Tragic endings

[Grace]

Sometimes tragic endings seem really depressing to me, and sometimes they complete the story in ways a happy ending wouldn't. What's your opinion on tragic endings? Any particular favorites?

[J.]

My experience as a writer is, tragic endings always cause my work to lose a star for many reviewers. They say something like, "I would give it 5 stars but I hated the sad ending." Not all, but the majority of readers seem to hate tragic endings, to the point where they hate to read any more of that particular author's work. So now I try to avoid endings entirely by writing series.

Just kidding.

Sort of. Lololol.

[Kyra]

I don't like tragic endings. If some characters die, that's ok, but not the main character. If the main character dies or fails, I feel like I've wasted all the time and emotion I put into following their story.

Anyway, death is boring. It's living on with what's happened that's interesting.

[Trike]

Depends on the story being told. I'm neither for them or against them.

Casablanca doesn't have a happy ending, but it's certainly an appropriate one. The ending of The Thing is a bummer, but also heroic.

[Mubbles]

I think tragic endings can add so much to a story,what's the point of continuous good outcomes to tales?This removes any tension or real drama as the reader knows everything will turn out ok,that's the joy of books like the Game Of Thrones series...anyone can(and probably will)meet an awful end.knowing that a character you've grown to love can easily get the bullet adds enormously to the drama and tension.I think one of my favourite examples of this would be Eriksons Deadhouse Gates...the culmination of the chain of dogs thread is one of the few that has actually hit me hard with a genuine emotional impact..highly recommended.

[V.W.]

If it is tragic in the sense the everything that happened in the story was in vain, then no I don't like tragic endings.

If there was a purpose to the MC's death, then it depends on how it was written.

A good example is the King Arthur story. In the end it all falls apart and nothing is accomplished. I wouldn't read a re-telling of that. Some may find a tale of dreaming and striving greatly but failing to be somehow inspiring. I just find it bad planning and poor leadership.

[Michael]

I admit, I find it easier to enjoy a story with a happy ending. For me to like a tragic ending, I think the writing has to be that much better and the 'tragedy' has to be meaningful. Tragedy just for the sake of tragedy just depresses me, and real life can be depressing enough without seeking it out in my books.

[colleen the convivial curmudgeon]

I'm not a huge fan of tragic endings, in general, but I'm not entirely opposed to them if they actually serve the story and aren't just a big eff you to the reader.

That said, I prefer bittersweet endings to outright tragic ones, in general. Ones where maybe not everything worked out, but there's some sense of hope or accomplishment so it's not a total downer.

First books that come to mind with bittersweet endings that I liked are The Book of Lost Things, the Anna duology by Kendare Blake (first book - Anna Dressed in Blood) and Sai King's 'Dark Tower' series.

[Björn]

Three words only.
"The Golden Compass".
;)
Yes I know, it was a cliffhanger and not an ending, but extreme nonetheless. And I loved it.

Oh, and to think about it. The tragic ending closing the final volume "The Amber Spyglass" is devastating, too.

[Thaddeus]

The fourth book by Robin Hobb which featured Fitz (I think it's the opener of the Tawny Man Trilogy), has a very sad ending. It's extremely well-written, but I do wonder if I'll ever read it again.

[Trike]

I think the ultimate tragic ending in SFF is probably Flowers for Algernon.

[J.]

V.W. wrote: "If it is tragic in the sense the everything that happened in the story was in vain, then no I don't like tragic endings.

If there was a purpose to the MC's death, then it depends on how it was wr..."

Are you sure King Arthur really died? Never mind what Thomas Mallory wrote because that was all made up with no facts in it. Lancelot was not a real person but Arthur was real, although not actually a king. There was a real Arthur, war leader of Brittania, who conquered the Saxon hordes at the battle of Badon and after the battle of Camlan he was only mostly dead. He was born off in a boat to the Isle of Avalon where a healer with magical power attempts to save his life. Maybe she succeeded and maybe Arthur lived to accomplish more great deeds! :>)

[Aaron]

In general I want closure in my stories, so tragic ends often play out well. What I don't like is then suddenly right on the cusp of victory the main characters love is shot and dies then I'm more :/. What I generally prefer is the characters making a heroic sacrifice or maybe just their plan not actually working, or someone(s) just get killed during the intense final action sequence. What I don't like is the looks like we won > horrible thing happens and someone dies just to make sure that the reader knows that it's not over yet or to just make sure the main character remains a brooding mess for the next book as well. That's not to say you can't have a tragic death come out of left field but you better play with it well and hopefully don't literally throw it just at the very very end.

