Post by Christian Soldier on Apr 27, 2008 1:26:20 GMT -5
I find myself on Staff Duty, forced to be awake at hours God surely did not intend us to be about. On top of that, my mind is suitably relaxed/exhausted enough to write but no projects are currently in the works. What follows is some generic rambling concerning the final fifth of any given work: the ending.
The Bible begins with the words: "In the beginning", thus setting the tone for the entire Bible. It ends with words that are similar in their impact: “He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.”Both have a profound impact in the reader. It is the ending; however, that causes one to look back at Genesis with wonder, and it is the ending of any story that brings the reader back time and time again.
Like all Human beings, the reader places great store in what he/she takes away from something. One of the greatest stories I have ever read was "Roadside Picnic", written by the Strugatsky Brothers. Its ending did not leave me with warm fuzzies, nor did I have a sense:of completion. No. I was hopping mad. The ending was completely open. It was chopped off, sudden and violent. At the time, I hated the story with all my might. I wondered who would read such drivel. That is, until I noticed something: two weeks later, I was still thinking about that story. I brought this phenomena up to a Russian friend of mine and he pointed out a simple fact: the story was still with me. When I went back and reread the story, I realized that the ending was perfect. To continue would have been to draw it out and prolong it. You see, it wasn't based on plot, or event. Nay! It was based on a character and his growth. When he reached the spot the authors were looking for, they ended it. Why drag it out? So they ended it, right where the ending needed to be without preamble or fan fare. Simply: the end, but that's not the only response to aim for.
"The Alien Chronicles", written by Deborah Chester, created a totally different response from me. At the end of those three little novels, I cried. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I mourned over the dead. I was overjoyed for who survived to reach the end, and I pitied those who remained behind. The depths of my sorrow and mingled joy were boundless. I felt like I had just been to a funeral. Why!? Because she was able to bring about such a strong reaction in me, and the beginning was much the same. It reflected the end in that my emotional response to her words was strong, and the emotion was a similar one: Love. The love that only a mother can have for her child, and visa versa. In addition, "The Alien Chronicles" reminded me of Exodus and gave me some strong insights into Moses' life and career. I was always thinking back to: “Is this what Moses felt?” or “Did Moses do this thing?” Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Regardless, I was left with a profound feeling, loss mingled joy, by then end of it, and I will always take time to go back and re-read those books when I start to forget.
The ending's power is that it determines what the reader takes away from the work. A strong response indicates that the reader was drawn in and absorbed. Sometimes they are left with questions that they crave an answer to(See "Demon, a Memoir" by Tosca Lee). Sometimes they want more, need more, crave more. Sometimes they burn with remorse or cry out with joy. Sometimes they are left with a sense of completion, or warm fuzzies that comes from completing a good story. Always the reader is drawn back; even if it is not to that particular story, then to another that you have written. Eventually, the reader will pick up the story again, if for no other reason than to experience that feeling again. This is the ultimate compliment that a reader can give: to read a story again and again.
Please note that the preceding was written at 12:45 am. Any errors within this article are purely the fault of exhaustion and an inadequate supply of caffeine. However, the concepts within were concocted sever days prior and fermented in the vast still of my mind. What emerged is somewhat difficult to swallow and not particularly tasty, but it works. For those curious, information on the Strugatsky brothers can be found at www.rusf.ru/abs/english/ and information on Deborah Chester at www.deborahchester.com/
The Bible begins with the words: "In the beginning", thus setting the tone for the entire Bible. It ends with words that are similar in their impact: “He who testifies to these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon."The grace of the Lord Jesus be with God's people. Amen.”Both have a profound impact in the reader. It is the ending; however, that causes one to look back at Genesis with wonder, and it is the ending of any story that brings the reader back time and time again.
Like all Human beings, the reader places great store in what he/she takes away from something. One of the greatest stories I have ever read was "Roadside Picnic", written by the Strugatsky Brothers. Its ending did not leave me with warm fuzzies, nor did I have a sense:of completion. No. I was hopping mad. The ending was completely open. It was chopped off, sudden and violent. At the time, I hated the story with all my might. I wondered who would read such drivel. That is, until I noticed something: two weeks later, I was still thinking about that story. I brought this phenomena up to a Russian friend of mine and he pointed out a simple fact: the story was still with me. When I went back and reread the story, I realized that the ending was perfect. To continue would have been to draw it out and prolong it. You see, it wasn't based on plot, or event. Nay! It was based on a character and his growth. When he reached the spot the authors were looking for, they ended it. Why drag it out? So they ended it, right where the ending needed to be without preamble or fan fare. Simply: the end, but that's not the only response to aim for.
"The Alien Chronicles", written by Deborah Chester, created a totally different response from me. At the end of those three little novels, I cried. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I mourned over the dead. I was overjoyed for who survived to reach the end, and I pitied those who remained behind. The depths of my sorrow and mingled joy were boundless. I felt like I had just been to a funeral. Why!? Because she was able to bring about such a strong reaction in me, and the beginning was much the same. It reflected the end in that my emotional response to her words was strong, and the emotion was a similar one: Love. The love that only a mother can have for her child, and visa versa. In addition, "The Alien Chronicles" reminded me of Exodus and gave me some strong insights into Moses' life and career. I was always thinking back to: “Is this what Moses felt?” or “Did Moses do this thing?” Sometimes yes and sometimes no. Regardless, I was left with a profound feeling, loss mingled joy, by then end of it, and I will always take time to go back and re-read those books when I start to forget.
The ending's power is that it determines what the reader takes away from the work. A strong response indicates that the reader was drawn in and absorbed. Sometimes they are left with questions that they crave an answer to(See "Demon, a Memoir" by Tosca Lee). Sometimes they want more, need more, crave more. Sometimes they burn with remorse or cry out with joy. Sometimes they are left with a sense of completion, or warm fuzzies that comes from completing a good story. Always the reader is drawn back; even if it is not to that particular story, then to another that you have written. Eventually, the reader will pick up the story again, if for no other reason than to experience that feeling again. This is the ultimate compliment that a reader can give: to read a story again and again.
Please note that the preceding was written at 12:45 am. Any errors within this article are purely the fault of exhaustion and an inadequate supply of caffeine. However, the concepts within were concocted sever days prior and fermented in the vast still of my mind. What emerged is somewhat difficult to swallow and not particularly tasty, but it works. For those curious, information on the Strugatsky brothers can be found at www.rusf.ru/abs/english/ and information on Deborah Chester at www.deborahchester.com/
