Differences and Similarities in a Tale of Courage

For many years Hollywood has been making blockbuster movies based on bestselling novels, but often these movies differ greatly from the novel . The movie The Power of One based on a book of the same name follows this trend. The Power of One tells the story of Peekay, a boy living in South Africa who dreams of becoming the welterweight champion of the world, and who tries to correct the injustice that goes on around him. Although the movie does keep the main themes of the novel like racism and how one person can change the world. The film adds new plot twists and characters that make the story more exciting, but also changes important characters and storylines from the
In both versions Morrie is also one of the few people that supported Peekays School for the blacks. The movie does not show the change that Morrie undergoes from ignoring the racial injustice inflicted on the black people to trying to change and better the lives of the African people. “The afternoon of the fight was the first time I has ever been close the African people. I mean, actually experienced them as people, not just servants or faithful family retainers, but as people with problems.... the effect was shattering. I found myself liking them.”[ Courtenay 446]

In the movie, there are new storylines that are added to make the movie more exciting. For instance, Peekay gets a love interest Maria Elisabet Marias. She is the daughter of a National Party leader, who promotes Apartheid and disproves of Peekay and Marias relationship. In the novel Peekay has no such love interest, the only woman Peekay ever has a crush on is Miss. Bornstien. Another new storyline added to the movie is Peekay and the Judge. Peekay's reunion with the judge is dractically changed in the movie. In the book he reunites with the Judge at a bar in Northern Rhodeasia, while working as a miner. In the movie the Judge is a sergent in the German police who is hired by Maria's father to spy on Peekay. He blames Peekay for his expulsion from school and repeatedly trys to stop Peekays attempt to