What a magnificent way to end a story. I haven't read the book so am unsure if this is a reveal or if we already know she has pulled out of the marriage - but what an inspiration for writers to pay great attention and craft to those last sentences. Perhaps they are even more important than the first sentence for creating reader satisfaction and a hunger to read the next book by that same author. Finding a symphonic climax is a test of the author's skill and patience, but so much better than to fade on a weak note.
What great comments! To end on the right note is critical. The reader has gone through something called a story, which is an experience. If it ends flat or weak, it can stain the entire experience. I think there's as much pressure on the ending at the beginning. We do know at this point that Sabine has said no to the marriage. We are watching the aftermath.
I'm glad I had read this story before reading this post! I didn't really know where the drama was going to lie until that very end. Thank you for the close read of that last sentence and the instruction. I'm glad to know listing things with a series of "ands" is an acceptable literary technique!
I'm so glad it's helpful. As you say, this is the last sentence of the story and it rings out like an aria. For me, so much of learning these techniques--and they often have names!--is giving myself permission to use them. Now, as I read, I see how much well-known stylist authors use them.
Thanks for highlighting this sentence. So late in the day is one of the best stories I’ve read in the NYer. And this is the sentence Keegan raises in her title. This story illustrates the difference between tension and drama and this sentence is a perfect example. The deed’s been done or not done but Keegan is pulling the reader through it all again.
Can you say more about the difference between tension and drama? I keep thinking about how this sentence, which is the end of the story, suggests at least two things. He feels remorse that the marriage and the future will not happen, that, perhaps, he genuinely liked Simone. And he is unchanged in that he regrets the outlay of money--he can't get a refund for that ring.
Hi Nina, at a high level I think tension is internal and drama is external.
What happens in the external present of this story? Cathal goes to work, takes the bus home, watches tv, eats some frozen dinner, there’s a cat. Even the backstory is pedestrian boy meets girl, except for her backing out, which is disclosed from the beginning and is then repeated at the end. It’s not a shocker and as you said it’s not without good reason.
What makes this a story is the internality. There’s boredom, existential dread, and remorse. It’s cold and it’s terrifying. I went back to the part where she moves her stuff in - he should be happy but he’s put out. It’s a terrible feeling. He can’t put it into words.
This story stuck with me. At a sentence level Keegan is second to none, but the story’s magic is its focus on internality.
I think Cathal has a lot of problems with how he was raised and that’s a product of his culture. He’s unable to express his feelings. He lacks basic skills as shown by his dead-end office drone job. He’s a misogynist. There’s the bit about pulling the chair out from his mom, he avoids the woman in the office, he avoids the woman on the bus, the last sentence “sons he would have” - speaks to that. The “the stack of unopened, congratulatory cards” (most assuredly from men) speak to some narcissism as well. And that’s what upsets him, it’s not about her, except that she said no to him, she “insisted” on showing him her dress.
He is lonely and wants love and is capable of it but he can’t change. That’s what’s tragic.
I think that when anyone complains about money it’s their inarticulate way of saying it’s not a priority for them. Cathal is repulsed by her stuff and her dress the same way he complains about the cherries’ cost.
What’s changed in this story is Cathal is forced to confront his illusions; Princess Diana didn’t have a fairy tale marriage and neither will he.
As you can imagine, I love this parsing out of language. And now, with your explanation, I can more clearly (for me at least) delineate the difference between tension and conflict. Conflict may be a synonym for drama, an external action in the story, versus tension, the inner angst/turmoil. In a recent class, we read a story where there was no conflict (drama?) only tension. The result was an atmosphere, a tone. There was no climactic event, just as Keegan's story has no climactic event. We don't get the scene in Keegan's story, which would be in flashback since the story is the aftermath of the disintegration of the union, of Simone saying no, I refuse to marry you. Thank you for your thinking about this.
The hidden message in all long sentences, be they simple expressions of heartfelt mirth at the continued, and sometimes exasperating frolics indulged in by those that one would hope know better, and indeed for most of the time do, or explosions of prolixity occasioned by an unfortunate succession of well intentioned toasts at those parties that form too great a part of modern life in the busy metropolis, is that, contrary to the lawyers' maxim that one can never apply too many words when one's recompense is directly calculated from the sheer number of letters that litter the page, brevity is indeed the soul of wit and knowing when to be silent the mark of the truly wise.
