secondly, the death of Lenny is a stylistically pivotal scene in the novel and it is incredibly done in the film.  "In every bit of honest writing in the world there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other.", this quote by Steinbeck shows his intention with his work, and therefore, this scene.  It is to make people understand each other.  When Lenny is shot by George, Steinbeck doesn't tell you how to feel, nor does the narrator say how he feels, as a result he lets you decide for yourself.  This is mirrored in the film as the scene features no music.  It's a simple, yet brilliant touch by Sinise (the director); by not putting music in this scene, he lets the viewers form their own opinion.  Instead of taking the easy route and playing a sad song, Sinise makes us confront our emotions and, like Steinbeck, forces us to think about what just happened.  

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men was wonderfully adapted into a film that stays true to the author's vision and it is an accurate adaptation of the literary style.  As said by Clark Douglas, a film critic: "Like Steinbeck's novella, the film is spare, tender, honest and human.".


Proofreading

Translating a Masterpiece

The task of bringing to life great literary works is not a simple one.  And yet, the 1992 adaptation of the novella Of Mice and Men is a strong rendering of Steinbeck's literary style as visuals. As said by Megan Rosenfeld from The Washington Post, "all of the collaborators seem guided by the intention to let Steinbeck's brilliance shine through, unaugmented by false modern analysis or technical gimmickry.".

First of all [first sentence opening], the film wonderfully transforms the vivid descriptions of rural California into a stylized color palette.  In the book  [second sentence opening], vivid descriptions of nature are peppered into the story to add a sense of realism: " [third sentence opening] A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool.” (Steinbeck).  When  [fourth sentence opening] it came to turning these eden-like places into a reality, the film accomplished it effortlessly.  The color palette of the movie is a combination of drab colors, oversaturated pastels and natural colors; the sky is ­"technicolor blue”, the grass is emerald green and the dirt is almost bubblegum pink.  The [fifth sentence opening] bright colors are used for nature, which mirror the book, and the drab ones are used for the ranch (the men's clothes, the buildings).  Likewise, this stark contrast is present in the book; the ranch is never described with any kind of color and neither were the men.  The detailed descriptions that feature colors, like the one shown earlier, are reserved for nature.  This represents how nature is viewed by the protagonists, versus how they view the ranch.  They have no interest in mundane people, things or tasks, for they are simply an obstacle to getting their farm and "living off the fatta the lan'”.  This view of nature and the ranch is then shared by the viewers because to the color palette. The scenery in this film is as brilliant as in the novella: "The new film adaptation [...] remains faithful in almost every way to the stark Steinbeck tale. Yet this "Of Mice and Men" [...] emphasizes something in the original work that never before seemed of foremost importance: "Of Mice and Men" is a mournful, distantly heard lament for the loss of American innocence.  [...] it is the dominant mood of the film, which is gorgeous in the idealized way of beauty remembered. The wheat fields are golden, the skies blinding blue. There is a stylized perfection [...]" (Canby).  In other words, the oversaturated colors of the film magnify the ambience and tone of the book.

Secondly, Lenny's death is a stylistically pivotal scene in the novel and it is incredibly done in the film.  "In every bit of honest writing in the world there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other.".  This quote by Steinbeck shows his intention with his work, and therefore, this scene.  It is to make people understand each other.  When Lenny is shot by George, Steinbeck doesn't tell you how to feel, nor does the narrator say how he feels, as a result he lets you decide for yourself.  This is mirrored in the film as the scene features no music.  It's a simple, yet brilliant touch by Sinise (the director); by not putting music in this scene, he lets the viewers form their own opinion.  Instead of taking the easy route and playing a sad song, Sinise makes us confront our emotions and, like Steinbeck, forces us to think about what just happened.  

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men was wonderfully adapted into a film that stays true to the author's vision and it is an accurate adaptation of the literary style.  As said by Clark Douglas, a film critic: "Like Steinbeck's novella, the film is spare, tender, honest and human.".


