03021pam a2200469 a 4500 1560869 BJBSDDR 20250801171723.0 a|||||r|||| 00| 0 ta 920909s1992 nyua r 001 0 eng 92031154 0806513403 (pbk.) 9780806513409 (pbk.) 1560869 DLC DLC DLC eng eng n-us--- PN 1997.85 H676w 1992 791.43/657 Hitt, Jim, 1939- 43793 Words and shadows : literature on the screen / by Jim Hitt. New York : Citadel Press, 1992. 246 pages : illustrations ; 28 cm. text txt rdacontent unmediated n rdamedia volume nc rdacarrier Citadel press book "A Citadel Press book." Includes index. Words and Shadows is an exploration of how great works of American literature have been adapted—or transformed—for the screen. With a focus on writers like Theodore Dreiser, Stephen Crane, Sinclair Lewis, Willa Cather, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Edgar Allan Poe, Edith Wharton, and Henry James, author Jim Hitt delves into the tensions between written narrative and cinematic storytelling. The book examines both the possibilities and limitations of translating literary themes, tone, and complexity into film. Drawing on examples across multiple genres—from gothic to realism, from historical drama to psychological fiction—Hitt discusses how internal voice, symbolic language, and narrative structure are altered when the medium shifts from the page to the screen. Rather than lamenting what is “lost in translation,” Hitt provides a balanced critique: some adaptations enhance the emotional core or visual drama of a literary work, while others oversimplify or misinterpret the author's intent. Through detailed analysis, Words and Shadows shows how film adaptations reflect changing cultural values, aesthetic choices, and audience expectations. The result is a book that appeals to literature lovers, film enthusiasts, and students of adaptation alike. It encourages readers to see film not merely as a derivative of literature but as an art form with its own storytelling grammar—one that sometimes shadows, sometimes amplifies, the written word. American fiction Film adaptations. Motion pictures and literature. Adaptaciones cinematográficas 396 Cine y literatura 5425 Citadel press book 43922 7 cbc orignew 1 ocip 19 y-gencatlg lcc BK LLH 124513 124513 0 0 lcc 0 0 HU BJB BJB HU 2025-07-29 0 PN 1997.85 H676w 1992 00000194877 2025-07-29 21:09:00 1 2025-07-29 BK