Comparative Analysis of Alice Sebold's and Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones

Abstract

A comparative study primarily analyzes and evaluates concepts and factual information among various areas, subjects, and objects in order to detect similarities and differences. This study investigates the similarities and differences of Alice Sebold’s and Peter Jackson’s The Lovely Bones, which specifically delves into the plot, character development, and imagery. It uses Formalism Theory by Viktor Shklovsky and Psychoanalytic Theory by Sigmund Freud to support the study. Moreover, this is a qualitative method using discourse analysis in interpreting and analyzing the data. The data for the three phases is obtained from quotations, scenes, pages, and timestamps from the novel and film version, which determine the plot structure as it evaluates and focuses solely on features of the literary text itself. In terms of character development, it evaluates the characters' childhood, family life, traumas, and conflicts, all of which influence the characters' behavior. Lastly, the imagery determines the visualization as it believes that something visibly seen means a concrete interpretation of the text and scene. In conclusion, The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold and Peter Jackson have similarities and differences in the plot, character development, and imagery as the movie only features the fundamental key points from the novel. Furthermore, in the recommendation, the following are prescribed to future literary researchers: a detailed analysis of the plot’s structural development in determining the psychosocial tendencies of the novel and of the movie; a cognitive-developmental theory of character motivation is utilized to determine character development; and imagery is to be guided with figures of speech to reveal the hidden implications of the scenes.