Proper sources

Translating a Masterpiece

The task of bringing to life great literary works is not a simple one.  And yet, the 1992 adaptation of the novella Of Mice and Men is a strong rendering of Steinbeck's literary style as visuals. As said by The Washington Post, "all of the collaborators seem guided by the intention to let Steinbeck's brilliance shine through, unaugmented by false modern analysis or technical gimmickry."(Rosenfeld).

First of all [first sentence opening], the film wonderfully transforms the vivid descriptions of rural California into a stylized color palette.  In the book  [second sentence opening], vivid descriptions of nature are peppered into the story to add a sense of realism: " [third sentence opening] A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool.” (Steinbeck 1).  When  [fourth sentence opening] it came to turning these eden-like places into a reality, the film accomplished it effortlessly.  The color palette of the movie is a combination of drab colors, oversaturated pastels and natural colors; the sky is ­"technicolor blue”, the grass is emerald green and the dirt is almost bubblegum pink.  The [fifth sentence opening] bright colors are used for nature, which mirror the book, and the drab ones are used for the ranch (the men's clothes, the buildings).  Likewise, this stark contrast is present in the book; the ranch is never described with any kind of color and neither were the men.  The detailed descriptions that feature colors, like the one shown earlier, are reserved for nature.  This represents how nature is viewed by the protagonists, versus how they view the ranch.  They have no interest in mundane people, things or tasks, for they are simply an obstacle to getting their farm and "living off the fatta the lan'”.  This view of nature and the ranch is then shared by the viewers because to the color palette. The scenery in this film is as brilliant as in the novella: "The new film adaptation [...] remains faithful in almost every way to the stark Steinbeck tale. Yet this "Of Mice and Men" [...] emphasizes something in the original work that never before seemed of foremost importance: "Of Mice and Men" is a mournful, distantly heard lament for the loss of American innocence.  [...] it is the dominant mood of the film, which is gorgeous in the idealized way of beauty remembered. The wheat fields are golden, the skies blinding blue. There is a stylized perfection [...]" (Canby).  In other words, the oversaturated colors of the film magnify the ambience and tone of the book.

Secondly, Lenny's death is a stylistically pivotal scene in the novel and it is incredibly done in the film.  "In every bit of honest writing in the world there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other."(Barr).  This quote by Steinbeck shows his intention with his work, and therefore, this scene.  It is to make people understand each other.  When Lenny is shot by George, Steinbeck doesn't tell you how to feel, nor does the narrator say how he feels, as a result he lets you decide for yourself.  This is mirrored in the film as the scene features no music.  It's a simple, yet brilliant touch by the director; by not putting music in this scene, he lets the viewers form their own opinion.  Instead of taking the easy route and playing a sad song, Sinise makes us confront our emotions and, like Steinbeck, forces us to think about what just happened.  

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men was wonderfully adapted into a film that stays true to the author's vision and it is an accurate adaptation of the literary style.  As said by a film critic: "Like Steinbeck's novella, the film is spare, tender, honest and human."(Douglas).

Works cited:

Barr, Tracy, and Greg Tubach. Cliff Notes: On Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Wiley Publishing, 2001.

Canby, Vincent. “New Facets Highlighted in a Classic.” The New York Times, 2 Oct. 1992, pp. 5–5. The New York Times Archives, www.nytimes.com/1992/10/02/movies/review-film-new-facets-highlighted-in-a-classic.html.

Douglas, Clark. “Of Mice and Men.” 365 Movie Guy, 19 Feb. 2016, www.365movieguy.com/review/2016/2/19/of-mice-and-men.

Rosenfeld, Megan. “Of Mice and Men.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 16 Oct. 1992, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/ofmiceandmenpg13rosenfeld_a09e7c.htm?noredirect=on.

Sinise, Gary, director. Of Mice And Men. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1992.

Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. Penguin Books, 1993.

