The Remains of the Day Group

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vaia
vaia

What are the differences between the novel and the film in the Remains of the Day?

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Posted by vaia on Wednesday December 5, 2007 at 7:02 AM and tagged with film, the remains of the day, themes.

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  1. amy-lepore Teacher
    High School - 12th Grade

    eNotes Editor

    The film version hosts Anthony Hopkins as the main character, the butler, Stevens and Emma Thompson as the estate's housekeeper, Miss Kenton.

    As is true with most books, the action varies becoming slow and fast as needed, but always revealing greater detail into a character's thoughts and motives than the film version is able to do.

    It is no different with this film.  The attraction and sexual tension between the butler and housekeeper of Darlington Hall is much more obvious in the book--especially toward the end after the butler has visited her and her family and he is forced to think on the possibility that she may have been his wife and mother to his own children.

    Both the film and movie are wonderfully told in flashbacks and memories of Stevens.

    In the book, Miss Kenton's marriage has held and she is enjoying grandchildren, although she suggests in her letter to Stevens that her marriage is troubled.  In the film, her marriage has failed.

     

    Sources:
    http://www.enotes.com/remains-day/media-adaptations
    http://www.enotes.com/remains-day/summary

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    Posted by amy-lepore on Saturday December 22, 2007 at 6:36 AM