'American Fiction' Book to Film Comparison: What Did the Oscar-Winning Movie Change? (2024)

The Big Picture

Monk's journey in American Fiction sees him trying to navigate the literary landscape as a Black author.
The movie leaves out some aspects of Monk's family life that are featured in the book, titled Erasure, including his long-lost half-sister.
American Fiction maintains the satirical essence of the source material, offering a blend of drama and humor that has garnered critical acclaim.

American FIction was a stand-out in the film landscape last year, not only gathering critical and commercial acclaim but also winning writer/director Cord Jefferson an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. Jefferson adapted the film from the novel Erasure by Percival Everett, with both stories featuring the same setup: feeling frustrated at his career stalling due to his books not being perceived as "Black enough," author/professor Thelonius "Monk" Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) writes a novel satirizing the tropes that often appear in the literature he despises. Although Monk only wrote it as a joke, his agent sends it to (white) publishers who gush over it. Said novel — first titled "My Pafology" then retitled "f*ck" to add to the absurdity of the whole fiasco — turns out to be a major success, leading to conflict for Monk as he wrote the joke novel under the pseudonym of a fugitive, which only increases interest in the book.

It's a setup that yields some hilarious moments and Jefferson felt a personal connection to the book. "Have you ever read a book that felt like it was written specifically for you? That’s how it felt when I read [Erasure]," he said during an interview with The Guardian while discussing how it ran parallel to his experiences as a journalist turned screenwriter. While Jefferson stays true to the main plot of Erasure, American Fiction takes a few departures from the novel it's based on, both in terms of plot and tone. Those changes range from minor to major, including the fate of one character.

American Fiction

What Is the Main Difference Between 'American Fiction' and 'Erasure'?

While Monk and his agent, Arthur (John Ortiz), are the only people who know that he wrote "f*ck" things become even more complicated when Monk is invited to be a judge for the New England Book Association's Literary Award and "f*ck" is on the shortlist. Monk winds up receiving the acclaim he's yearned for his entire career, but it's all due to writing a novel that represents everything he hates about the literary landscape. It all makes for what Arthur calls "the most lucrative joke in publishing history."

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Though each has its own merits to how it approaches this story, the film and the book could not be more different than each other.

Monk goes along with the charade because he's trying to take care of his family. His mother Agnes (Leslie Uggams) is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's, and certain events leave Monk as her primary caretaker. While Erasure does touch on Monk's family life, it also focuses on "f*ck" and features "excerpts" from the novel. In these sections, Everett satirizes the publishing industry and how Black stories are often reduced to trauma in order to be considered "successful." American Fiction only does this once during a scene where Monk writes "f*ck": he imagines a conversation between his characters, Van Go Jenkins (OkierieteOnaodowan) and his father Willy the Wonker (Keith David), even giving them directions like he's staging a movie. It's a surreal scene that highlights how absurd Monk's project is, and it's a shame the film didn't incorporate more of this.

'American Fiction' Changes Some Major Details in Monk's Family Life

Throughout American Fiction, Monk deals with a number of upheavals in his family life. He winds up taking care of his mother when his sister Lisa (Tracee Ellis Ross) suffers a fatal aneurysm and has a strained relationship with his brother Cliff (Sterling K. Brown). To top it all off, he's sent reeling from the revelation that his father was carrying on an affair behind his mother's back before he committed suicide. Erasure takes a rather dark turn with Lisa's death, as she's shot and fatally wounded at her women's health clinic in the book. This adds an edge to the narrative, and it's not the only major twist American Fiction leaves out. In the book, Monk discovers he has a half-sister as a result of his father's infidelities, and tracks her down; this is revealed via letters from his father's mistress, which are inserted at various points throughout Erasure.

Sintara Golden’s Role Is Slightly Different in ‘Erasure’ Than ‘American Fiction’

'American Fiction' Book to Film Comparison: What Did the Oscar-Winning Movie Change? (3)

The main reason that Monk ends up writing "f*ck" is due to his disgust at the bestselling "We’s Lives In Da Ghetto," as he feels its author Sintara Golden (Issa Rae) has written something that embodies everything he despises about the world of publishing. But when Sintara is selected as a judge for the Literary Award as well, Monk finally has a chance to meet her face to face where she dismantles a great deal of his opinions about her work. In Erasure, Sintara doesn't join Monk as a judge in the book, but she does play an integral part in the book; when Monk learns that his girlfriend Marilyn Tilman is reading "We's Lives In Da Ghetto," it sparks a heated argument between them. This is different to the movie, in which it's a copy of "f*ck." American Fiction also changes a few names, as Sintara was originally named Juanita Mae Jenkins in Erasure and Marilyn is changed to Coraline (Erika Alexander).

‘Erasure’ and ‘American Fiction’ Both Have Ambiguous Endings

Perhaps the biggest similarity that Erasure shares with American Fiction is the ambiguous ending, where Monk learns that f*ck has won an award. Erasure is more firm in its ambiguity, closing with Monk walking up to the podium to accept said award. In contrast, American Fiction has a bit of a "choose your own ending" moment, as the entire film is a screenplay based on Monk's experience. While Monk pushes for a more ambiguous ending, director Wiley Valdespino (Adam Brody) ends up going with the more melodramatic finale that Monk pitches him — highlighting similarities between how Hollywood and the publishing industry view Black stories.

Though American Fiction does take some deviations from its source material, it still manages to capture what makes the book so special. Jefferson keeps the bulk of the story and makes changes that result in a blend of drama and satire, making American Fiction worthy of all the praise and awards attention it has received. As well as Jefferson winning the Oscar for his screenplay, actors Jeffrey Wright and Sterling K. Brown were nominated for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor, respectively.

American Fiction is available to stream on Prime Video in the U.S.

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