Life Is Beautiful Literary Analysis

In films and books, the theme of real vs unreal is used to contrast the reality and fantasy. The writers base their stories on the real world, but expose unreal elements which blend with the natural world. This draws in the audience and readers by allowing them to contrast the ordinary world they live in with imaginative and delusional fantasy. The novel, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane”, written by Neil Gailman and the movie, “Life is Beautiful”, directed by Roberto Benigni portray the theme of real vs unreal. These are seen through the identification and coming of age of the characters as well as magical realism that occurs throughout the plots.

The novel, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane” and the movie, “Life is Beautiful” use identification

Magical realism moves back and forth, between the disparate worlds, real and imaginary (Zamora & Faris, 2005). There is a huge difference of magical realism in the novel from the movie. In the novel, there are magical realism everywhere, as if it is an everyday occasion. However, in the movie, magical realism only occurs to Dora, and Guido is the only one who acts them out. In the novel, there are many magical elements or events that exist or occur that contrasts with the real life happenings. “I told her. “It’s just a pond, really.” “It is an ocean,” she said. “We came across it when I was just a baby, from the old country”” (Gaiman, 2013, p.19). When Lettie showed the character the pond, which she called the ocean, he had doubts on her. There was an actual pond, but it is not possible for someone to cross it from another country. The pond is real, yet the story about her crossing it from the old country is unreal, as no one can cross a pond and land on a different land, on the other hand, magical. ““It’s not a real fairy ring,” I told her. “That’s just our games. It’s a green circle of grass.” “It is what it is,” she said. “Nothing that wants to hurt you can cross it. Now, stay inside”” (Gaiman, 2013, p.89). The fairy ring is just a circle of grass at the garden. However, the ring protects the character from monsters outside the

There is a difference of coming of age used in the novel and the movie. The novel portrays the main character learning to oppose adults as the movie shows Joshua, Guido and Dora’s son believing in his father’s stories. In the novel, the main character grows up mentally by gaining experience, gains courage to stand up against adults and find out the true side of his father. ““I won’t eat anything she made,” I told him. “I don’t like her.” “You will eat your food,” said my father. “You will at least try it. And apologize to Miss Monkton.” “I won’t.”” (Gaiman, 2013, p.50). The character rejected to eat the meatloaf that Ursula cooked. His father ordered him to eat the food and apologise to her for being offensive, but the character declined his orders. This emphasises how he learned to oppose his father. During the growing period, children at young age need to be provided with the most assistance and help from their fathers (Katz, 2004). Rather than receiving help from his father, he received harsh punishment that caused him to further stand against him. Also, from learning that Ursula is a magical monster, he decided not to trust her, so he did not eat the food that she made as he had suspicions. The character is at the age of 7, where children usually begins to learn independence and the bigger world. “Now he pushed me down