Shoeless Joe/Field of Dreams

Until this year, I was unaware that the 1989 movie Field of Dreams is the film adaptation of W.P. Kinsella's novel, _Shoeless Joe_. I think the screenwriters did an excellent job of translating the book into the film. It was definitely a successful adaptation because it had the same themes and plot as the novel. One change that was made was Annie Kinsella's personality. In the book, she's passive about everything. In the movie, however, she speaks her mind and stands up for what she believes in, as illustrated when she speaks at a PTA meeting. She also reminds Ray of their financial problems when he's traveling around the country. Annie is generally a more realistic character in the film than in the book. Another change is that in the novel, Ray spends time with the famous author, J.D. Salinger, but in the movie, the author's name is Terrance Mann. This change was made to avoid legal issues associated with including a real celebrity in the story. These changes didn't really matter because the plot remained the same. The film stays true to the text in that it preserves the theme of following your dreams and listening to your inner voice.