From the end of The Princess and the Goblin, by George MacDonald
“Then you’re leaving the story unfinished, Mr. Editor!”
“Not more unfinished than a story ought to be, I hope, If you ever knew a story finished, all I can say is, I never did. Somehow stories won’t finish. I think I know why, but I won’t say that either, now.”
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January 31st, 2016 at 1:32 pm
The only way to ensure that a story is done is for the hero to die. Any other kind of closure is less certain. Perhaps, that’s why the Icelandic sagas could end not other way, even if a hero’s last days are rather dull.
February 1st, 2016 at 7:15 am
I don’t even think that ends a story for certain. Human lives can be seen as stories, but then all the lives are interconnected, and there’s even the question of eternal life. I struggle with that in my stories because I can follow all of my heroes until they’re dead, but the story just keeps going on without them.