The Memory Keeper's Daughter
By: Kim Edwards
The Book vs. The Movie
Mrs. Neal
AP English IV/ 2nd
6 February 2013
Differences in Conflict
Movie- Paul finds out he is accepted to Julliard right as he picks up the phone and stumbles upon a conversation between his mother and her secrete man. He becomes angered and runs out. He ends up stealing some cheese and ends up in jail. His parents pick him up quickly and on the ride home from his father he explains the news he found out.
Book- Paul finds out his acceptance to Julliard and tells his father about his plans and he father is happy for him and is supporting him. Paul is shocked by his reaction and runs off.
Significance: This difference from the book and movie really change the conflict in the book because Paul finding out about his mother affair really affects his character and relationship with his mother.
Differences in Plot
Movie- After David and Norah's divorce, David goes over to the house to fix a dripping faucet in the kitchen and to gather his last bit of belongings. As he was in the process of fixing the sink he suffers from an aneurysm and Norah comes home to find him dead.
Book- David jogs to Norah's house to fix the bathroom faucets, it takes him more than a hour to fix them. After he is finished he continues his run back home, he suffers from a massive heart attack during his run home and passes away.
Significance- This plot difference between the book and the movie is significant because its a major difference in plot. The movie portrays Norah finding him which opens up her past feelings for David but the book never portrays that because Norah does not discover him.
Movie- After David's death Paul and Norah are going through David's dark room where he kept all his secret pictures, and the unfolded the story about Phoebe that David kept from them.
Book- Caroline shows up at Norah's door step to tell her the story of Phoebe.
Significance- This plot difference between the movie and book is significant because the whole story line was about the secrete behind Phoebe and the two different plots adjusts the story. The fact that Caroline shows up at Norah's door shows how Caroline could not live with the secrete anymore and her character steps up and reveals the story rather than the movie where they just stumble upon the pictures to tell the story.
Differences in Setting
Movie- After discovering the hidden pictures of Phoebe, Norah and Paul travel to the home of Caroline and Phoebe to meet them and to tell them they know the true story. When they arrive Caroline is surprised but welcoming they exchange conversation and Phoebe is introduced to Norah and Paul she is understanding and friendly towards them. She splits the bouquet of flowers between her two mothers and the movie ends.
Book- Caroline travels to the home of Norah to tell her the story of Phoebe. Caroline tells her exactly what happened the night of the birth of the twins. Norah is overwhelmed but so happy Caroline took her in and took very special care of her.
Significance- This is a major setting difference between the two. They are like the opposite of each other. This is significant because it changes the meaning of the whole story. It puts the spotlight on two different characters. I think the director of the movie ended the movie in that way because it has a happy ending but in the book there is more to the story; it is not over yet.