by Michael Mikolajczyk

Created on: April 24, 2008   Last Updated: March 10, 2009

In today's increasingly visual world, many people - especially teenagers - have forsaken reading or have severely reduced their book consumption. It is not due to a dislike of the stories, but rather a preference for a more appropriate - to them - medium. After all, a movie is on average a two-hour time commitment, while a good book can take days or more to read; in a movie, our visual sense is entertained and stimulated as we see the explosions, crashes, and drama on the big screen, while in a book it is our imagination that is utilized. Some people prefer the up-front excitement, while others prefer the deep connection that only books can create.

It's important to realize that there is no right or wrong side to this argument. To certain people, books are uninteresting, plain and simple. Often time, we book-lovers become arrogant and think that our way is the best way and that everyone else is simply not as motivated as we are. We should avoid this line of thinking and instead realize that each person requires and thrives on a different form of learning and entertainment.
Nonetheless, as I said earlier, I am an avid book reader who unequivocally believes in the power and knowledge that books can provide to even the most infrequent of readers. In the written world of literature, we can embark on any sort of journey that our mind is willing to travel; like movies, there are action, adventure, drama, comedy, satirical, romance, and many more kinds of novels. Unlike movies, though, books allow a true connection to the story at hand; you sympathize more with the characters, you love when they love, hurt when they hurt, and a part of you dies when they do.

Perhaps it sounds overdramatic or pathetic, but it's true. Not all readers develop this intense of a connection, but many do, and the ones that have it understand how difficult it is to explain.

Still, there are occasions in which the movie does actually outshine its novel counterpart. Some novels can drag a bit at times, or even have too much information for the reader to sufficiently follow. At times like these, movies are a better medium to be able to express a theme or story. As a whole, though, I think it is impossible for me to state anything other than the fact that I believe that written literature is far and away the better of the two options. Still, it's not for everyone. Until you are absolutely certain, though, try picking up a book or two and give it the old college try, eh? You might be surprised by what you find.

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