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westernredcedarI’ve been thinking about ambiguous endings.
I recently posted my darkfic, Found, http://community.livejournal.com/lupin_snape/1113373.html, and received a couple of lovely comments from readers who enjoyed the fic, and wanted to know in more detail what happened at the end. The story has a very ambiguous ending (in fact, it was a little less ambiguous before and then a discussion with one of my betas led me to leave it even more open-ended, which I'm vey happy about). I’ve been considering how to talk about an ambiguous ending while still leaving it as intended. Ambiguous.
I decided to post this here rather than reply directly at the comments, because then my interpretation would be right there to sway any readers who prefer to not know what I think happened. I feel quite self-conscious doing this for a minor little fic, but oh well...it's got me thinking, what can I say. *grimace*
Now, I happen to love ambiguous endings in fiction. One of my favorite books on the planet is “In the Lake of the Woods” by Tim O’Brien, which is a book about a disappearance that never gets solved. The book is a series of possible scenarios about what might have happened to the missing woman, with no judgment offered as to which scenario is the truth. I like ambiguity because I enjoy thinking for a long time after reading a story, and if I have to make some decisions about what happened, and tell the story to myself again to make sense of it, that is, for me, a very satisfying exercise. But it can be frustrating too.
I also recognize the value of a plot that explains exactly what happened. Some of my other favorite books are incredibly powerful because they pull so many elements together so completely. I love novels like “Possession” by AS Byatt and “Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell, where tying up all the loose ends in an interesting way is what makes the story perfect and memorable. Heck, I love HP because of all the details that tie together over the books and make a web of connections.
The point is, sometimes I like knowing, and sometimes I like not knowing. I’m saying this as an introduction to the information below. I am going to talk a little bit about the end of my story, but I need to acknowledge that I truly do not know what happens at the end. When I write an ambiguous ending, it is because it is ambiguous, even to me. I might have an interpretation, but any reader’s interpretation is equally as valuable as mine. This is not necessarily about what “really” happened, but merely the scenario I have interpreted.
If you do not want to know about the end of Found, do not read beyond here. Go straight over to![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
lupin_snape and read Found under the darkfic fest '07 tag and then come back. :-) *pimping self shamelessly* (sorry, I'm still really clueless about linking properly too...trying, learning)
These are the ambiguous questions I think:
1. Who catches up with Snape at the end?
This was the detail that was left even more ambiguous after I had a great discussion with one of my betas. I had originally written that the figures arriving at the end were “hooded,” but I took that out on her suggestion to leave the question open, to go along with the open ended question of what happened. So I suppose I originally thought it was the Death Eaters that had hunted down Snape to bring him back to Voldemort, because in general I think he is in big trouble with the DEs for running off with Draco. I do think that Lupin was followed by whoever it is, and it is his fault that Snape is surrounded at the end.
2. Will Remus come back?
I think he will. I think his realization of love is real, and he intends to return. I think that he truly does not care why Severus killed Dumbledore at the end, he just wants to be with him. To me, that is really why Remus is there at all. He couldn’t stand to be away from Severus.
3. Why did Snape kill Dumbledore?
I loved giving all the various excuses, reasons, etc. for Dumbledore’s murder. I wish I knew what the real reason was, but I was interested in Snape’s argument that he did it to get the DEs out to save the school and to save Lupin. I’m sure that was the reason that put Remus over the edge, breaking through to his true feelings, whether or not Severus was being truthful, or manipulative.
4. What happens to Severus at the end?
I really don’t know, really. I do prefer a happy ending, so I like to think that he is able to make it through the initial attack and that Lupin comes back and rescues him in some dramatic fashion. So I’ll think that. You can think whatever you want. It's probably worse than that. It is a darkfic, after all. *g*
So, yeah, probably not that satisfying because I still won't commit to "this is what happened for sure" but I hope that helps.
Back to some lighter fare... :-)
I recently posted my darkfic, Found, http://community.livejournal.com/lupin_snape/1113373.html, and received a couple of lovely comments from readers who enjoyed the fic, and wanted to know in more detail what happened at the end. The story has a very ambiguous ending (in fact, it was a little less ambiguous before and then a discussion with one of my betas led me to leave it even more open-ended, which I'm vey happy about). I’ve been considering how to talk about an ambiguous ending while still leaving it as intended. Ambiguous.
I decided to post this here rather than reply directly at the comments, because then my interpretation would be right there to sway any readers who prefer to not know what I think happened. I feel quite self-conscious doing this for a minor little fic, but oh well...it's got me thinking, what can I say. *grimace*
Now, I happen to love ambiguous endings in fiction. One of my favorite books on the planet is “In the Lake of the Woods” by Tim O’Brien, which is a book about a disappearance that never gets solved. The book is a series of possible scenarios about what might have happened to the missing woman, with no judgment offered as to which scenario is the truth. I like ambiguity because I enjoy thinking for a long time after reading a story, and if I have to make some decisions about what happened, and tell the story to myself again to make sense of it, that is, for me, a very satisfying exercise. But it can be frustrating too.
