Abstract

This thesis looks into the problem of 'Adaptation' and 'writing' in Adaptaion(2002)directed by Spike Jonze and written the play by Charlie Kaufman. This film make us think the meaning of writing as a transference from one work to the other. The story of this film is focusing on the main character's(Charlie Kaufman)alteration while trying to write a screenplay. The screenplay is all adaptation of The Orchid Thief written by Susan Orlean. But The Orchid Thief does not have a dramatic narrative item and conflicts between the characters, but it has a lot of informations about orchid. Therefore, Charlie Kaufman has difficulties in doing an adaptation. The other side, his twin younger brother Donald Kaufman writes and behaves freely without his anxiety. Donald Kaufman writes a sceenplay for an entertaining movie, and makes a hit in the amusement industry. Twin brothers Charlie and Donald are the double selves of a writer. They stand as a symbol of writer's desires. A writer has two desires of an art work and a popular work. Donald is the other self of the real writer, Charlie Kaufman. The relationship between the original author, Susan Orlean and the model of The Orchid Thief, John Laroche is interesting. They symbolize an author and a subject matter individually. Susan has a great longing for John's fervor. But she doesn't defend her own work of the story because of infatuating with the model of the story. Adaptaion has an antipodea phase in a story. The first half of that film has a speculative and serious story, but the latter half has a exciting and entertaining story. This aspect of Adaptaion explains the distress of writing or adaption itself. Writing or reforming composition is a kind of quarrel.