It was only as I finished watching Prison Break (a t.v. serial) finale, that I realized how important a happy ending is, to me. This particular t.v. show appealed to me on a lot of levels, emotionally, intellectually and even personally. It’s genre, if I must put a label on it, would be- thriller, and thrill it certainly did. Twists and turns in every episode, season after season, kept me guessing and on edge, itching to know- what came next!
Only at the end of the finale, did I finally breathe- long and hard, but heavy it was, for the protagonist who had survived four prisons, murderers, brutality and betrayals, finally succumbs to death and that too, at his own hands. Over the course of four seasons, four years, I had grown attached to the characters and the death of possibly my favorite character, deeply affected and depressed me.
On an intellectual level, I understand that it is only a story. On a technical level, I can comprehend the ironic, twist in the tale technique used, but at a more fundamental, emotional and human level, I mourn the death of ‘Michael Scofield’- A brilliant mind, a good looking guy, a loving brother, a loyal friend and an amazing and awesome hero.
Disease and death might be realities and ones that I am bound to encounter in the course of my life, but I turn to books, t.v. serials and movies, for an escape from reality! I don’t want to watch the suppressed, oppressed woman being battered by her husband, mistreated by her mother-in-law and discriminated against. Children, being abandoned, corruption prevailing. Robbery, rape, murder, betrayal, torture, terrorism, we see it all on the news, why watch it for entertainment too? I want fantasy, possibility, hope, miracles! Not death and defeat and destruction.
There are enough evils, villains and hardships in the real world to drive any person into the deepest, darkest abodes of depression, so when I read or watch a work of fiction, I want a sense of hope, a silver lining to the cloud-that is life.. I want the frog to turn into a prince, the prince to find his princess or whichever way you perceive it, but at the end of the day or at the very least, at the end of the story/ serial/ movie/ play, I want a happily ever after!
Even the Grimm Brother’s- ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ was adapted from the original version with Snow White being squeezed to death by a too tight corset, to being poisoned with an apple and magically brought back to life by her true love’s kiss, in order to be a more accessible and accepted ‘happily ever after’. And honestly, who doesn’t want a happy ending? No one really wants difficulties, desolation, depression, disease and death!
Many movie makers and script writers believe that award winning stories are those that culminate in a sardonic, ironic, tragic, realistic end.
Reality bites, to be sure! No doubt, we can relate to the harsh realities, but ultimately relating and realizing won’t change reality, Action will! So why not end a tale with a happily ever after and affect change on a high, with hope, happiness and wholeheartedness!?
Only at the end of the finale, did I finally breathe- long and hard, but heavy it was, for the protagonist who had survived four prisons, murderers, brutality and betrayals, finally succumbs to death and that too, at his own hands. Over the course of four seasons, four years, I had grown attached to the characters and the death of possibly my favorite character, deeply affected and depressed me.
On an intellectual level, I understand that it is only a story. On a technical level, I can comprehend the ironic, twist in the tale technique used, but at a more fundamental, emotional and human level, I mourn the death of ‘Michael Scofield’- A brilliant mind, a good looking guy, a loving brother, a loyal friend and an amazing and awesome hero.
Disease and death might be realities and ones that I am bound to encounter in the course of my life, but I turn to books, t.v. serials and movies, for an escape from reality! I don’t want to watch the suppressed, oppressed woman being battered by her husband, mistreated by her mother-in-law and discriminated against. Children, being abandoned, corruption prevailing. Robbery, rape, murder, betrayal, torture, terrorism, we see it all on the news, why watch it for entertainment too? I want fantasy, possibility, hope, miracles! Not death and defeat and destruction.
There are enough evils, villains and hardships in the real world to drive any person into the deepest, darkest abodes of depression, so when I read or watch a work of fiction, I want a sense of hope, a silver lining to the cloud-that is life.. I want the frog to turn into a prince, the prince to find his princess or whichever way you perceive it, but at the end of the day or at the very least, at the end of the story/ serial/ movie/ play, I want a happily ever after!
Even the Grimm Brother’s- ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarves’ was adapted from the original version with Snow White being squeezed to death by a too tight corset, to being poisoned with an apple and magically brought back to life by her true love’s kiss, in order to be a more accessible and accepted ‘happily ever after’. And honestly, who doesn’t want a happy ending? No one really wants difficulties, desolation, depression, disease and death!
Many movie makers and script writers believe that award winning stories are those that culminate in a sardonic, ironic, tragic, realistic end.
Reality bites, to be sure! No doubt, we can relate to the harsh realities, but ultimately relating and realizing won’t change reality, Action will! So why not end a tale with a happily ever after and affect change on a high, with hope, happiness and wholeheartedness!?
