Loss, Heartbreak, and Coming of Age in Film Adaptations

Hello. Fats here.

I believe it’s been more than a week since I posted anything on here. Moving cross-country is not an easy thing to do, and I’m still trying to get situated to our new place. As we continue with our bimonthly theme on Loss, Heartbreak, and Coming of Age, I’m going to share with you three books that have been turned into films that echo our said theme.

Holes by Louis Sachar

There was death in the movie but this is mostly about coming of age. If you have not read the book yet, I suggest you read it before watching the film. Revelations are so much better explained in books than in films. Although not told in the exact same fashion, the movie adaptation came pretty close to the book. Stanley Yelnats is an interesting character to meet, among so many others in the book. Although Holes has some elements of magic in it, Stanley’s story is something that kids can relate to, especially to those who lack confidence and feel that their voices needed to be heard.

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

This is one of my treasured books because I learned about it through Iphigene who gave this book to me as a gift, eons ago. Haha! I cried when I read the book, and cried again when I watched the movie. Yes, it’s sort of mandatory that you carry a Kleenex with you when you read the book and watch the film. To this day, I think that the film is one of the most faithful adaptations ever made. It gave me the goosies when I watched the film because of its close attention to details. It felt as if every word in the book was brought to life in the film. This certainly has death and coming of age in it.

My Girl by Patricia Hermes

Let me begin by saying that My Girl is my favorite movie of all time. I loved it the first time I saw the film. On VHS! Hehe. I had no idea that the film was based on a book by Patricia Hermes that was first published in 1991. The friendship between Thomas J and Vada is one of my favorites. My Girl is one of those stories that portray coming of age at an earlier stage of development, no necessarily during adolescence. Death of a best friend (spoiler alert!) has forced one of them to gather the strength to live the rest of his/her days without that best friend. More Kleenex, I daresay!