Along Came a Spider by James Patterson Compare and Contrast Book /Movie

The book “Along Came a Spider’ by James Patterson follows the chase of a homicide investigator, Alex Cross in pursuit of a culprit who had kidnapped two children belonging to wealthy families. The book belongs to the genre of mystery fiction, as the characters and plot of the story are created by the imagination of the author.

The struggle of law to bring the criminals to justice is presented in the book. The author utilizes a narrative which maintains the suspense in the story till the end. The book addresses the problem of increasing incidence of crime in the modern society.

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The plot of the story centers on the kidnapping of two children of wealthy families. Alex Cross is the investigator of the case, and he strives relentlessly to get hold of the kidnapper, Gary Soneji. As the other culprits are revealed, the story takes an interesting turn and ends in a surprising climax.

The main characters, Alex Cross and Gary Soneji come across as real people, for they behave in a manner which displays the various aspects of human nature. I like the character of Alex Cross, for he loves his job and carries his duty with sincerity.

“I love my work, love Homicide," I said with a sneer. ” (Patterson 24). The book has changed my attitude about the factors that compel an individual to commit crime. Gary Soneji’s note on a mirror brings forth his intention for kidnapping the children, “I want to be somebody. ” (Patterosn 145).

Through the efforts of Alex Cross, the author has depicted the struggle of law to punish criminals and protect the people. The book has led to a change in my opinion regarding the motives for crime. Movie Review The movie “Along Came a Spider” is based on the novel by the same name.

Directed by Lee Tamahori, the movie focuses on the efforts of Alex Cross, an investigator on trail of a serial kidnapper, in an urban setting. The movie is a suspense thriller and it depicts the thinking of a criminal who in quest of fame, engages in criminal activities.

The movie presents the immoral ways adopted by human to fulfill their desires. Alex Cross, the investigator and Gary Soneji, the kidnapper are the central characters in the movie. Gary Soneji, a teacher kidnaps the daughter of a Senator, studying in his school.

Alex Cross and Jezzie Flannigan, an agent responsible for the security of the children studying in the elite school, investigate the case. Alex Cross succeeds in finding the real culprits, as the movie ends in an unexpected climax. The characters in the movie are presented as human beings with failings, so they appear to be one amongst the common people. I like the characters in the movie, for they represent the contrasting worlds of justice and crime. The movie has made me realize the difficulties encountered by an investigator while pursuing a criminal.

The complexities of human mind are depicted in the movie through the character of Gary Soneji. “I am living proof, that a mind is a terrible thing. ” (Tamahori). The movie would have been more realistic if the director had not incorporated acts which appear to be improbable.

The movie, with its depiction of a criminal whose intention for committing crime is achieving fame, is interesting and thrilling. The movie succeeds in conveying the message of the director, as it brings forth before the audiences, the difficulties encountered by an investigator in protecting the society.

Comparison and Contrast The book “Along Came the Spider” by James Patterson and the movie with the same title, directed by Lee Tamahori are similar to each other as far as the storyline is considered. But there are numerous changes in the movie while depicting the characters from the book.

The character of Alex Cross in the movie is older compared to the character in the book. In the book, Alex Cross is having a family but in the movie Alex Cross is presented as an individual without family. The third difference regarding the character of Alex Cross is his relation with the Jezzie Flannigan.

The contrasts in the book and the movie are perceptible in the characterization of Alex Cross. The character of Alex Cross in the movie differs from the book, for Alex Cross is depicted in the book as a young man. He is thirty eight years old and is good-looking. “I was thirty eight at the time. ” (Patterson 10).

Being a black, he is aware of the racist attitude of the society while looking at him. It was this attitude of the society which made him to choose a police career rather than becoming a psychologist. In the movie, the character of Alex Cross is presented as an older man in comparison to the age of Cross in the book.

Alex Cross in the movie comes across as a matured individual, owing to his age. The outlook of Alex Cross in the movie is different from that of Alex in the book, as being older the character of Alex in the movie is more experienced in his field, and is adept at his work.

The other factor that differentiates the character of Alex Cross in the movie from that of Cross in the book is the family. The character of Alex Cross in the movie is shown as having a family. As his wife has died, Alex is the one who is looking after his two children.

“On the bureau, by the bed, was a picture of Maria Cross. Three years before, my wife had been murdered in a drive-by shooting. ” (Patterson 11). The other family member living with him is his grandmother. Alex Cross calls her as Nana Mama. It was because of Nana Mama that Alex was in the field of psychology.

“It’s been like that for almost thirty years ever since Nana Mama first took me in and decided she could make something out of me. She made a homicide detective with a doctorate in psychology, who works and lives in the ghettos of Washington, D. C. ” (Patterson 12).

But in the movie, Alex Cross has no family. Although, his wife is seen in a scene comforting him when his partner dies, there is no mention about her in the later part of the movie. Alex Cross has no children, and so he is free from any responsibilities.

With no family to look after, Alex Cross focuses all his attention on the case of the kidnapping. Although both the characters of Alex Cross in the book and movie are dedicated towards their work, the character of Alex Cross in the movie is fully engrossed in his duty, as he has no family to look after.

The third point of difference between the book and the movie in regards to the character of Alex Cross is his relation with Jezzie Flannigan. In the book Alex Cross falls in love with his partner, Jezzie Flannigan and develops a relationship with her.

The relation of Alex and Jezzie Flannigan provides an interesting turn to the plot of the story. The character of Alex Cross in the movie is not involved in a romantic relation with Jezzie Flannigan; they are depicted just as partners in the investigation of the kidnappings.

Alex Cross interacts with Jezzie Flannigan as his partner who was there to aid him in solving the mystery of the kidnapping. The character of Alex Cross in the book is young and develops a passionate relation with his partner, Jezzie Flannigan whereas the character of Alex Cross in the movie is older and is presented has having only a platonic relationship with Jezzie Flannigan.

Works Cited

IMDb. Along Came a Spider. 9 April 2009. http://www. imdb. com/title/tt0164334/quotes Patterson , James. Along Came a Spider. Grand Central Publishing. 1993.

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