So...we've all seen the movie a hundred times...can quote most of it...now you've read the book (I hope!)...does the book hold the same appeal as the movie for you? Discuss amongst yourselves...
Goldman wrote the screenplay for the film version of The Princess Bride. There are many differences between the two. Identify as many as you can. Why do you think Goldman made these changes? With which of his choices do you agree? Disagree?
Why do you think that Goldman inserts himself as a character in his own novel? Did you feel he was portraying his actual self or a character with his name? What other books have you read where the author adopts this narrative strategy?
The Princess Bride can be thought of as two intertwining tales, one focusing on Westley and Buttercup, the other on the life of Goldman himself (or the fictional Goldman?). How do these two stories parallel and play off of each other?
When we first meet Inigo and Fezzik (my two personal favorite characters), they are working with Vizzini to kidnap Buttercup. Later, they become allies of Westley in his efforts to rescue her. What causes Inigo and Fezzik to change . . . or do they really change at all over the course of the novel?
Compare the relationships between men–such as Goldman and his father, Fezzik and Inigo, Inigo and Domingo, and Goldman and his son–and those between men and women, especially Westley and Buttercup. Which are presented more positively? Why do you think that is?
The "good parts" version is what Goldman remembers his father reading to him from an original S. Morgenstern. Did you ever doubt the validity of this claim? Or the truthfulness of his account of Florin? How would it affect your enjoyment of the novel if both devices were fictional?
Is Goldman laughing with his readers . . . or laughing at them?
5 comments:
I'll go first. First of all I loved the book. It was so much fun to read and definitely had as much (probably more) appeal than the movie.
I love the detail of the back stories for Inigo and Fezzik. Thats definitely my favorite difference between the movie and book. Other differences...shrieking eels vs. sharks-eels sure sound (no pun intended) more intimidating because the sound getting closer and closer. Snow sand vs. lightning sand-again sounds more frightening. Thats all I can think of right now, maybe I'll add more later.
I thought Goldman as a character was an interesting choice. It was funny to be reading aloud and have to clarify to Ethan who was talking. I though he portrayed himself accurately and I felt terribly sorry for Helen his wife because he didn't sound the least bit into her.
I think that Fezzik and Inigo did change some, but who they are is still the same at the end. They still need someone to think for them (for the most part) they just respected Wesley and that was the change. If they had respected or even liked Vizzini there wouldn't have been a change to them.
The male relationships are definitely more healthy than the male/female ones. Buttercup's parents were hilarious, but they (along with Wesley and Buttercup) don't have any depth. The father son relationships are all loaded with depth. As is the Inigo/Fezzik friendship. I think the reason for this is that it is a satire on romance. You can't have a perfect man and woman falling in love and being positive and succeed in making your statement-the statement is made by the comparison.
I was totally and completely swept away with the Morgenstern and Florin...it wasn't until after looking it up on Wikipedia that I saw that it was all Goldman's story. It kind of ruined it for me, I am so glad that I didn't know that before I read it. I don't think it would have been as magical. Now, I know that you can't believe everything you read on the internet, so take it with a grain of salt...
I think Goldman is laughing with us mainly and at us a little. :)
I loved the book (ok still I few more pages to go)! I thought it was every bit as entertaining as the movie. I wish they would have included the Zoo of Death in the movie, especially as Inigo and Fezzik ventured down each level. That was so fun!
I'm intrigued by Goldman. I can't get over how sarcastic he is. I agree with Kim; I feel sorry for his wife and his kid. I think they way he told the story was enjoyable, though. He might be laughing a little more at us than with us. I think Morgenstern's inserts were hilarious! That guy was trying to get us to laugh!
Was anyone else not so enamored with Buttercup? I thought she was an idiot. I guess brains and beauty don't really mix. She should have competed on America's Most Smartest Model.
Good choice for this month, Kim!
I totally agree about Buttercup, she comes across as much more intelligent in the movie. And I love the name of that show (AMSM)-HILARIOUS!
I have not finished the book yet, but I too went on the internet to find out about Morgenstern and Florin. I was thinking of reading the unabridged version of the book and wanted to know if it was still in print. It made me laugh to learn that none of it was true (including the son and psychiatrist wife).
So I just finished this today (I'm a little behind) and I totally fell for the whole thing! I just looked up "Buttercup's Baby" to see where I could get a copy and was floored when I realized the whole thing was made up! So, I'll post comments to your questions later...That was a fabulous read and even more so now that I know it's fiction!
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