From The Golden Compass to The Golden Compass : a narratological study of novel and film adaptation

Abstract:

The purpose of this essay is, from a narratological point of view and also by employing film adaptation theory, to compare the novel The Golden Compass to its film adaptation and examine the narrative elements they have in common and those that are distinct for each medium. The aim is also to critically comment on these elements and to discuss to what extent the changes made affect the story and how it is perceived.

The analysis that I have carried out shows that changes have been made regarding the plot order, i.e. sequences have been moved around or even removed in the film adaptation. The portrayal of the characters differs as well; some characters have been condensed while others have been extended to fit into the new frame of narrative. There are also differences in pacing between the original work and the adaptation. However, the changes do not affect the perception of the story and the story works very well in the new narrative structure.