Monday, April 6, 2009
Rewrite the Last Paragraph of a Favorite Book
With the gardeners, Elizabeth was always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, for the well-being of Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into love with Derbyshire, had been the means of her reconsideration.
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Just checked the real ending--love that "really loved them," which sounds so modern to my ears. But my AP students I'm sure wouldn't agree as they humor me through Sense & Sensibility.
ReplyDeleteThis exercise got me thinking, is the last paragraph essential to any novel or is it simply a well crafted period? For those who are severe editors, the question also arises, if the author had cut the last paragraph, would the novel be any less? And of course, this begs the follow up question, if we keep trimming the end, can we ultimately have a great novel with just one paragraph?
ReplyDeleteI tried something else. I swapped the final paragraphs, which happen to be a single line, from two different novels to see if the ending changed significantly. Obviously the language changes, but do the novels become less significant? Here goes (I had to change names to make this work):
Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us. It eluded us then, but that's no matter-
The scar had not pained Gatsby for nineteen years. All is well.
This would seem to indicate that the “scar” - the corruption, failures, and short comings of Gatsby’s character - can be overlooked in the quest for something greater in life. “All is well” elevates the flawed Gatsby to greatness, and preserves the American Dream. The ending still works!
Now, let’s add Fitzgerald’s ending to another novel of epic proportion. Here is the final paragraph:
The last trace of steam evaporated in the autumn air. The train rounded a corner. Harry’s hand was still raised in farewell. “He’ll be all right,” murmered Ginny. As Harry looked at her, he lowered his hand absentmindedly and touched the lightning scar on his forehead. “I know he will.”
So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.
With this elegant new ending, the only thing clear is that we will be seeing a lot more of Harry Potter in the future and British author J.K. Rolling will continue to mine the American Dream.
This is why the Great American novel is so elusive.
(Please feel free to rewrite this last paragraph)