[V.W.]

J. wrote: "V.W. wrote: "If it is tragic in the sense the everything that happened in the story was in vain, then no I don't like tragic endings.

If there was a purpose to the MC's death, then it depends on ..."

Indeed, there is some possibility of a "real" Arthur, but of course I am talking about the classic tale of Arthur and Camelot, Lancelot, Modred and all.

[YouKneeK]

I read something a year ago in the Park Service Trilogy by Ryan Winfield that resonated with me, because the author put into words my own feelings on the subject of endings: “I find myself hoping for a happy ending, but really it’s only a happy pause, because if you let any story play out long enough, they all end.

What I want out of a book (or a series) is for the ending to happen at the happy pause. I can be difficult to please when it comes to endings, though, because I also want the ending to be realistic. I don’t want an excessively fluffy ending where every character has their own little “happy ever after” ending. I especially hate it when an author seems to think that a happy ending means every character needs to be paired off in a romantic relationship.

The more invested I feel, the more I care about the ending. If I’m just reading a typical book where I’m enjoying the story and the characters, then I’ll be mildly annoyed if I’m not happy with the ending. I’ll mention it in my review, start the next book, and move on. Once in a while, though, I read a book where I somehow find myself heavily invested in one or more of the characters. In those cases, the ending becomes ridiculously important to me and I’ll be in a funk for days if my favorite characters end up dead or unhappy.

A happy ending for me really depends on what I’m invested in, both story-wise and character-wise. While reading some books, I’ve become far more invested in secondary characters than in the protagonist. In those cases, my idea of a happy ending for that story might not be the same as another reader’s. I also typically want some sort of positive thing to have been accomplished as it relates to the plot, so that there's a sense that the future is at least a little bit brighter and all the stuff I just finished reading about wasn't completely in vain.

[Kateb]

I cant stand an unhappy ending, there are so much stress in the world I want to be entertained, taken away from real life. I have even been known to get anxious through a book because it looks like it is going to be a tragic ending. At that point I flick through the end of the book hoping to see the main characters name, if still there I will continue reading.

Don't shout at me, I have had the family tell me I shouldn't do this.

[Sarah]

Trike wrote: "I think the ultimate tragic ending in SFF is probably Flowers for Algernon."

I totally agree. And I would read it again in a heartbeat :)

[Grace]

@Kateb I've done the exact same thing! Usually if I think a minor character might die. Character deaths are so heartbreaking, I have to know about them beforehand :)

[Shomeret]

I recently read a book with a tragic ending. It was the sort of ending where the protagonist was alive, but there would be no more meaning to her life. I considered that worse than death. I thought that was truly horrible. It changed my opinion of the book which I had enjoyed until then. I need some hope in my endings, but I think the author didn't want to write about that character anymore. Looking at her page on Goodreads, I can see that she did move on to writing a series that doesn't interest me and she left me feeling depressed about the last book I'll ever read by her.

[Sarah]

Shomeret wrote: "I recently read a book with a tragic ending. It was the sort of ending where the protagonist was alive, but there would be no more meaning to her life. I considered that worse than death. I thought..."

That's terrible!

[Kateb]

thank you Grace, I have shown your reply to my family , I am not the only one, oh joy!!!

I feel for you Shomeret, I collected a whole series once until the 7th book the hero lost all and was left the winner with no friends. I gave the books away.

[~ Giulia ~]

@Kateb you're not alone, I do that too! I need time to prepare for the emotional blow

As has been said before, there's enough tragic and bittersweet endings in real life and I don't feel the need for more of that in my fiction. If there really needs to be an unhappy ending it better be well written, meaningful, and in keeping with the mood of the rest of the book

[Micah]

J. wrote: "..."I would give it 5 stars but I hated the sad ending." ..."

I saw that review on Amazon. I think the book was Hamlet ... or King Lear ... or Richard III ... or Macbeth ... or Othello ...