I also recognize the value of a plot that explains exactly what happened. Some of my other favorite books are incredibly powerful because they pull so many elements together so completely. I love novels like “Possession” by AS Byatt and “Cloud Atlas” by David Mitchell, where tying up all the loose ends in an interesting way is what makes the story perfect and memorable. Heck, I love HP because of all the details that tie together over the books and make a web of connections.
The point is, sometimes I like knowing, and sometimes I like not knowing. I’m saying this as an introduction to the information below. I am going to talk a little bit about the end of my story, but I need to acknowledge that I truly do not know what happens at the end. When I write an ambiguous ending, it is because it is ambiguous, even to me. I might have an interpretation, but any reader’s interpretation is equally as valuable as mine. This is not necessarily about what “really” happened, but merely the scenario I have interpreted.
If you do not want to know about the end of Found, do not read beyond here. Go straight over to
lupin_snape and read Found under the darkfic fest '07 tag and then come back. :-) *pimping self shamelessly* (sorry, I'm still really clueless about linking properly too...trying, learning)These are the ambiguous questions I think:
1. Who catches up with Snape at the end?
This was the detail that was left even more ambiguous after I had a great discussion with one of my betas. I had originally written that the figures arriving at the end were “hooded,” but I took that out on her suggestion to leave the question open, to go along with the open ended question of what happened. So I suppose I originally thought it was the Death Eaters that had hunted down Snape to bring him back to Voldemort, because in general I think he is in big trouble with the DEs for running off with Draco. I do think that Lupin was followed by whoever it is, and it is his fault that Snape is surrounded at the end.
2. Will Remus come back?
I think he will. I think his realization of love is real, and he intends to return. I think that he truly does not care why Severus killed Dumbledore at the end, he just wants to be with him. To me, that is really why Remus is there at all. He couldn’t stand to be away from Severus.
3. Why did Snape kill Dumbledore?
I loved giving all the various excuses, reasons, etc. for Dumbledore’s murder. I wish I knew what the real reason was, but I was interested in Snape’s argument that he did it to get the DEs out to save the school and to save Lupin. I’m sure that was the reason that put Remus over the edge, breaking through to his true feelings, whether or not Severus was being truthful, or manipulative.
4. What happens to Severus at the end?
I really don’t know, really. I do prefer a happy ending, so I like to think that he is able to make it through the initial attack and that Lupin comes back and rescues him in some dramatic fashion. So I’ll think that. You can think whatever you want. It's probably worse than that. It is a darkfic, after all. *g*
So, yeah, probably not that satisfying because I still won't commit to "this is what happened for sure" but I hope that helps.
Back to some lighter fare... :-)
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no subject
Date: 21 Jun 2007 10:30 pm (UTC)The ambiguous end did kill me a little bit because it seemed so final, but that's the beauty of an ambiguous ending: if I want Snape to live, I can decide he did. But it does excite the curiosity.
Funny you did this. I've been thinking about posting some meta-thoughts on my own dark-fic since it brought up some uncomfortable but interesting questions. You may have inspired me.
no subject
Date: 22 Jun 2007 02:07 am (UTC)Yeah, pulling a happy ending out of my fic is getting trickier the more time I spend with it. But I'll try. I like your rescue scenario. Superhero!Remus. Yay! Bust down the DEs door and save our boy! (Have you seen the movie The Player? Reminds me of the end of the film-within-a-film in that movie, the part with Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts.)
no subject
Date: 22 Jun 2007 01:49 am (UTC)Ooh! See, now your thinking has made ME think! :o)
no subject
Date: 22 Jun 2007 02:13 am (UTC)I would love to read that intense fic you are describing...the moment of death, breath by breath. Oh my, I'm already tensed up thinking about it. Especially in a case like this, if it was the Order and we are talking about old friends killing each other. Ow. I hope you write it!
no subject
Date: 22 Jun 2007 02:18 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 26 Jun 2007 09:42 pm (UTC)First of all, I need to read The Crossroads, obviously, like right away. ;)
Second of all, if you seriously want to write based on this scenario, I would die with happiness. I am wading through two bigger writing projects that I really want to finish before July 21, and as much as I'd love to spend more time putting our boys through the wringer here, I have no time. SO if you feel the ripeness, pluck that fic and bite into its juicy center, baby! It would be incredible.
*feeling the darkfic love*
no subject
Date: 27 Jun 2007 03:03 am (UTC)Wow. Thanks for letting me take a stab at this. I'll see what comes - the muse is in a strange mood these days, and it could be time for dark!fic writing!
*hugs you*
no subject
Date: 27 Jun 2007 08:05 am (UTC)