04 [Written]

[ishisfriend]

[Afternoon, library, there's a teenage boy addressing the village at large:]

Do you like happy endings?

[Nope. No context. For all other things, Leo can be found around the village today-- mostly in the library, and the grocery store later where he'll be considering bottles of what seems to be concentrate. Orange concentrate. Eh, crowded

Comments

written;

[dependable]

There's a certain appeal to happy endings but they cannot happen for everyone, unfortunately.

written;

[ishisfriend]

That's a very astute observation.

[Voice]

[seraphgoddess]

Doesn't everyone? Sad endings always depress me. It makes me wonder whether that author ever cared what happened to their character in the end. I'd rather that everyone has some happiness in the end.

[ It had always bothered Martel whenever a book - anything in general - had a sad ending. Even when she has moved on to the next story, that ending will forever remain in her thoughts. Sometimes it came to the point where she'll simply sit there thinking about that ending. Why did it have to end that way? Couldn't there have been a happier ending that could be just as well-written?

[written]

[ishisfriend]

[Sorry, Martel, he's busy reading today and he'll just look over to scribble a short answer.]

Including the villains of the story?

[written]

[seraphgoddess]

[ She hesitates at the question. Wasn't her brother technically the villain of Lloyd's story? But . . . ]

Yes, I believe the villains deserve some kind of peaceful ending.

[written]

[ishisfriend]

Why?

[Written]

[doubleppk]

Yes!

[So simple.]

Well, in real life. In books, I like the bittersweet like Casablanca, because real life never gets that many happy endings, now does it?

[Or maybe not so simple after all.]

[Written]

[ishisfriend]

[Well, that's a little more different from the general consensus so far.]

It rarely does. Why do you prefer bittersweet to happy endings in books?

[Written]

[doubleppk]

Happy endings in books are for the delusional who just want to pretend things will be fine. A sugar pill pick-me-up. It bores me.

[Written]

[ishisfriend]

A little escapism won't hurt but too much isn't any good?

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

As much as I enjoy them in stories, I recognize that they often aren't realistic.

[Voice]

[ishisfriend]

[...oh, hello, Richard. You might notice that tall pile of books dangerously close to the journal camera.]

Often?

[Voice]

[ledbythewind]

[Oh, Richard has noticed, and he's debating whether he should point it out.]

Many times compromises and sacrifices must made to ensure that the greatest number of people are satisfied.

[Voice]

[ishisfriend]

[It's tottering! Maybe that helps.]

And if so many people are happy, it has to be the right thing. That's how it goes in stories, isn't it?

[Voice]

[ratatosk_knight]

Doesn't everyone like happy endings? I mean, I don't think most people want to read books that leave them feeling sad in the end.

[Voice]

[ishisfriend]

[...oh hey, it's that guy who was supposed to look for someone with the same name as well. Probably not a good idea to write.]

Why not?

[Voice]

[ratatosk_knight]

... because people don't like to feel sad?

[Voice]

[ishisfriend]

[Well, yes, but--]

You'd know that it isn't real. There should be a difference.