Discussion Happy endings seem so rare nowadays

Discussion in 'Novel General' started by PaladinWolf, Sep 9, 2019.

?

Should there be more happy endings

  1. Yes all stories should have a happy end

    23.4%
  2. At least a little closure would be nice

    42.9%
  3. I don't care so long as it definitively ends

    22.1%
  4. No a little sadness is good

    5.2%
  5. All stories should end in the most miserable way possible the dog should die and you should too

    6.5%
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. PaladinWolf

    PaladinWolf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    364
    Reading List:
    Link
    I've noticed that in TV movies books and games a increase in sad and miserable stories lately and was wondering if people actually enjoy them? I know i dont
     
    Xieljhane, Dr_H_16, flannan and 4 others like this.
  2. Bloodysin28

    Bloodysin28 The victim of true evil that is reality

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2019
    Messages:
    350
    Likes Received:
    406
    Reading List:
    Link
    More like the protagonists are more normie assholes that I'd rather have a sad and miserable ending for the pricks.
     
    Gihn likes this.
  3. Frozen ink

    Frozen ink Legally had harem『Cathulu』Power of Love & Evil』

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2016
    Messages:
    4,809
    Likes Received:
    14,533
    Reading List:
    Link
    cause happiness is becoming a diluted thing desu

    people equate happiness with success, getting laid, and shit like that desu

    empty and hallow thats what happiness is becoming nowadays desu
     
  4. PaladinWolf

    PaladinWolf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    364
    Reading List:
    Link
    That seems like a very observant and astute analysis of the modern world unfortunately
     
  5. Frozen ink

    Frozen ink Legally had harem『Cathulu』Power of Love & Evil』

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2016
    Messages:
    4,809
    Likes Received:
    14,533
    Reading List:
    Link
    cathulu beckons the end desu
     
  6. mellowdias

    mellowdias Active Member

    Joined:
    Sep 1, 2019
    Messages:
    13
    Likes Received:
    24
    Reading List:
    Link
    I'm in the camp of tentatively avoiding a story if I know it doesn't end well. Usually this means I've been spoiled about the ending in some regard, but it's a necessary hit I take at times.

    Occasionally I'll go ahead experience a bad/sad/notquitehappy story for one reason or another, and whether I end up hurting in a 'that hurt, I get why, but that still hurt' or in a 'tf kinda forced angst was this shitty autho-' depends on how well it was executed. And then I stay far and away until I hype myself up sufficiently again to tackle another one of them tragedies. Yes yes, I'm a full maiden at heart.

    TL;DR: Not every story has to be happy to be considered 'good' or 'well-written', and likewise not all stories that have happy endings are necessarily good. Personally I'd rather read one that ends happily rather than not if I had a choice between two equally well-executed ones, though.
     
  7. PaladinWolf

    PaladinWolf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    364
    Reading List:
    Link
    Figures the end would come with tentacles
     
  8. Frozen ink

    Frozen ink Legally had harem『Cathulu』Power of Love & Evil』

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2016
    Messages:
    4,809
    Likes Received:
    14,533
    Reading List:
    Link
    :cookie::cookie::cookie::cookie:
     
  9. Kutaifa

    Kutaifa Pokémon trainer

    Joined:
    Sep 23, 2017
    Messages:
    717
    Likes Received:
    828
    Reading List:
    Link
    A happy ending doesn't equate to a definite closure nor does it lead to a perceived 'excellent ending'.
    If the fictions that you consume, both in literature and film all seem miserable, then find something that fits what you want in a story.
    And the reason that "sad and miserable stories" have become popular is that they sell well and brings in huge numbers of viewers.
    Game of thrones.
    Breaking Bad
    Magicians
    True Detective
    Black Mirror
    Chernobyl. And so on are good examples.
     
  10. Chize

    Chize Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2018
    Messages:
    100
    Likes Received:
    1,252
    Reading List:
    Link
    At least you're getting various endings on all sorts of stories. :blob_coughblood:

    I can't even dare to open the TV because it's always about protagonists being dramatically bullied by brainless villains. Then, the all too cliché face slapping. & ta da, a magical happy ending. :facepalm:

    I'm cringing everytime I see advertisements about those
     
  11. Wandering Cultivator

    Wandering Cultivator Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 30, 2017
    Messages:
    60
    Likes Received:
    104
    Reading List:
    Link
    I think its because a lot of people expect good endings, so TV movie and books have a lot of happy endings. But over time when the audience knows that there will always be a happy ending then there's a loss of tension. The hero always wins. The hero always gets the girl. The villain will always be defeated (and resurrected if needed for a sequel, where he will be defeated for realsies). The power of friendship will always pull through. Like knowing a spoiler so you don't read the whole story? Makes me think of this quote:
    [​IMG]
    I think this rising tread of bad/bittersweet/open endings is OK as long as it makes sense in the story, otherwise a happy end just for happy endings sake can come across as shallow and could be worse than a bad end.
     
