''Great book: pity about the film' Discuss A.S.Byatt's Possession in light of this remark.'
             Possession is probably every students dream book. Its literary works including diaries, letters, poems and fairy tales give the text an interrogative approach, due to the fascinating connections between the characters and the tales, as well as the questions encountered because of the newly found letters. Its references to leading psychologists, French authors and British novelists creates a thought-provoking response and encourages the reader to question whether or not this book is in fact fiction or faction. Neil LaBute, director of Possession the film, took on the very difficult task of creating a realistic adaptation of the book, whilst incorporating these different writing styles. As a general piece of entertainment, directed perhaps towards a rather trite audience, it succeeds in its attempt to mirror the lives of Victorians Randolph Henry Ash and Christabel LaMotte and their modern counterparts Roland Michell and Maud Bailey. However, this cinematic triumph is short lived when we compare it to its primary source-the novel. The title Possession illustrates precisely the main concerns of the book and film. However, it is necessary to establish whether the film effectively portrays the different levels of possession and whether the omission of the character Val limits the audience's understanding of possession and also whether her exclusion leads to a less developed Roland? In addition, I understand that it is impossible for LaBute to include the fairy tale genre, because realistically the audience would not accept it. However, I would like to discuss the importance it holds to romance in Possession. One of the critical concerns towards the film is the American influence, which I can not help but feel also restricts character development and audience appreciation.
             It is impossible to watch Possession, with or without hav...