What a magnificent way to end a story. I haven't read the book so am unsure if this is a reveal or if we already know she has pulled out of the marriage - but what an inspiration for writers to pay great attention and craft to those last sentences. Perhaps they are even more important than the first sentence for creating reader satisfaction and a hunger to read the next book by that same author. Finding a symphonic climax is a test of the author's skill and patience, but so much better than to fade on a weak note.
Jay,
What great comments! To end on the right note is critical. The reader has gone through something called a story, which is an experience. If it ends flat or weak, it can stain the entire experience. I think there's as much pressure on the ending at the beginning. We do know at this point that Sabine has said no to the marriage. We are watching the aftermath.
I'm glad I had read this story before reading this post! I didn't really know where the drama was going to lie until that very end. Thank you for the close read of that last sentence and the instruction. I'm glad to know listing things with a series of "ands" is an acceptable literary technique!
I'm so glad it's helpful. As you say, this is the last sentence of the story and it rings out like an aria. For me, so much of learning these techniques--and they often have names!--is giving myself permission to use them. Now, as I read, I see how much well-known stylist authors use them.
I've pre-ordered Ravishing World, but hating the wait
So kind, Norm. Thank you.
Thanks for highlighting this sentence. So late in the day is one of the best stories I’ve read in the NYer. And this is the sentence Keegan raises in her title. This story illustrates the difference between tension and drama and this sentence is a perfect example. The deed’s been done or not done but Keegan is pulling the reader through it all again.
Dave,
Can you say more about the difference between tension and drama? I keep thinking about how this sentence, which is the end of the story, suggests at least two things. He feels remorse that the marriage and the future will not happen, that, perhaps, he genuinely liked Simone. And he is unchanged in that he regrets the outlay of money--he can't get a refund for that ring.
Hi Nina, at a high level I think tension is internal and drama is external.
What happens in the external present of this story? Cathal goes to work, takes the bus home, watches tv, eats some frozen dinner, there’s a cat. Even the backstory is pedestrian boy meets girl, except for her backing out, which is disclosed from the beginning and is then repeated at the end. It’s not a shocker and as you said it’s not without good reason.
What makes this a story is the internality. There’s boredom, existential dread, and remorse. It’s cold and it’s terrifying. I went back to the part where she moves her stuff in - he should be happy but he’s put out. It’s a terrible feeling. He can’t put it into words.
This story stuck with me. At a sentence level Keegan is second to none, but the story’s magic is its focus on internality.
I think Cathal has a lot of problems with how he was raised and that’s a product of his culture. He’s unable to express his feelings. He lacks basic skills as shown by his dead-end office drone job. He’s a misogynist. There’s the bit about pulling the chair out from his mom, he avoids the woman in the office, he avoids the woman on the bus, the last sentence “sons he would have” - speaks to that. The “the stack of unopened, congratulatory cards” (most assuredly from men) speak to some narcissism as well. And that’s what upsets him, it’s not about her, except that she said no to him, she “insisted” on showing him her dress.
He is lonely and wants love and is capable of it but he can’t change. That’s what’s tragic.
I think that when anyone complains about money it’s their inarticulate way of saying it’s not a priority for them. Cathal is repulsed by her stuff and her dress the same way he complains about the cherries’ cost.
What’s changed in this story is Cathal is forced to confront his illusions; Princess Diana didn’t have a fairy tale marriage and neither will he.
Dave,
As you can imagine, I love this parsing out of language. And now, with your explanation, I can more clearly (for me at least) delineate the difference between tension and conflict. Conflict may be a synonym for drama, an external action in the story, versus tension, the inner angst/turmoil. In a recent class, we read a story where there was no conflict (drama?) only tension. The result was an atmosphere, a tone. There was no climactic event, just as Keegan's story has no climactic event. We don't get the scene in Keegan's story, which would be in flashback since the story is the aftermath of the disintegration of the union, of Simone saying no, I refuse to marry you. Thank you for your thinking about this.
The hidden message in all long sentences, be they simple expressions of heartfelt mirth at the continued, and sometimes exasperating frolics indulged in by those that one would hope know better, and indeed for most of the time do, or explosions of prolixity occasioned by an unfortunate succession of well intentioned toasts at those parties that form too great a part of modern life in the busy metropolis, is that, contrary to the lawyers' maxim that one can never apply too many words when one's recompense is directly calculated from the sheer number of letters that litter the page, brevity is indeed the soul of wit and knowing when to be silent the mark of the truly wise.