History Literature / BridgeToTerabithia

* TomboyWithAGirlyStreak: Leslie, who likes sports, including both running and running, plus having {{boyish short hair}} while wearing less "feminine" clothing usually. She prefers the outdoors, and leads Jesse into the woods on many adventures. On the other hand, she also has Barbies she'd played with in the past and is still "girlish" in her mannerisms.

''Bridge to Terabithia'' is a 1977 novel by Creator/KatherinePaterson. It has twice been [[FilmOfTheBook adapted to film]], first as a 1985 MadeForTVMovie for Creator/{{PBS}}, and again as a 2007 theatrical film produced by Creator/WaldenMedia and distributed by Creator/{{Disney}}, starring Creator/JoshHutcherson and Creator/AnnaSophiaRobb.

* RetroUniverse: While the film is set in modern times (Jess' classmates have computers and handheld gaming devices), it does have some nuances, characteristics and feel of the [[TheSeventies 1970s]] and [[TheEighties 80s]], particularly the fashion and cars. If it weren't for the technology, the film could be set at almost be any time between 1977 and 2007.

* AdaptationalNiceGuy: Well she was InnocentlyInsensitive at worst but May Belle asked [[spoiler: what Leslie's corpse looked like]] in the book and Jesse hit her for it. In the film, their argument is over her following him into the woods because she was worried, and he only pushes her.

* AngerBornOfWorry: When Jesse returns home from his day with Miss Edmunds, [[spoiler:everyone in his family is waiting for him. His mother runs towards him and hugs him tightly, asking worriedly where he's been, while his father asks the same thing angrily. Jesse is confused. They then reveal that Leslie died, and since he was missing all day they thought he was dead as well]].

* AwLookTheyReallyDoLoveEachOther: Unlike in the book where Brenda was more matter-of-fact in saying [[spoiler:their mother thought Jesse was dead]], she says rather angrily, "We thought you were dead!" when Jesse gets home from the museum.
* BecauseYouWereNiceToMe: The reason [[spoiler: Janice beats up Gary for accosting Jesse. While he was never nice to her, he was friends with Leslie who was nice to her.]]

* JerkassHasAPoint: Jesse's father may have been harsh, but he is absolutely right in scolding his son for releasing a pest that was endangering the family greenhouse, and for thinking that he could reason with a wild animal.

* PartingWordsRegret: In the movie, it's implied this is why Mr. Aarons goes easier on Jesse [[spoiler:after Leslie dies, along with the tragedy of the situation. Mr. Aarons's last big interaction with Jesse was yelling at him for misplacing the keys to the greenhouse, and saying he can't draw "damn money". It turns out it wasn't even Jesse's fault; May Belle was the one who took the keys and gave them to Leslie to use for Terabithian window chimes, not knowing any better. Once Jesse got the keys back, he sullenly returned them to his dad without saying a word, but refusing to put the blame on May Belle. His dad noticeably looks guilty after Leslie dies, since the family was worried that Jesse had died as well]].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: After Jesse acts out in school [[spoiler: through punching a kid who'd joked that he's the fastest kid as Leslie's dead]], the teacher talks to him about [[spoiler:grieving the loss of a loved one]] when it appears he's about to be punished. A similar thing happens in the book, only instead of punching a kid, Jesse didn't stand for the national anthem.

* SettingUpdate: Instead of the 1970s (when the book was published), the movie takes place in the then-present day of the mid-2000s. This doesn't really affect anything other than the fashion, the [[CulturallySensitiveAdaptation updated values]], the presence of electronics (the Aarons are too poor to afford anything electronic beyond a small television and a landline, Mrs. Myers has a ban on electronics and two kids are seen hiding their gaming devices -- presumably Game Boys -- and will give detention for plagiarizing off the Internet)

* WriteWhoYouKnow: An in-universe example the 2007 film. Jesse and Leslie base the creatures and inhabitants of their imaginary world off of people they know. In particular, the ''Squoagers'' and ''Hairy Vultures'' are monsters based off the bullies Scott Hoager and Gary Fulcher and even resemble them to a degree. The troll is based off Janice Avery, [[spoiler: and does a HeelFaceTurn after Leslie comforts her,]] while [[spoiler:the Dark Master is based off Jesse's father, and [[FridgeBrilliance disappears at the end, when the two of them finally understand one another.]]]] The wish-fulfillment of this helps them both -- but Jesse in particular -- to grow stronger in RealLife as well.

!! The book contains examples of the following tropes:

!!The movie contains examples of the following tropes

* WriteWhoYouKnow: An in-universe example the 2007 film. Jesse and Leslie base the creatures and inhabitants of their imaginary world off of people they know. In particular, the ''Squoagers'' and ''Hairy Vultures'' are monsters based off the bullies Scott Hoager and Gary Fulcher and even resemble them to a degree. The troll is based off Janice Avery, [[spoiler: and does a HeelFaceTurn after Leslie comforts her,]] while [[spoiler:the Dark Master is based off Jesse's father, and [[FridgeBrilliance disappears at the end, when the two of them finally understand one another.]]]] The wish-fulfillment of this arguably helps them both -- but Jesse in particular -- to grow stronger in RealLife as well.

* ParentsAsPeople: Leslie talks with Jesse about how she's beginning to understand her father Bill more as a person by working with him on renovating their house. Jesse is confused by the prospect, thinking that parents aren't people he needs ''understand'' so much as ''obey.'' This changes as he begins to spend more time with Bill and comes to understand him as a person, and then [[spoiler:after Leslie's death, when he works through his grief with his previously-aloof father]].