Nowhere is the sense of medium felt more strongly, even by…
““Nowhere is the sense of medium felt more strongly, even by the casual reader, than in a story about to end. For the novelist the problem is no longer how to tell his tale, but how to close it down; how to switch imaginative energies which have been used in sustaining the tale, into energies which will not just stop it, but will resolve it. The process of telling must be made to predicate its own conclusion. For the reader, in sight of an ending, the mode of attention shifts, the rhythm alters, and a pressure of significance begins to build up behind the closing chapters. The pace of the narrative begins to slow, the 'ever after' looms, past and present emerge in ever sharper juxtaposition. It is this heightened attention to the medium that characterises the ending and we are not surprised to find that for some novelists 'endings' seem to play false to the narrative which leads to them. 'Conclusions are the weak points of most authors', George Eliot wrote, 'but some of the fault must lie in the very nature of a conclusion which is at best a negation'.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote discusses how endings heighten awareness of the medium, requiring the novelist to transform narrative energy into a resolution, while readers experience shifting attention and significance as a story concludes.
In simple terms: Endings make readers more aware of how a story is told and demand a thoughtful resolution.
Key Takeaway
Craft conclusions that transform narrative momentum into meaningful closure.
Themes
narrative structure
closure
reader perception
authorial intent
medium awareness
Mood
thoughtful
analytical
reflective
Type
literary
philosophical
When to use this quote
- Writing a novel
- editing a manuscript
- literary analysis
- teaching creative writing
Key Concepts
Storytelling dynamics
psychology of reading
temporal juxtaposition
Questions to Reflect On
- How can an ending preserve the story’s energy while providing resolution?
- What techniques help shift narrative momentum into closure?
A Different Perspective
Conclusions can feel weak if they merely negate rather than transform the story’s energy.