Reading Books Vs Watching Movies

Subashini Amirthavalli
6 min readSep 19, 2022

“Books and movies are like apples and oranges. They are both fruits, but taste completely different. quoted by Stephen King. Reading books vs. watching movies is the biggest debate. Book-to-film and TV adaptations are popular at the moment. The movie industry is always mining literature for potential Oscar-worthy films. The majority of individuals have given up on reading books since this is the current trend.

Some individuals have polarized tastes and would rather read than see a movie beforehand. If you ask certain individuals, they won’t read a book, and if you ask others, they won’t listen to you. Both watching movies and reading books have their advantages, so we should be sure to find a happy medium.

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Both reading books and watching movies are great ways to pass the time, and they have many other commonalities. A person’s imagination may be connected to both reading and watching a film. A person watching a film may empathize with a character in the same way that a book reader can.

Books and films that are based on true events are more enjoyable because audiences can more easily see parallels between the tale and their own lives. They are useful for self-analysis. Books and films have the power to elevate our spirits and propel us toward a more fulfilling existence. They’re comparable because they both convey a story and provide a wealth of information about that subject. Well both are best. When you meet someone who enjoys the same book as you, you assume a similar philosophy and discuss it till the end of the day. The same is true for films. People who like the same genre will continually debate the narrative, actions, and characters of the film. As a result, a bond is formed between a couple or a group of individuals.

Why is it better to read books than watch movies?

When discussing the advantages of reading a book, it is important to note that reading can transport a reader into the realms of their imagination, where the number of potential outcomes is almost endless. The human mind is capable of producing a picture that even the most advanced computer animations are unable to replicate. Books often provide more detail and context than their film counterparts do.

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· Reading helps to lower stress levels

As soon as a person begins reading a good book, they find themselves completely immersed in the main character and the events that are described in the book. Additionally, reading books might help to relax your muscles and slow your pulse rate.

· Books improve the reader’s understanding of the character

While reading a book, you get to know the characters and experience what they’re going through via their words. A film, on the other hand, just shows you what the producer wants you to see. There is always the chance that you won’t be able to connect with the movie on an emotional level. At the same moment, if you are reading the same thing, you will share the same understanding of the characters’ feelings at a certain point in the story.

Why is it better to watch movies than read books?

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· Time Saving

You have to commit time and effort to reading the book for a few days before you understand that the book is not any good. On the other hand, you can determine if a movie is any good or not just by viewing it for a few hours.

Movies Have a Better Visual Appeal

When you go to the movies, you get to witness incredible action sequences and amazing effects that may blow your mind, but when you read a book, your imagination can’t do credit to what you’re experiencing. Imagining a scenario is more difficult for us than visualizing the situation. For example, instead of reading about the magical world of Harry Potter in a book, I can actually see what J.K. Rowling means when she says things like, “He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five times as wide as a normal man.” I can do this because I am currently watching the movie. He had hands the size of garbage can lids, and his feet, in their leather boots, appeared like young dolphins. He had long tangles of bushy black hair and a beard that covered much of his face, and he had hands the size of garbage can lids. “ He seemed just too big to be permitted, and so wild. “ Simply put, movies make it much easier for us to kick back, relax, and enjoy the entertainment without having to worry about anything else.

· Social Exchange

You don’t need anybody else to see a movie with you; all you need is a plan to spend quality time with your loved ones or your closest friends and family members by going to the theater. However, individuals should restrict themselves to reading books only. Although you could read aloud to other people, such as your children or another person, the majority of the time, individuals think of reading as something they do on their own and in solitude.

· Easy Go

One needs to have a strong will and the ability to concentrate in order to read books all the way through. At some point in their lives, most people will begin reading a book, only to give up halfway through due to a lack of interest or motivation. In contrast, most people can watch a movie from beginning to end without any effort and and still get the story.

Which one should you choose, and why?

There is no simple way to sum up this question of which medium one prefers, the book or the film. People have varying points of view and methods of operation. People tend to either read books before or after seeing a movie. Not all people like reading books. They don’t do anything outside of the movies.

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Different viewpoint and strategy

· One should read a book before watching a movie

Bookworms often imagine how their favorite characters might behave in a movie, from an observer’s point of view. But after following them, it’s so different from what the book depicted in most cases; many details from the novel were omitted from the film adaptation. In order to condense the tale into a two-hour movie, the filmmakers often have to cut out a lot of unnecessary backstory.

So, from this point of view, you should read the book first and then watch the movie. That way, you’ll know everything about the story and be able to connect with it better. The most important thing is that they’ll picture their favorite character.

· Before reading books, watch a movie

Even if you’re not a bookworm, you may enjoy seeing the movie. On purpose, they read books. They may seek out the source material, the book, if a movie or TV show adaptation impresses them. After that, you’ll have twice as much fun as the character, and you’ll pick up on all sorts of hidden references and bonus material that the film glossed over. If you thought that you were entertained before, prepare to be blown away. As a result, in this scenario, you should start with the movie and then read the book.

· Bounded

There is certain to be a devoted reader of books who will not even see a movie adaptation of the book if it is not excellent. But there are certainly movie critics who won’t want to read a book since it’s such a taxing and unproductive activity that requires a lot of time and mental capacity to complete. People in this situation would benefit more from seeing a short film since it would provide them with more opportunities to use their imagination.

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Conclusion

Your availability to devote to the endeavor is the only determining factor at this point. They each have advantages and disadvantages, and the choice depends on the individual’s point of view. Understanding requires a combination of mental imagery and visuals; to this end, reading a book and then seeing a movie might be useful.

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Subashini Amirthavalli

I think all writing is a disease.You can't stop it. Writing is an exploration, you start from nothing and learn as you go.