Comparison between the novel and film versions of Snow Falling on Cedars It is not an easy task to create a work , through writing or film, that has an impact on society. In writing, you need to discuss and analyze a relevant topic that will impact your readers. You also need to present amazing sensory images through words to create a complete understanding for the reader. In cinema it is not much different, but there must be striking visual images combined with a suitable soundtrack to give the viewer a complete experience. There must also be historical accuracy, both in the writing and in the film. In either case, it can take years to create such captivating work. David Guterson's novel Snow Falling on Cedars and its film counterpart of the same name combine all aspects of good writing and filmmaking to create an emotionally provocative and historically accurate masterpiece. The story of Snow Falls on the Cedars was set on a fictional island called San Piedro, somewhere in the Puget Sound area. The island had a thick history of generations of prejudice masked by the lives of immigrant strawberry farmers. The island was home to descendants of German, Swedish, English and Japanese ancestry. When World War II broke out, people immediately panicked and reacted badly to American citizens of Japanese descent. The story follows the lives of these Japanese Americans through their painful internment by the American government for what they called the "good of the union." The story also centers on several other subplots, including a biracial romance between a young couple, as well as the death of a White Island fisherman named Carl Heine, Jr., and the trial of Japan... in the middle of paper ......bold and leads the reader or viewer to develop an intense emotional involvement with the plot. Both the novel and the film are remarkably vivid in their use of imagery and themes. The snow falling on the cedars, as a prevalent image in both versions, functions as a beautiful metaphor that requires interpretation. Themes about the complexity of the human heart and the random distribution of good and bad fortune are reinforced throughout each work. The original work of pure genius – the novel, of course – deserves credit for the incredible story behind Snow Falling on the Cedars, but it's clear that the film followed the path of its predecessor with ease. Works Cited Guterson, David. Snow falls on cedars. New York: Vintage Books, 1995. Snow falls on the cedars. Screenplay by Ron Bass and Scott Hicks, Universal Pictures, 1999.