The Entertaining Tendency Of Classic Adaptation

As is a classic novel of Lin Yutang, Moment in Pecking, adopting"Life passes like a dream"as its main idea and the spirit of Tao as the soul of this novel, tells a life story of people living in the instable years of early 20th century. This novel has twice been adapted to TV seriess, and the 2005 version attracts especially much more attention. In the era when entertainment gets a preferential momentum, the adaptation of literary canon has shown a tendency of entertainment. Relying on the charm of stars, the gorgeousness of video screen and the quirky twist of plot, TV seriess have provided for the televiewers with a luxuriant banquet of sight. Therefore, this thesis tries to discuss about the transformation from the novel to 2005 version TV series, and about the blunt entertaining and interesting effects the modern TV seriess have presented under the background of consumption era.This thesis contains five parts in total. The introductory part includes a brief literature review on Moment in Pecking, a concise explanation on the thesis'understanding on the meaning of subject, and a brief introduction to the methodology to and major chapters of the thesis.Chapter One emphasizes on the reconstruction of the original text from novel to the TV series, generally in figure portrait, story and theme. Figures in TV series are supposed to be characteristic and distinguishable in moral standing, so that to push the plot forward. So in TV, figures'character was altered to add to the effects of conflicts. The arrangement of love triangle and the strong sense of justice are intended to the drama's appreciative effects.Chapter Two illustrates the transformation from lush imagination to blunt entertaining tendency, generally in the swift of story attraction, character setup, and the form of space and scene. Novel and TV series are two types of literature with different forms of expression. The former touches the audience with the charm of free imagination brought by letter, while that later tells the story with the help of pretty stars, shinning raiment and vivid scenes. The flow of color, the rosiness of checks and change of scenes provide the audience a large charge.Chapter Three discusses the shift from loose literary narration to tight one through video, mainly in narrative conversion, the plot layout and narrative rhythm. What TV series pursuits is an exciting sense enjoyment, with prominence given to fast-paced plot as well as lots of conflicts. TV series changed the narrative pattern of the novel to"camera—eye"mode of narration in the first person, and tries to attracts the audience with ups and downs of the plot and fast and slow of the rhythm.The conclusion part sums up the whole thesis, restating the relationship between TV series and novel text as mutual beneficial. TV series is born entertaining, so it can never take the place of novel. Furthermore, TV series is supposed to get rid of its worldliness by helping the audience construct the right sense of worth as well as the proper mode of life.