As my students gear up to watch the new adaptation of Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby, I can't help but think about the many wonderful adaptations that have been created from great works of literature. In doing some research, I found a New York Times article titled "Nintendo Lit: Gatsby and Tom Sawyer" that highlights some of the fun people have with great literature.
As a teacher, it's a common exercise in my class to have my students create videos or live action dramatizations of scenes from novels, but I have not attempted a video game adaptation. Ironically, I still own an original Nintendo and I actually have The Adventures of Tom Sawyer video game. It's not as good as the book!
Check out these short game play videos for The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and The Great Gatsby. Are they faithful adaptations? What great works of literature do you think could be adapted into great video games?
It's not every teacher that has a sincere interest in blending these two worlds. And who can do it so convincingly. Inspiring!
ReplyDeleteAnd, to answer the actual question: The Odyssey, The Inferno, Heart of Darkness, 1984, Brave New World, and Huck Finn. I don't understand how The Great Gatsby is a video game. How do you make a "game" out of a "journey" that is so internal? I really am curious to see more. Do you think that students can really understand the tragedy of Gatsby through a "gaming" experience? I'll admit to my own naivete, here. I think many of us are not able to encourage these adaptations because of our own limited understanding of what it means to "play" a video game. How do we learn?
ReplyDeleteA great point! Video games are still viewed by many as a waste of time or a distraction so they are not taken seriously as a literary form or art form. Video games are based on interaction, so they have a different level of immersion than do books or movies. Just playing a few games with a critical eye is a great way to start jumping into this new world. It will surprise you, I promise!
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