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Message: <blockquote data-quote="pezagent" data-source="post: 1288840" data-attributes="member: 15568">A story ends when the plot is resolved. That a story must reach a "climax"  is formula, not fact. That the narrative may continue beyond the story--outside of it--does not mean the story is brought with it. The end is the end.Yes, the story ends when the ring is destroyed. This is the plot that carries the entire series--that the ring must be returned to Mt. Doom and destroyed. The plot line is introduced within the first ten minutes of the first movie. The story becomes complex because it describes just how much is at stake if the ring is not destroyed. The "fight" with Golumn at the end is the cinematic climax (as Douglas Bauer calls them "high events" in fiction writing) not Sam and Frodo sitting on a rock afterwards. That Sam lives to see the Shire again, that Frodo finishes his book and leaves the Shire are not part of the story. The narrative continues into epilogue, but the story is over.In cinematic structure it is unusual to have an epilogue--there's just not enough time for it--but that would best describe the last part of ROTK as it mimics the fictional structure is was based on in regards to narrative.This is not true. Perhaps one has confused dénouement with epilogue. Dénouement refers to the final "unraveling" of the plot--not what happens after the resolution of the plot. It may be the final conflict, or the conclusion of events that leads to the ending of the story. It literally means "untying". Narrative after the plot is resolved is epilogue, not dénouement. Perhaps there is confusion about plot and story--and narration. Plot is the story. Plot is introduced, revealed, and resolved through narration. Narration, however, is not story. And story is not plot. (That explaination should clear up any confusion.)The lingering effects events have after the story ends--after the plot has been resolved--is icing on the cake. It exists only to give the readers (audience) peace of mind. To ease them from the ending and help them let go. Wherever one can place "and they lived happily ever after" will mark the end of a story. In ROTK, one could just as well put it right after the ring is destroyed: "And the ring was destroyed, and they all lived happily ever after." Acceptable? Yes. Captivating? Not really.That the movie goes on to describe how they managed after the story is appropriate closure--as you have mentioned--because the story was complex, and to have ended it without sentimental closure would have surely created disappointment. But it is narrative--a summation--not actual story, that we are watching. /johnny <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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