--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A story has been thought to its…" description: "\"A story has been thought to its conclusion when it has taken its worst possible turn.\" — Friedrich Durrenmatt" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/friedrich-d-rrenmatt-4497_conclusion_a-story-has-been-thought-to-its-conclusi_2484039.png" --- # A story has been thought to its conclusion when it has… ![“A story has been thought to its conclusion when it has taken its worst possible turn.” quote by Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/friedrich-d-rrenmatt-4497_conclusion_a-story-has-been-thought-to-its-conclusi_2484039.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/friedrich-d-rrenmatt-4497_conclusion_a-story-has-been-thought-to-its-conclusi_2484039.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce4/friedrich-d-rrenmatt-4497_conclusion_a-story-has-been-thought-to-its-conclusi_2484039.png) > “A story has been thought to its conclusion when it has taken its worst possible turn.” [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A story is finished when it reaches its darkest, most tragic outcome. **In simple terms:** Stories end at their worst turn. Key Takeaway Recognize and avoid catastrophic conclusions. Themes tragedy storytelling inevitability Mood somber reflective Type literary cautionary When to use this quote - writing - film scripts - creative planning - risk assessment Key Concepts fate dramatic climax narrative structure Questions to Reflect On - How can you steer a narrative away from disaster? - What signs indicate a story is heading toward tragedy? A Different Perspective Even at a low turn, alternative resolutions may exist. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion/) [Conclusion Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conclusion-taken-896526/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Possible Turn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/possible-turn-896527/) [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Story Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/story-thought-560923/) [Taken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken/) [Taken Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taken-worst-896525/) [Thought Conclusion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought-conclusion-896528/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) [Writing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writing/) ## Related quotes > [A story has been thought through to the end when it has taken the worst possible turn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/a-story-has-been-thought-through-to-the-end-when-it-has-taken-the/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [The worst possible turn can not be programmed. 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But then, this whole time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roland-joffe/they-suggested-i-should-introduce-an-element-of-reincarnation-in-the/) [Roland Joffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roland-joffe/) > [A story once went the rounds of Israel to the effect that Ben-Gurion described me as 'the only man' in his cabinet. What amused…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/golda-meir/a-story-once-went-the-rounds-of-israel-to-the-effect-that-ben-gurion/) [Golda Meir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/golda-meir/) > [ “I remember a television program I once saw \[...\] I must have been seven or eight, too young to understand it. It was the… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/i-remember-a-television-program-i-once-saw-i-must-have-been-seven-or/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) ## More by Friedrich Durrenmatt > [Rome has betrayed itself. It knew the truth and chose violence, it knew humaneness and it chose tyranny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/rome-has-betrayed-itself-it-knew-the-truth-and-chose-violence-it-knew/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [A major power can afford a military debacle only when it looks like a political victory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/a-major-power-can-afford-a-military-debacle-only-when-it-looks-like-a/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [“...he had read von Lambert's book on terrorism, there were two pages devoted to the Arab resistance movement, von Lambert refused to call them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/he-had-read-von-lambert-s-book-on-terrorism-there-were-two-pages/) [Friedrich Dürrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [People like us who are on their last leg can only understand comedies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/people-like-us-who-are-on-their-last-leg-can-only-understand-comedies/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Before anything else, we need a new age of Enlightenment. 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When someone needs a car, he does not need to build…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/we-are-not-cave-dwellers-anymore-we-live-in-the-age-of-technology/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Every work of art depicts an aspect of reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/every-work-of-art-depicts-an-aspect-of-reality/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Justice is horrible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/justice-is-horrible/) [Friedrich Durrenmatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-d-rrenmatt/) > [Then the American flag was saluted. 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You don't necessarily reach any conclusions, because wisdom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-tropper/the-thing-about-living-alone-is-that-it-gives-you-a-lot-of-time-to/) [Jonathan Tropper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-tropper/) > [The main conclusion here arrived at ... is that man is descended from some less highly organized form.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-main-conclusion-here-arrived-at-is-that-man-is-descended-from/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [Your deeper sense isn’t a springboard; it’s a landing place. 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That something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wolfe/every-study-on-chocolate-is-pointing-to-the-same-conclusion-there-is/) [David Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wolfe/) > [I have come to the definite conclusion that musical ability is not an inborn talent but an ability which can be developed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinichi-suzuki/i-have-come-to-the-definite-conclusion-that-musical-ability-is-not-an/) [Shinichi Suzuki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinichi-suzuki/) > [Study how a society uses its land, and you can come to pretty reliable conclusions as to what its future will be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-f-schumacher/study-how-a-society-uses-its-land-and-you-can-come-to-pretty-reliable/) [E. F. Schumacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-f-schumacher/) > [Dr. Arnold . . . the admired reformer of public schools, came across some cranks who thought it a mistake to flog boys. 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