The Time-Space Paradigm in the Film Adaptation of a Literary Work

Abstract

The present study sets out to analyze the temporal-spatial paradigm in literary film adaptations. The objective is to illuminate the process by which the narrative structures of literary texts are transferred into a visual medium and the subsequent impact on the perception of time and space. In the context of film adaptations of literary works, temporal perspectives and spatial arrangements play pivotal roles in character development as well as thematic progression within the narrative. The literary work is characterized by complex, non-linear narrative structures, including retrospective (flashbacks), analepses, prolepses and parallel storylines, which enable the reader to understand character and plot progression. This study therefore investigates how the temporal and spatial perspectives of a literary work change in the process of film adaptation. The analysis revealed that time cannot exist without space and vice versa. However, it is commonplace for film adaptations to diverge from the temporal and spatial perceptions of the literary work, due to the unique technical demands of the cinematic medium.