A post on Industrial Scripts examines the denouement and how you can craft the perfect ending scene for your story. “This critical narrative element occurs after the falling action,” the article explains. “It serves as the final chapter where the story reaches its resolution.” Characters see the results of their actions and reflect on what’s changed.
The denouement occurs after the climax and falling action, giving the writer the chance to answer any lingering story question and create a sense of closure. It should align with the overall tone of your story and should feel authentic. Whatever happens to your characters should feel earned.
The denouement should be proportional to the length of your story. An epic novel may allow for a longer denouement, but you should never drag out the ending. This scene should reinforce your theme and bring some form of resolution to your main characters, such as healing, insight, or the rewards for attaining a goal. Counterintuitively, when your climax is highly dramatic, you may consider shortening the denouement, to leave your audience with a peak impression.
The article provides advice on using symbolism, imagery, setting, call-backs, flash forwards, and dialogues to enhance your denouement.
