Questions About The Painted Veil

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Answered Questions (4)

is this book better than its movie or just the same ???? is there anything different between the book and movie???

Keely This comment contains lots of SPOILERS. There are a lot of differences. Both are to be savored and both are beautiful works of art. The movie is much …moreThis comment contains lots of SPOILERS. There are a lot of differences. Both are to be savored and both are beautiful works of art. The movie is much more romantic and scenic. It takes the story out into the open and does more with the political situation in China at the time and the cholera epidemic. The book is more introspective and profound. I would say that the biggest difference is that the book does not give you the great romantic reconciliation between Walter and Kitty that the movie depicted. The book is almost completely about the workings of Kitty's mind and her transformation in the way she sees Walter. I found that to be priceless and I wanted it to keep reading it forever. The depth of characterization is as remarkable as what Henry James did with Portrait of a Lady -- I almost felt that Maugham used Portrait as a model in the way that some of the most wonderful and moving passages of this book are nothing more than an examination of Kitty's thought processes. I agree with Carol below that the book is a must read. Still, the movie is one of the most under-valued Hollywood movies ever made and should have been up for Oscars galore. It increased the scope of the book in a very effective way and went into a great deal of detail about Walter's work on the typhoid epidemic and water crisis in that area of China. It can be difficult to translate onto screen what goes on inside of the characters' minds, especially when that is the focus of the book, but I think what the movie did by bringing in the details of what Walter was trying to do in his work was a smart substitute, because it provided justification for the great change in Kitty's attitude toward Walter - you could actually see it happening, and why. . . . Another big difference in the book is that Kitty isn't completely redeemed when she returns to Tching-yen after Walter's death, and there are new encounters with Charlie and also his wife which almost give the impression that they were complicit in his love affairs.(less)

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I just saw the movie on Netflix. Can anyone offer a comparison?

Keely Hi, Mary - If you mean a comparison between the movie and the book, browse the other questions about this book and you'll see I answered in detail. I …moreHi, Mary - If you mean a comparison between the movie and the book, browse the other questions about this book and you'll see I answered in detail. I loved both. Any difficulty finding my remarks, let me know. (less)

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i loved a mixture of movie and the audio book. But why is it titled painted veil?

kate In the novel, the "painted veil" represents the illusions that people create for themselves, which prevent them from seeing the truth. The main charac…moreIn the novel, the "painted veil" represents the illusions that people create for themselves, which prevent them from seeing the truth. The main characters, Walter and Kitty, both have "painted veils" that they use to hide from their unhappiness and to avoid confronting their problems(less)

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what did the book really relate about?