Falling Action
Falling action is the unraveling of complications or the tying up of loose ends.
The falling action is often the point in the story where the message/theme/main idea becomes obvious. After all that the character has gone through, this is also the point in the story to tie up loose ends. The falling action may not necessarily tie up all loose ends or answer all questions, but it should attend to the questions or loose ends directly related to the conflict in the story.
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Falling action is also an opportunity to let the reader see how the character or characters have changed or faired as a result of the climax.
In reference to the mountain peak analogy, the climber will forever be a different person because of his achievement; the reader may look differently upon the character and his situation now that the story is moving toward an ending, and the character or characters and/or their situation should be different in some way. This change becomes evident to the reader during the falling action.
In reference to the mountain peak analogy, the climber will forever be a different person because of his achievement; the reader may look differently upon the character and his situation now that the story is moving toward an ending, and the character or characters and/or their situation should be different in some way. This change becomes evident to the reader during the falling action.
Click the story title to review the falling action in “Blessed Silence” before completing the section below.
What Do You Know?
Additional Resource:
- "What is a Denouement?" - This Writer's Digest article provides an explanation for the term "denouement."