0
Usenet Posted 21 years ago
Screenwriting

A meaningful non-existent ending

Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied. There's the build up and then there's the pay off.

Well, what if the pay off doesn't offer any form of resolution? What if the main character (and the audience) is intenetionally cheated out of an answer? What ever the answer is it's not their's to know. It lies out there close by. You're left with some unanswered questions or a number of half truth or lies. Do you feel cheated? Could you get away with an ending like this these days? Is there a market for these type of shaggy dog story endings? In a nutshell the main character goes looking for the truth and in the end finds out there isn't one. Would that come across confusing or maybe too flat as a climax to the story?

Paul :-)Nz
  

Top answer

[nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied. There's the build up ... finds out there isn't one.

— Usenet

  • [nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied.
  • There's the build up ...
  • finds out there isn't one.
  • [/nq] There's no rule that says you must provide a satisfactory ending.
  • -- "Writing is an exploration.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

21 Answers
0
[nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied. There's the build up ... finds out there isn't one. Would that come across confusing or maybe too flat as a climax to the story?[/nq]
There's no rule that says you must provide a satisfactory ending.

--

"Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.
0
0
[nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied. There's the build up ... cheated out of an answer? Do you feel cheated? Could you get away with an ending like this these days?[/nq]
Yes - see "The Return". Nothing is resolved in the traditional sense - but a fine film nevertheless.
0
0
You're going though your ultra-cynical phase, huh. Emotion: smile

-- News Guy
[nq:1]In a nutshell the main character goes looking for
0
0
[nq:1]Well, what if the pay off doesn't offer any form of resolution? What if the main character (and the audience) ... It lies out there close by. You're left with some unanswered questions or a number of half truth or lies.[/nq]
See John Sayles' "Limbo" - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt
0
0
[nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied. There's the build up ... finds out there isn't one. Would that come across confusing or maybe too flat as a climax to the story?[/nq]
I don't like these kinds of movies, but these are the kind that would probably have a chance at the Academy Award -- providing they were obscure enough.

--
0
0
[nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution to keep the audience satisfied. There's the build up ... finds out there isn't one. Would that come across confusing or maybe too flat as a climax to the story?[/nq]
Finding out that "there isn't truth" is a kind of resolution. It's an unexpected resolution, but it's certainly a resolution.

It's the difference between th
0
0
It helps if you remain clear about what must be resolved (or shown to completely fail to resolve, usually tragedies)...

it's not "something," it's the dramatic question raised by the action--the central dilemma of the story, often the protagonist's central dilemma, but not always...

so, with that in mind,
[nq:1]Often we're told you have to show some sort of resolution
0
0
[nq:1]In a nutshell the main character goes looking for the truth and in the end finds out there isn't one. Would that come across confusing or maybe too flat as a climax to the story?[/nq]
Paul -

You know, depending on how you structure your story, your main character finding out that the truth isn't to be found, might just be his actually finding the truth.

I think you can
0
0
[nq:1]Well, what if the pay off doesn't offer any form of resolution? What if the main character (and the audience) ... finds out there isn't one. Would that come across confusing or maybe too flat as a climax to the story?[/nq]
You have to ask yourself why you're writing the story in the first place. If it's really about the pointlessness or hopelessness of love (or life, or the life of a do
0
0
[nq:1]There's no rule that says you must provide a satisfactory ending.[/nq]
I guess... Although I think most people would like a satisfying one.

Where as the norm is to tie up most of your loose ends the intention here in this case is to ensure they're still pretty loose in hopefully a way not to be so blatantly predictable or superfluous to ***** up the whole theme of this s
0

Related Questions