Novel-to-Film Adaptation: An Analysis of Selected Young Adult Fantasy Novels from Harry Potter Series and The Chronicles of Narnia Series

Abstract

This thesis focuses on analyzing film adaptations of young adult fantasy novels applying Hutcheon’s theory of adaptation using three novels: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007), written by J. K. Rowling, The Chronicles of Narnia: The lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (1950) and Prince Caspian (1951) written by C.S. Lewis. It aims at answering the question: how does the application of film adaptation theory serve the polarization of certain ideologies in the four films? This analytical study is divided into an introduction, three chapters and a conclusion, followed by a list of the works cited. The introduction deals with the definitions and chief characteristics of young adult fiction, fantasy novels and film. It also demonstrates the novels under study, and an overview of film adaptation theory and its approaches. The first chapter presents different definitions of adaptation and introduces film adaptation theory, particularly Linda Hutcheon’s theory of adaptation accompanied by a detailed illustration of her questions used in analyzing adaptation. The six questions are: What gets adapted?, Who is the adapter?, Why do they choose certain works of art? How do they adapt? Where and when does the adaptation take place? The second chapter examines the application of adaptation theory on the novel Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and its film adaptation into two parts ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part One and Two.’ While examining the novel and the adaptation, many points of analysis are utilized including; opening scenes, narration, description, point of view, inner thoughts, emotions, time, characterization, aural elements that are classified into music and soundtrack, visual elements like mise-en-scene, costumes and actors. Other elements are excluded scenes, modified scenes, and invented scenes. It also studies the binary oppositions in the novel and the two films as well as the effect of amplifying the battle scenes on the film. The third chapter presents the analysis of the process of adaptation of the first and the second part of The Chronicles of Narnia series. This is carried out using the same points of analysis, used in the second chapter, but they are utilized in analysing the film adaptation of “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and “Prince Caspian.” All of these elements demonstrate what the filmmakers want to present in their adaptations either to amplify a certain ideology or to hide another.