Shutter Island Book Trailer

Blog Post 4

Adapting Shutter Island into a movie would have some challenges but with the right amount of budget is very plausible. The fact that the most of the movie is set on an island it would be an important director’s decision to film the majority of the film on an island. It is also essential for the names of the main characters, especially Teddy Daniels and Rachel Solando to stay the same because those names are essential to the plot. The movie would suffer greatly without the connection that some of the names have in the book. The professions of both Teddy and his partner as FBI detectives investigating a missing person case, is also a crucial element of the book that must stay intact.

            One particular scene that is a necessity to keep in the movie would be when partners Teddy and Chuck are on the boat arriving to Shutter Island. This scene where they’re on the boat and slowly approaching this sketchy island is important to the suspense and mystery of the island. If this is not in the movie the story would lose some of its mysterious quality that is so important in a book that is all about mystery and uncertainty. The movie version did a great job in creating the suspense and the audience got a really good sense of the characters uncertainty.

            Another specific scene that I would want to keep for a movie version would be the moment when Teddy tells Dr. Cawley he and his partner would be leaving in the morning because they weren’t receiving the information they wanted to solve the case. Keeping this scene shows the frustration of Teddy wonderfully which builds throughout the story. Not only is Teddy’s frustration in the situation is showcased but his anger at Cawley.

            The last scene that I would definitely have to keep would be the scene when he’s interviewing a patient and she takes his pen and notebook and scribbles something in it. Having this scene in the movie would be important because it adds to the mystery of the story. It also gives the audience and indication that there is something not right about the entire situation. We feel like we are missing critical information that we should know.

            A scene that I would probably not put in the movie would be the scene when Teddy and Chuck play cards with the orderlies after they were at Cawley’s house. This scene although entertaining in the book, would have no real value in the movie and would just add to the length of the movie. Without having this scene in the movie wouldn’t hinder the plot in any way because it kind of diverges from the story.

            Another scene that I would alter would be the scene where Teddy and Chuck search Rachel’s room and find the note that has all the numbers. I think the movie version did a great version of changing it to only have “Who is 67?” and not all of the “rule of 4” and “they were 80” phrases. This being said, I think a close interpretation to the book in a movie would be not too difficult and essential. When there is a plot that is confusing and connects to itself like Shutter Island, there needs to be a lot of similarities between the book and the movie.

Book 1 Project: Room

Before Jack and his mother escape the room where they’ve been held captive for seven years, all that they had in this world was each other. Jack had very little knowledge of anything other than this 11 by 11 shed in which he and his mother were confined. Jack’s mother knew, though, that she had to find a way to escape because her son deserved to see the outside world.  She knew that if she waited too long that “Old Nick” might do something to hurt, or emotionally traumatize her son. A way that we could add more interest in the book is by creating a journal of Jack’s mom. The diary would be an insight into the thoughts, feelings and ideas that Jack’s mom had. Even though the book doesn’t specifically say she kept a diary, it would create a buzz about the book and create new interest so more people would decide to read. 

            Jack’s mother had been brainstorming years before he was even born. She told him she used to scream at night when Nick came into the room but with no luck. She eventually became violent with him which led to Nick becoming more mean. “‘ What I did was, I took the lid off the toilet, and I had the smooth knife as well, and just before nine one evening, I stood against the wall beside the door… Exactly. I smashed the toilet lid down on his head.’” (Donoghue 122-123). Hitting him on the head was an attempt to get the code to be able to escape the room. Nick gave her the code but it was the wrong one and she wasn’t able to get out. An event like this was probably something she wrote about before and after it happened. Her reaction to him and the situation would be some quite interesting writing and insight into her character.

            There was a scene in the book where that could be a good example that could be written in her diary. “I flick the switch. I hear a tiny sound that must be jeep’s wheels coming alive and then- SMASHSHSHSHSHSH… He’s shouting, what are you trying to pull?... Did you try something? Did you?’ His voice goes downer. ‘Because I told you before, it’s on your head if-’”(Donoghue 62-63).This scene was when Jack was in the wardrobe when Nick was in the room. Jack wanted to play with his remote control jeep so he turned it on and wakened Nick up in a roar. Nick thought it was Jack’s mom trying to do something so he became violent with her. She would have definitely written about this in her diary and would be a good inside look of her perspective.

            There are many possible moments in Room where Jack’s mom would have wanted/ needed to write about in a diary. This is especially true when she had Jack pretend to be dead so that there may be a way for them to escape their living hell. Thoughts must have been zooming around in her head about all the negative possibilities that could happen and it had to be incredibly difficult feeling helpless. “Then I’m lifted. I think it’s her and then I know it’s him. Don’t move don’t move don’t move jackerjack stay stiff stiff stiff. I’m squished in Rug, I can’t breathe right, but dead don’t breathe anyway” (Donoghue 172). The following excerpt is an example of what a diary entry would be like in response to the previous quote:

            I can’t believe what I have just done. I let Jack into that monsters hands and I may never see him again. I wish I could have thought of another way, a better way to get us out of this nightmare. Jack deserves much better than this. I just hope and pray that he will be safe and get help. I need him to be brave and I need him to be smart which I know he is     but he’s never been in a situation like this. I swear though, if he hurts Jack I will not hold    anything back and I will make that animal pay for it. I want to know that Jack will make it, that we both will make it. I can’t even express the emotions that are haunting me right          now. I can’t stand this place anymore and this will be the death of me if I stay here. I feel bad for rushing Jack on the escape but I knew after the power outage we could not be safe much longer, especially since Nick has no job. I just gotta get out of here, very, very soon. Please God, be with Jack and set us free.

            My idea will create much interest surrounding Emma Donoghue’s book because it offers a different perspective. Throughout the book I, along with probably many other readers, wondered what Jack’s mom thought in certain situations. Her journal will certainly intrigue people who have already read Room and are looking for a little more to the story. This idea will most definitely enhance the book.