  12. PaladinWolf

    PaladinWolf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    364
    Reading List:
    Link
    Well those tend to be crap stories anyway I don't mind hardships and struggle sadness and loss but only as long as there's a payoff at the end
     
  13. Chize

    Chize Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2018
    Messages:
    100
    Likes Received:
    1,252
    Reading List:
    Link
    Ik, they are indeed crappy.

    Although I don't get how so many of them are so hooked into it, fans would even go as far as posting hate comments on the social medias of the celebrity acting as the antagonist.

    Though, I'm just too tired hearing their favorite lines "the never before seen" "first on TV" etc, everytime there's a new show. Nothing about it is new though :blobsad:
     
  14. Kuro_0ni

    Kuro_0ni Cocooned in a Life transition

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2018
    Messages:
    2,022
    Likes Received:
    4,774
    Reading List:
    Link
    Goblin Slayer had quite an ending for the aloof and overconfident adventurers.

    Happy endings, sad endings, never-ending...

    I just want the journey. Sooner or later there will be an end.

    I want to see struggle, I want to see triumph, I want despair and vengeance.

    The acts that make characters shine or whimper.

    And though one tale ends, another one will continue
     
    Dr_H_16 and Deleted member 38284 like this.
  15. Nimroth

    Nimroth Someone

    Joined:
    Jan 15, 2016
    Messages:
    4,072
    Likes Received:
    3,615
    Reading List:
    Link
    I don't know about others but what I want out of an ending depends on the rest of the story, if it is a light hearted story for most of it I would probably feel robbed if it goes all doom and gloom at the very end.
    But if it is a story that is miserable throughout then a "happy ending" for me would actually be a bittersweet one, one that both gives at least a partial release from all that misery but still acknowledging all the bad stuff that did happen.
    As for completely dark endings, I can enjoy them occasionally, but I definitely don't look for them.

    Rather than a happy or sad ending I simply want one that makes sense, not one where the author throws in bullshit because he want to force the ending to be happy or sad.
     
    Dr_H_16, flannan, Bloodysin28 and 3 others like this.
  16. PaladinWolf

    PaladinWolf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    364
    Reading List:
    Link
    If you liked goblin slayer you might like berserk thats one hell of a ride
     
    Kuro_0ni likes this.
  17. Gihn

    Gihn Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2016
    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    156
    Reading List:
    Link
    Well, apart from the valuable input from others, i would like to add that this phenomenon might have something to with an idea similar to "shock advertisement".
    Pick up any of the recently popular movies or tv shows and they all seem to have elements that "shock" their viewers which leads to the viewers giving more attention to the story (or brand). The producers ultimately want to sell to more to the people and sell better. And while i am sure this idea is not the only reason, but it's most likely one of the bigger reasons why the contents of recent media all seem to have shocking/attention grabbing themes and not mild and easily forgettable happy endings.
     
    Last edited: Sep 9, 2019
  18. Silverasterisk

    Silverasterisk [Wallflower] [Drive by poster]

    Joined:
    Mar 25, 2016
    Messages:
    899
    Likes Received:
    598
    Reading List:
    Link
    Drama fests seem to have been popular for awhile. Attack on titan. Legend of Korra. Most new things on Netflix and Amazon. It seems to be the new stage after the reality tv craze that just wouldn't die.
     
  19. Cygsiulle

    Cygsiulle error 404: title not found

    Joined:
    Sep 7, 2016
    Messages:
    1,587
    Likes Received:
    1,352
    Reading List:
    Link
    i think the problem i have with sad endings, is that they're usually the out of nowhere kick to the nuts, that's almost purely for shock value, completely upending any sort of hope you had with the story, and just leaves you regretting every reading/watching. that or they'll just leave it "open". life sucks, so a sad ending isn't all that odd, but the story rarely feels complete, as if it's ending immediately after what should be the climax, instead of finishing the story. like, characters get introduced, you grow attached, and suddenly someone dies. then music plays as the MC or one of the leads narrates about growing up, or it just fades off to the sound and scene of happy people. that's a BS ending. gotta go a bit further than "everybody moved on, and some were better for it." for me to be satisfied with the ending. i don't need a happy ending, but i want to actually see the growth/result that's more than some glorified flashback of the conclusion, otherwise it's just not worth the feels.
     
  20. PaladinWolf

    PaladinWolf Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2019
    Messages:
    248
    Likes Received:
    364
    Reading List:
    Link
    Alright who picked the last option who wants the dog to die who wants to die come out you monster
     
    Kuro_0ni likes this.
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.