Washington Black: Challenges of Cinematic Adaptation Juliet Li 12th Grade

“Show, don’t tell” is a timeless technique persisting in various media industries, inclusive for both literature and film. Tying together the two lies Esi Edugyan’s Washington Black, chronicling the struggles of the eponymous George Washington Black as he searches for true freedom. From the perspective of a black man in mid 19th century Americas, Edugyan crafts a captivating tale entailing North America’s colonialist past. Born into slavery and liberated by a cynical abolitionist, Wash journeys across cities and tundras to find himself alone in a forbidding world. The hypnotizing narrative of both wonder and despair breaches the barriers of time, illustrating a gritty yet fabular Bildungsroman of a bygone era. However, as humanity advances further into the technological and mediacentric era, the demand for novels recede into an appetite for films and visual consumption. Under public anticipation, Edugyan’s critically acclaimed postcolonial novel receives its television adaptation. In the wake of the film industry’s unprecedented growth alongside hypercritical audiences, the producers of “Washington Black” face challenges in cutting extraneous scenes, employing an enthralling storytelling technique, and connecting with the...