"Watching a movie from beginning to end is like reading, because even though what you see are images, they are telling you a story"

Guillermo Cabrera Infante's quote, "Seeing a movie from starting to end is like reading, because although what you see are images, they are telling you a story", draws a compelling parallel between two types of storytelling: movie theater and literature. This metaphor highlights the narrative power fundamental in both visual and written mediums, suggesting that despite their differing methods of conveying information, both goal to immerse the audience in a crafted world, evoke feelings, and interact complicated narratives.

At the core of this contrast is the concept of storytelling. In literature, this is achieved through words that paint imagery in the reader's mind, provoke imagination, and unfold plots and character arcs. Every page read is an invitation to picture scenes, environments, and emotions explained by the author. Similarly, motion pictures use a series of visual images combined with sound, discussion, and music to communicate a storyline. The juxtaposition of images in movie plays a role similar to descriptive passages in a book, offering visual cues that direct the audience through the story.

Cabrera Infante's example likewise highlights the interpretative function of the audience. Just as readers analyze text, analyze symbols, and conjure individual imagery while reading, movie viewers engage with the visual language on screen, using personal perception to analyze the story. This interaction between the story and the audience is important for both mediums; it allows for individual connections and varying interpretations, making the experience unique and subjective.

Furthermore, both mediums have actually a repaired start and surface, a structure supplying a sense of journey. In a movie, starting, middle, and end are marked by the circulation of scenes and dramatic arcs. In literature, this structure is mirrored in chapters and advancing narratives. Cabrera Infante elegantly encapsulates the core of narrative art, inviting appreciation for the storytelling craft across different formats, and reminding us that at their heart, stories-- despite how they're informed-- look for to engage and resonate with their audiences.