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Entry #602192, added on 08-16-08 @ 6:52 am EDT.
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Title:
Happy Endings
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There are going to be spoilers in here no doubt. For two books, one is Harry Potter so if you have not read the last book, you might not want to read this. The other is for Banana Fish, a manga I just finished reading, and if you have not read it or if you are in the process of reading it, you probably don't want to read this.
Alright, notes aside, on to the rant.
I have a problem with epic books that go on and on and kill off main characters. I understand if for some reason it really, really moves the plot along. Like, it's a catalyst for something else major to happen. If it doesn't, and sometimes even then, I don't feel the need to kill off people. Perhaps this is a major flaw with my writing as well. I don't understand the whole concept of someone who has always held firm onto their lives suddenly giving up.
I just finished reading Banana Fish. Like only ten minutes or so ago. The main character is named Ash. He's a delinquent. Hardcore. And he's an awesome character, one of those people many other people want to be like. He's also the type of person who never gives in. Not that there isn't foreshadowing into the possibility he could die, but overall, you feel like he is invincible. Especially since he keeps getting himself into positions where he should die and he doesn't. So, at the end, when he gets knifed and the wound isn't very serious, and it misses all his vital organs, and he wanders into the public library where he sits down and bleeds to death, I got pissed! Rightfully angry, I think.
I mean, come on! This is ridiculous! He's been thorough so much, and now you're just going to kill him off! Allow him to slowly bleed to death in a PUBLIC LIBRARY? Wouldn't you think someone would have noticed something was up? I mean, when the girl came around to tell him not to sleep in the library, wouldn't you think she'd have noticed the BLOOD on the damn paper his head was resting on? It wasn't dirt!
Perhaps I also think of people as being inherently intelligent. Is that the problem? Perhaps I have high expectations out of people. If you set things up in a certain way, I expect certain things to happen. I would never have truly thought Ash would have given up on his life at that point. And ultimately that was the point. That he'd gone through so much, come out on top and now he had nothing more to live for.
Except he did have much more to live for. He wanted to do certain things. He wanted to be a certain way, and he didn't get the chance. He DECIDED not to take the chance. I DON'T understand that. My brain doesn't work that way.
Ultimately, because of the ending, I don't know if I can ever reread the damn books. 19 books of intense drama, and I wish I could have just cut it off at 18 and believed the two main characters get together eventually and stay friends forever. I don't even care if they didn't become lovers, although that was my twisted fantasy, but at least they needed to be alive and together for longer than they were. Enjoy some peace after the drama. It's stupid.
This brings me to Snape. My most favorite character in the HP world. He bleeds to death too. What is it with bleeding to death? People trying to suicide would die for the opportunities that characters in books get. Snape gets wounded by Voldies damn snake and dies. He doesn't really even try to defend himself. Again, he ALLOWS himself to die. He has given up on living. What is it with this mentality? Are there really people who hold onto their lives for years, YEARS, desperately trying not to die, and then find themselves in a position where they can die, and they don't try to save themselves? Is it just me? Am I the only one who feels this is uncharacteristic of the character? When you build a character up to a certain height, you need to dispose of them in a flair of genius. I hate the fact that he dies, yes, but more than that, I hate that he dies so WILLINGLY.
She could have done many things that killed Snape. She could have killed him and I wouldn't have been as upset with her for doing so, but the total lack of desire for him to live that transpired simply amazed me. I couldn't believe it. It was as though this man, who she had built up to be amazing, simply rolled over and died. No attempt to keep himself alive. No real drive to save his hide. No will to change his fate. I understand his "lord and master" was there and he was the one who was going to kill him, but still! This is so ridiculous, once again.
Am I asking too much for happy endings? I mean, I understand that life is cruel and terrible and all that, but there are plenty of things in this world that is good. I know a lot of people write happy endings, but I don't really want to read them. I almost wish you could screen them out, you know, like "Great drama, intense action, believable character, sad ending." Some people dig that shit. Now I'm just depressed and sad. Characters grow through trauma, but this is the END of the damn book. Honestly, I didn't want that. I wanted Eiji and Ash to find some peace together. I wanted Ash to get to have something beautiful in his life of hell. I wanted Snape to get a chance to live without looking over his shoulder. I thought perhaps he would get a chance to do something with his life other than play two sides. Perhaps Snape could live a little in the light that he had forsaken instead of the darkness. Everyone deserves a little light.
An optimist to the core. I believe in the good in people. I believe that there are times that people can grow through bad things, but also they can grow through the good. I want something that will make me happy at the end, make me even feel some relief. I don't really like to read things that leave me feeling unfulfilled and angry. Sad is alright in moderation, but ultimate sorrow doesn't leave me feeling good. I'm just like that I guess.
Go figure. |
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