The word ‘Denouement’ is, as you might guess, French. It means an act of untying. In English, we ‘tie up’ the loose ends of a story, but the meaning is effectively the same. It is a term used to describe the final sequence of a novel, where all the threads of the story, whether you tie or untie them, come together, conflicts are resolved, and the fate of the characters is revealed. The Quest is complete and the protagonist is transformed.

Purpose Of The Denouement

1. Showing the impact of the resolution of the central conflict and any outstanding subplots

2. Closure for the characters, showing their final outcomes

3. Shows the deep transformation of the protagonist as they enter a new world or return to their home

4. Emotional satisfaction to the reader

5. It reinforces any themes, leaving a lasting impression

Ambiguous Endings vs. Clear Resolutions

Especially in literary novels, but increasingly in genres like crime and thriller, readers enjoy ambiguous rather than clear resolutions, as in Gone Girl. Neither is good or bad, but let’s stop for a moment and discuss their relative merits. Ambiguous endings leave room for interpretation, inviting readers to ponder meaning or speculate on characters' futures that are not described in the book. They work well in literary fiction or psychological thrillers where ambiguity enhances the thematic exploration.

But for new writers particularly, a clear resolution can provide a sense of satisfaction and closure that will be good for readers. A clear ending does not have to be emphatically either happy or sad. It can be ambivalent but it should be clear what the ending is. Main conflicts are resolved, and characters' arcs are satisfyingly concluded.

This is an excerpt from How To Write A Novel Chapter By Chapter available here: https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Novel-Chapter-Outlining-ebook/dp/B0DJ8TMVWL?ref_=ast_author_mpb

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