Final version

Translating a Masterpiece

The task of bringing to life great literary works is not a simple one.  And yet, the 1992 adaptation of the novella Of Mice and Men is a strong rendering of Steinbeck's literary style as visuals. As said by The Washington Post, "all of the collaborators seem guided by the intention to let Steinbeck's brilliance shine through, unaugmented by false modern analysis or technical gimmickry."(Rosenfeld).

First of all, the film wonderfully transforms the vivid descriptions of rural California into a stylized color palette.  In the book, vivid descriptions of nature are peppered into the story to add a sense of realism: "A few miles south of Soledad, the Salinas River drops in close to the hillside bank and runs deep and green. The water is warm too, for it has slipped twinkling over the yellow sands in the sunlight before reaching the narrow pool.” (Steinbeck 1).  When it came to turning these eden-like places into a reality, the film accomplished it effortlessly.  The color palette of the movie is a combination of drab colors, oversaturated pastels and natural colors; the sky is ­"technicolor blue”, the grass is emerald green and the dirt is almost bubblegum pink.  The bright colors are used for nature, which mirror the book, and the drab ones are used for the ranch (the men's clothes, the buildings).  Likewise, this stark contrast is present in the book; the ranch is never described with any kind of color and neither were the men.  The detailed descriptions that feature colors, like the one shown earlier, are reserved for nature.  This represents how nature is viewed by the protagonists, versus how they view the ranch.  They have no interest in mundane people, things or tasks, for they are simply an obstacle to getting their farm and "living off the fatta the lan'”.  This view of nature and the ranch is then shared by the viewers because to the color palette. The scenery in this film is as brilliant as in the novella: "The new film adaptation [...] remains faithful in almost every way to the stark Steinbeck tale. Yet this "Of Mice and Men" [...] emphasizes something in the original work that never before seemed of foremost importance: "Of Mice and Men" is a mournful, distantly heard lament for the loss of American innocence.  [...] it is the dominant mood of the film, which is gorgeous in the idealized way of beauty remembered. The wheat fields are golden, the skies blinding blue. There is a stylized perfection [...]" (Canby).  In other words, the oversaturated colors of the film magnify the ambience and tone of the book.

Secondly, Lenny's death is a stylistically pivotal scene in the novel and it is incredibly done in the film.  "In every bit of honest writing in the world there is a base theme. Try to understand men, if you understand each other you will be kind to each other."(Barr).  This quote by Steinbeck shows his intention with his work, and therefore, this scene.  It is to make people understand each other.  When Lenny is shot by George, Steinbeck doesn't tell you how to feel, nor does the narrator say how he feels, as a result he lets you decide for yourself.  This is mirrored in the film as the scene features no music.  It's a simple, yet brilliant touch by the director; by not putting music in this scene, he lets the viewers form their own opinion.  Instead of taking the easy route and playing a sad song, Sinise makes us confront our emotions and, like Steinbeck, forces us to think about what just happened.  

In conclusion, Of Mice and Men was wonderfully adapted into a film that stays true to the author's vision and it is an accurate adaptation of the literary style.  As said by a film critic: "Like Steinbeck's novella, the film is spare, tender, honest and human."(Douglas).

Works cited:

Barr, Tracy, and Greg Tubach. Cliff Notes: On Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. Wiley Publishing, 2001.

Canby, Vincent. “New Facets Highlighted in a Classic.” The New York Times, 2 Oct. 1992, pp. 5–5. The New York Times Archives, www.nytimes.com/1992/10/02/movies/review-film-new-facets-highlighted-in-a-classic.html.

Douglas, Clark. “Of Mice and Men.” 365 Movie Guy, 19 Feb. 2016, www.365movieguy.com/review/2016/2/19/of-mice-and-men.

Rosenfeld, Megan. “Of Mice and Men.” The Washington Post, WP Company, 16 Oct. 1992, www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/ofmiceandmenpg13rosenfeld_a09e7c.htm?noredirect=on.

Sinise, Gary, director. Of Mice And Men. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1992.

Steinbeck, John. Of Mice and Men. Penguin Books, 1993.