Orange is the New Black is a memoir by Piper Kerman: a caucasian, upper class American woman who was convicted of carrying drug money. She chronicles her 15 month experience in a women’s prison, offering an unusual perspective on the incarceration experience.
Her book inspired a Netflix TV show by the same name (short form OITNB) which has had huge success; in fact, widespread critique displays preference for the series over the original memoir. In this article, writer and blogger Riese compares the two works to explore the modifications that were made, and connects Kerman’s observations to realities concerning the US prison system.
Despite the general understanding that the story is modified, OITNB’s audience seems to better identify with the fictionalized version. These are commonly stated reasons for this preference:
- The TV show does a much better job at characterization. Viewers feel more attached to Piper’s peers, which leads to more emotional investment and empathy for the inmates.
- Piper’s point of view in the memoir is frustrating: in a blog post, Genie Giaimo describes Kerman’s voice as “self-satisfied, egotistical, clueless, or otherwise questionable.” The show allows the viewer to interpret Piper’s actions for themselves, potentially making her more likeable.
- The show’s take on Piper’s experiences is much more dramatic. This is important for entertainment purposes, and makes the story feel significant, therefore drawing more attention.
- It addresses social discussions much more explicitly. This encompasses the lesbian relationships between inmates, the difficulties of being transgendered in prison, the tensions between racial groups, and injustices within the institution.
Such reaction points to public needs that must be met in order for a story to have impact, ones that may only be fulfilled by popular TV. While discussion was initiated by Kerman’s memoir, the fusion of fact and fiction seems to have given it the momentum for positive social action and change. One example is this campaign to improve the conditions at Riverhead jail. Does a positive outcome justify the manipulation of fact, or is the authenticity of the original text unjustly neglected?
Blending platforms may itself be emerging as beneficial to the memoir genre, which author and critic Taylor Antrim criticizes for often being “fragmentary” and “narratively non-rigourous.” The ripples that OITNB has set off suggests that, in an increasingly digitalized society, written memoirs are no longer sufficient; they may require a visual counterpart to make them more “real,” enticing and ultimately more powerful.
Adèle Therias
(For more information about Piper Kerman (the original!) check out her website.)
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Works Cited
Antrim, Taylor. “Why Some Memoirs Are Better As Fiction.” The Daily Beast. The Daily Beast Company, LLC. Web. 19 Jan. 2010. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.
Giaimo, Genie. “Orange IS NOT the New Black: The Problem of Adapting a Life Narrative to Television.” Visual Memoir. n.p., 13 Jan. 2014. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.
New York Civil Liberties Union. “Fix the Orange is The New Black Jail.” NYCLU. n.p., n.d. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.
Riese. “How “Real” Is “Orange Is The New Black”? Comparing the Show To The Memoir To The Numbers.” Autostraddle. The Excitant Group, LLC. Web. 4 Aug. 2013. Web. 5 Oct. 2014.
I am a big fan of reading a book before it is turned into a movie however I must confess that I am yet to read Orange Is The New Black. I am not a fan of the show as I find it difficult to like this Piper “character” and her less than desirable, self absorbed ways. In addition, knowing this is a real person (although likely altered for on-screen dramatics) makes it more difficult for me to relate to and therefore not want to waste my time with. Perhaps I’m not watching it with an open mind? What I do like about the show is the other characters, and their stories. I think it’s a brilliant idea to show inside a prison from a woman’s perspective and it be open and honest. Did you find the book was able to capture Piper and the other characters as clearly as the television program? Did you enjoy them both? If so, I may read the book just to see how it compares.
While on the topic of comparing books and the movies based on them, have you read and/or seen Into The Wild by Jon Krakauer? It is the best example that comes to my mind when I think of the difference a book or movie can have on a reader or audience. It is also possible the only time I have preferred the movie over the book.
Adele,
After watching the first season’s pilot episode of Orange is the New Black I was instantly hooked (which is saying a lot because I have never watched a full TV show). You identified a big reason for my attraction to OITNB: the blend of fact and fiction makes me think I’m becoming a more informed individual about women’s prisons while the dramatic non-fiction twists keep me on the edge of my seat. However, I recently talked with my aunt who served time in prison herself, and she was quite critical about the liberties that the director takes while portraying prison life. According to her, inmate sex is not NEARLY as common as the show makes it seem (occurring once or twice per episode) because in reality, any kind of touching between inmates has serious consequences. Also, since the Prison Rape Elimination Act in 2003, there are almost no male guards in female prisons. There goes “Pornstache” Mendez…
These are just a few examples of the ways that the TV show director is trying to “hollywood” up Piper’s original story by throwing in scandalous sex scenes and dangerous antagonists. OITNB creates a somewhat misleading image of prison life, but at the same time, the show has brought so much attention to female prisons that like you said, might “justify the manipulation of fact.”