Comparative Essay On Seabiscuit By Laura Hillenbrand

3 Characters The story “Seabiscuit” was first written by Laura Hillenbrand in 2001. It was so well received; the story was adapted into a major motion picture; starring Jeff Bridges and Toby McGuire in 2003. Both the book and the movie tell the story of a odd horse, who was given up on until three men came together and made him a winner. The relationship that grew from chance. These three men, Charles Howard, Tom Smith, and Red Pollard are central to Seabiscuit’s story. Although the methods of telling the story are essentially the same; the book and the movie are different in the ways that they convey this trio’s relationship. Whereas the book conveys the relationships in vivid historical detail; the movie graces over character descriptions,

Laura Hillenbrand takes on each of the three men and details their lives from young adulthood up till they converge to Seabiscuit. Historically discussing each individual quirks and personalities. Each beginning narration gives a glimpse into the individual. In the first line of the book, the author says “Charles Howard had a feel of a gigantic on rushing machine”, jumping right in to give a hint to the man he is. This type of description begins with Tom Smith and also Red Pollard. In a variation the movie flashes back and forth to only Charles and Tom Smith first and short glimpses are given. Charles working on bikes, Smith on a vast plain chasing horses. Red Pollard’s introduction is the only one in the movie that goes in depth to explain his early life and how he ended up poor on a

The author of the book as previously mentioned tells this tale historically. Through thorough research, interviews, and newspaper clippings, she gives an actual account of what happened. In the first chapter the book makes it known that Charles, married to his first wife, has two sons. One Frankie dies in an accident at fifteen, other older son Lin later becomes involved in horse racing like his father. The movie version portrays Charles and Francis having only one son. After Frankie’s accident, the movie thus leaves Charles childless in order to show why Charles is overprotective and defensive at time where Red Pollard is concerned. Pollard becomes the replacement for the lost son. If Lin was added to the movie this theme wouldn’t make the impact it did. Smith also had a son that was in the book but not the movie. In Tom’s case this was for added mystery in his character. The movie wants to depict him as not really being fully understood. Hillenbrand also discusses Red Pollard’s alcoholism in the book, but omitted from the movie. Adding this factual account would have taken away from the childlike and likable character it wanted to portray in Pollard on