One of those.

];P

[Micah]

Happy endings are for those looking for light entertainment, escapism, and grand sweeping epics. (Not that any of those are bad things.)

However, it's instructive to note how many famous and really important literary works do not end happily. (Not that tragedy is what made them great.)

Take a look at The Lord of the Rings, for example. Some people would have you believe that it ends happily. The dark lord is overthrown, a new age of (largely) peace and prosperity is ushered in, all the important cast of characters come through it alive.

But that interpretation is a façade. The elves lose Middle Earth and have to abandon it forever. Frodo comes out of it deeply and incurably scarred. He too ultimately loses everything he had. Sam loses his best friend in the end. Arwen loses her mortality (and if you read the appendix, you'll know she has to ultimately suffer the loss of Aragorn, too).

So, while not tragic, it is still a bittersweet ending.

Ultimately, I think a tragic ending must be appropriate for the storyline, and better yet, deliver or underpin some greater meaning. Macbeth and Hamlet and most of the other Shakespearean tragic "heroes" essentially get karmic retribution for their lives of selfishness, betrayal, greed, and monstrosity. Other tragic heroes often end up dying for some greater cause, the effects of their life and death benefitting humanity.

I wouldn't let the threat of some lost stars on reviews drag you down. If it's appropriate, go for it.

[Kateb]

mmmm maybe Micah, but one tragic end every 6 months I can handle, since I read a few books a week this isn't a big deal. But the story line had better keep me riveted

[Grace]

@Micah very true. In spite of often being torn up by tragic endings, I kinda love them--and sometimes they can almost have more hope and truth in them than happy endings. Taking Hamlet as an example again, even though it seems like everyone dies horribly, an evil ruler is ultimately overthrown and another, better one comes in to take his place--which told from the perspective of the common Danes might not seem very tragic at all :)

It seems like happy endings have the ability to cover over sub-par writing--and perhaps when a story ends sadly while still seeming worthwhile, it's a sign of better writing skill?

[Sarah]

I like to have a warning of tragic endings so it doesn't break my heart quite as much :)

[Kateb]

yes Sarah Anne, I agree. Plus Hamlet et al were tragic from the start, the story was interesting , but if less well written I wouldn't have gotten to the tragic end.

Then again if not a school project would I have read them at all.

[CS]

J. wrote: "My experience as a writer is, tragic endings always cause my work to lose a star for many reviewers. They say something like, 'I would give it 5 stars but I hated the sad ending.'..."

The characters and the story should tell you where to go for the ending. But I would keep in mind the audience that you're writing for. Are they reading your story to relax? to distract themselves? to expand their literary horizons? I'm fine with tragic endings in general, but I think they require the author to build up credit with his/her readers throughout the story, so that readers go along with a sad ending and accept it. If you can bring insight to the hero's fatal flaw, as Shakespeare does, then you'll really be onto something.

I've noticed that European and Asian writers are easier with sad, even fatalistic endings. They comment sometimes on the relentless American optimism. I think that's a New World characteristic. So if you're writing for an American audience, especially in popular fiction, there may be a cultural preference for happy endings.

I once knew a Vietnamese grandmother who told traditional tales to her American-born grandchildren. She told them a Vietnamese folktale of doomed love between a prince and a princess. The frustrated lovers drowned themselves in the river. Her grandchildren didn't like the story. So she had to change it and in her new version everybody comes around to the lovers' way of thinking, and they live happily ever after. Welcome to America.

IMO, a tragic story is not necessarily more difficult to write than a happy one. A friend and I were talking about comedy and tragedy, and she said that comedy requires its own kind of wisdom. I think that's true. The key is a believable story either way. Also, every good story contains some conflict, so there will be sorrow or pain somewhere, even with a happy ending.

[Peggy]

I've been trying to think of a book I read with a tragic ending -- then remembered this one: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal. For those who haven't read it, it's a comic (yet respectful account) account of Christ's life, including the missing years, as told by his friend Biff.

