Adaptation Literary Elements

Adaptation Literary Elements

Director

Spike Jonze

Leading Actors/Actresses

Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep

Supporting Actors/Actresses

Chris Cooper, Tilda Swinton, Maggie Gyllenhaal

Genre

Comedy, Drama

Language

English

Awards

Won 1 Oscar: Best Performance by and Actor in a Supporting Role - Chris Cooper

Date of Release

2002

Producer

Jonathan Demme, Vincent Landay, Edward Saxon

Setting and Context

Los Angeles, New York City and Florida - 2002

Narrator and Point of View

POV is that of Charlie

Tone and Mood

Comedic and Dramatic

Protagonist and Antagonist

Protagonist is Charlie and Donald, Antagonists are Susan and Laroche

Major Conflict

Charlie can't get his adaptation of Orlean's book written, he resorts to going to speak with her in person but asks his brother Donald to do it for him.

Climax

Charlie catches Orlean sleeping with Laroche and discovers the pair are working to manufacture a drug from the ghost orchid. Donald is killed in a car accident after being shot by Laroche, and before Laroche can kill Charlie he is attacked and killed by an alligator. Orlean is eventually arrested.

Foreshadowing

Donald's excitement of writing his screenplay regardless of what his brother thinks foreshadows his 6-7 figure spec script sale.

Understatement

It is understated that Orlean is hiding Laroche and her love affair and that the ghost orchid is used as a drug.

Innovations in Filming or Lighting or Camera Techniques

N/A

Allusions

The film is an allusion to how Kaufman wrote the screenplay, as it combines elements of his actual process and obstacles along with the collaborative elements of his imagination.

Paradox

Orlean writes a book about the orchid thief, but paradoxically falls in love with him.

Parallelism

Charlie's meeting with Valerie and how badly it went parallels his meeting with Orlean...whom he can't meet with and sends Donald instead.

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