Fiction into Film (Kinch 12th Grade): The Assignment

Kinch—Fiction Into Film

Independent Research Project

 

For your final project you will choose from a list of novels and analyze how it was adapted into film.  Your research should include studying the biography of the novel’s author and at least four critical sources (critics).  You will have periodic deadlines to show that you are expanding your bibliography and taking substantive notes on sources.  Finally, you will write a 5-6 page research paper on the novel and the film.

 

If you have an 80+ average in English IV for the second semester, this project will count as the final exam.

 

This assignment's objectives are to teach you how to use the library and how to organize a long essay that combines your thoughts with the ideas of other critics. In addition, you will learn to use Noodletools to create a bibliography from databases and from books/reference materials.

 

Your first assignment is to acquire the book and read it by May 1.  The MBA library or Dr. Kinch has copies of each novel and film, and you can also acquire copies of the books at Parnassus in Green Hills.  There will also be an orientation on how to use the library and Noodletools. 

 

 

Schedule

            Fri. 5.2: Bibliography due; notes on two sources

            Mon. 5.3: Complete watching your film; notes due

            Wed. 5.7: Finish notes on sources

            Thurs. 5.8: Rough outline due (include page references)

            Fri. 5.9: Final outline due

            Mon. 5.12: Kinch begins appraising drafts

            Wed. 5.14: Absolute final deadline

 

 

Evaluation:  the preparatory assignments (notes, outlines, drafts) will count at least 20% of the fourth quarter grade, and the final paper will count 30% of the fourth quarter.  If you fall behind on the project, you will take the final examination.

 

Novels

            Philip K. Dick, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? (1968; film, Blade Runner, 1982)

            John Irving, A Widow for One Year (1998; film, The Door in the Floor, 2004)

            Jerzy Kosiniski, Being There (1970; film 1979)

            W. Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil (1925; film 2006)

            Larry McMurtry, Horseman, Pass By (1961; film Hud, 1963)

            Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient (1992; film 1996)

 

If you want to work with a novel/film not on this list, you must obtain my permission (see list of novels on next page for ideas).  For each title not on this list, I will allow only one student to work on it.

Paul Auster, The Music of Chance (1990; film 1993)

J.G. Ballard, Empire of the Sun (1984; film 1987)

Russel Banks, Affliction (1989; film 1997)

Louis Begley, About Schmidt (1996; film 2002)

David Benioff, The 25th Hour (2000; film 2002)

Michael Chabon, Wonder Boys (1995; film 2000)

J.M. Coetzee, Disgrace (1999; film 2009)

Jeffrey Eugenides, The Virgin Suicides (1993; film 1999)

Sebastian Faulks, Charlotte Gray (1998; film 2001)

Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (2005; film 2011)

Dashiel Hammet, The Maltese Falcon (1930; film 1941)

Kaui Hart Hemmings, The Descendents (2007, film 2011)

Patricia Highsmith, The Talented Mr. Ripley (1955; film 1999)

Chuck Hogan, Prince of Thieves (2004; film The Town 2010)

P.D. James, Children of Men (1992; film 2006)

Joseph Kanon, The Good German (2001; film 2006)

Walter Kirn, Up in the Air (2001, film 2009)

Milan Kundera, The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1984; film 1988)

Jhumpa Lahiri, The Namesake (2003; film 2006)

John le Carre, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (1974; film 2011)

Dennis Lehane, Mystic River (2001; film 2003)

Yann Martel, Life of Pi (2001; film 2013)

Cormac McCarthy, No Country for Old Men (2005; film 2007)

Ian McEwan, Enduring Love (1997; film 2004)

Larry McMurtry, The Last Picture Show (1966; film 1971)

Walter Mosley, Devil in a Blue Dress (1990; film 1995)

Stweart O’Nan, Snow Angels (1994; film 2007)

Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club (1996; film 1999)

Donn Pearce, Cool Hand Luke (1965; film 1967)

Tom Perrotta, Little Children (2004; film 2006)

E. Annie Proulx, The Shipping News (1993; film 2001)

Matthew Quick, The Silver Linings Playbook (2008; film 2012)

Philip Roth, The Human Stain (2000; film 2003)

Richard Stark (Donald Westlake), The Hunter (film: Point Blank, later Payback)

Vikas Swarup, Q & A (2005; film Slumdog Millionaire, 2008)

Paul Torday, Salmon Fishing in Yemen (2007; film 2011)

Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., Slaughterhouse-Five (1969; film 1972)

Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence (film 1993)

Richard Yates, Revolutionary Road (1961; film 2008)