I'm a big fan of Moore, and really enjoyed this book. All the humor comes from Biff, and Christ (who is known as Joshua) is exactly how I imagined him, a warm, wonderful man who cares about everyone.

So I'm reading along, hanging out with Biff and Josh, enjoying the story, and it comes to the part where they return to Jerusalem, and I have what may have been my biggest fictional OMG moment.

I know how this book ends.

I was devastated. Just devastated. I almost put it down and didn't finish it.

[Ada]

I don't like sad stories. Never did. I like history stories but most of the time they are sad because, well you know how it ends.

So tragedy stories are a no go. Except... Well when the tragedy isn't the point of the story. One of the first books I clearly remember being torn over was: Achtste-groepers huilen niet. (view spoiler)[It isn't translated in English but it's about a girl who has cancer in her last year of elementary school. In the Netherlands that's when you do a musical, go on a camping trip with your class and take a test to see which way you're going at junior high. (hide spoiler)].

The book ends in a tragedy but that wasn't the point. The point was that you had a girl of your age and she knew how to live.

I read some books after that had the same feeling. But that one was the first one I hated and loved at the same time and with the same intensity.

Still books with a happy end are my go to. But open endings are also ok. It let me make up my own ending...

[Simon]

I really don't care whether it is tragic or comedic or whether everybody lives happily ever after or not. I just want a good story. I want to be told things I have never been told before. I want to see things I have never seen before. I want to go places, feel things, be there. All in all, I want to experience. If the story ends sadly, then so be it. But I will say that some of the very best stories out there don't end well. (Though they were wonderful while they lasted.)

And just to add that every time you finish a good book is a bit of a tragedy anyway. What are you going to do now?

[Ada]

Simon wrote: "And just to add that every time you finish a good book is a bit of a tragedy anyway. What are you going to do now? "

This.


Zonder gekkigheid. (Without further shenanigans) I really liked your answer.

[Simon]

Ada wrote: "Simon wrote: "And just to add that every time you finish a good book is a bit of a tragedy anyway. What are you going to do now? "

This.


Zonder gekkigheid. (Without further shenanigans) I really..."

And that made my day! Still laughing. Thank you.

[Kateb]

so true Ada , I then put it on a shelf thinking I will re read in a few years. At the moment amongst all the new books I am reading I am trying to re do some old ones. Some with joy some wondering why I kept it.

all of these comments have made me crystallise my own feelings: so yes to happy endings, , yes to open endings, maybe to an ending that couldn't really go another way but the story was well written, no to a tragic endings which was the point of the story.

[Coralie]

I have always loved sad stories. My mother says that when I was small, she would be reading me a story and tears would be streaming down my face as I said, "Oh, it's so sad. Don't stop Mummy. Keep reading."

[Polenth]

I'm not a big fan of tragic endings. Too much death stops me feeling connected to the characters. I want to see what they do while they live, not have everyone interesting get killed off. So tragedy works best for me in short stories, where I can appreciate other things about the story even if I'm not that connected to the characters. In a novel, I really need that character connection to stick with it.

There's the added issue that if the main character is marginalised, tragic endings are the norm rather than the exception. I'm tired of seeing people like me die in stories. Especially when it's otherwise a fluffy story where everyone else gets their happily-ever-after, and tragic endings wouldn't be expected. The salt on the wounds is how often authors didn't even see it as tragic. I look up spoilers if I think a book might be heading that way.

This isn't that I expect nothing bad to ever happen in a story, but I don't like it when nothing good can ever happen either.

[Silvana]

If tragic can be heroic and badass death, I'm in.

[V.W.]

For me the plot is what matters most. If most or all of the main characters die in the process of achieving their goals/defeating the baddies, I'm fine. But if the whole thing ends in utter failure, then I would not waste my time reading it.

I did read Shakespeare's "Julius Caesar" and "Anthony and Cleopatra", but only because of the beauty of the language and story telling, but I did not enjoy the books/plays as entertainment, and would not re-read them for enjoyment.

[Margaret]

Well, Julius Caesar and Antony and Cleopatra are both constrained by actual historical events.

[Eric]

If the writer does it correctly, a tragic ending can work wonderfully. Like many here, I tend to prefer it when a character makes the ultimate sacrifice or gives up something in order to realize the end of the story. As an example, 11.22.63 transferred the latter idea nicely to celluloid with how Jake lost someone twice in order to prevent what happens at the end.

[J.]

I often hate Stephen King's endings, even though he's my favorite author. In 11.22.63 the main character makes this noble sacrifice to prevent the tragedy he's been enabled to prevent and then in the end discovers it was a horrible mistake to do so. Ugh! In The Stand, one of my very favorite books, there is the major sub-plot of these two people in love and the dramatic tension of whether they will live together happily ever after or not. At the end, King gives no resolution to this plot. He doesn't tell us what happened to them. Ugh! Then I read something King wrote in his brilliant book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft that, as an author I found very liberating. He said stories never really end; life keeps on going. Still I wish he would more often stick with the tried and true formula of tension and release. In the Dark Tower series he wrote two endings for us to choose from. The first was one without a good ending, after 30 years of his faithful readers following the series! I believe he felt like the alternate ending he provided us (with a true good ending) was forced on him by fans who would have gone hunting him with torches and pitchforks if he had left us with only the non-ending.

[Marcel]

are there any more modern SF with traffic endings? I couldn't come up with any. banks, simmos, Reynolds always seem to do closure to send degree...

the only ones I can really think of are
- flowers for Algernon
- 1984 to a certain degree
- I have no mouth and I must scream (or whatever the exact title is)

[A.J.]

Grace wrote: "@Kateb I've done the exact same thing! Usually if I think a minor character might die. Character deaths are so heartbreaking, I have to know about them beforehand :)"

You might want to take my book of your TBR list ;)

On Topic: A tragic ending sometimes makes the story feel more real. I personally have no preference, though the emotion would probably be higher with a tragic ending and I recollect a number of endings where I genuine got angry on how the story finished, but I believe int he art of the writer/story maker/game maker and I intend to walk the path an author has envisioned for the reader to experience the story as much as intended.

But yeah, sometimes you do put books away depending on what phase your own life is at...

[Brenda]

A great tragic ending is in THE LAST UNICORN. The realm is saved, but true love is forever severed. It's bittersweet.

[A.J.]

Brenda wrote: "A great tragic ending is in THE LAST UNICORN. The realm is saved, but true love is forever severed. It's bittersweet."

That kind of tragic ending only makes it better, right? To sacrifice something for the greater good, or "survival often comes at a cost". Bittersweet, but the sacrifice is felt much deeper that way.

Are there any books out there that just end with the bad guy just winning? That the sacrifice of the main character provides no benefit or better outcome? That would be...interesting?

[Micah]

A.J. wrote: "Brenda wrote: "A great tragic ending is in THE LAST UNICORN. The realm is saved, but true love is forever severed. It's bittersweet."

That kind of tragic ending only makes it better, right? To sacrifice something for the greater good, or "survival often comes at a cost". Bittersweet, but the sacrifice is felt much deeper that way."

Exactly.

An example of how not to do it, IMHO, is the movie Serenity. The tragedy near the end was simply unnecessary. Nothing was won by the sacrifice. In fact, victory (in that scene) had already been won, and then they robbed you of it. Nothing heroic. Nothing bittersweet. Nothing uplifting. Just BOOM ... WTF?

[Thomas]

My opinion and feelings: If I'm reading something sci-fi or fantasy, I hate tragic endings. That's not to say there can't be tragedy in a story, but I like my endings HEA. If I want tragedy, I'll read realistic fiction.

I agree with you Micah on Serenity. Love the movie, hate that part.

[A.J.]

Micah wrote: "A.J. wrote: "Brenda wrote: "A great tragic ending is in THE LAST UNICORN. The realm is saved, but true love is forever severed. It's bittersweet."

That kind of tragic ending only makes it better, ..."

I would have to re-watch that to see what you mean, it was too long ago. But there could be a reason, namely to create a feeling of despair/unfairness. It would be the only reason I can think off to have a story (for entertainment) with a unnecessary sacrifice...

[Kateb]

Agree with Both Micah about Serenity and also Thomas about books. I try very hard not to read realistic fiction, or even "true" stories.