Happy Endings

Why do you find yourself reaching for a book? What I mean by that is, why do you find yourself wanting to read a book in your spare time. Most people would say that reading makes them feel safe, and it gives them some sort of escape from the real world. It allows for people’s imagination to run wild with possibilities far beyond the limits of reality. Sometimes people turn to books only to find that fairytale-like ending that doesn’t happen in real life. Does that make the book unrealistic? Yes. That’s the whole point.

Most people have heard the phrase, “life is not a fairytale” or “happy endings only exist in books.” It’s a nicer way of telling someone to get their head out of the clouds and start looking at the world for what it really is. This often leads to people arguing that books shouldn’t always have happy endings because they set unrealistic standards for readers, which isn’t entirely true. It does do well to have books with realistic endings because it makes the story feel real and it makes it easier for a reader to understand, or even empathize, with the characters. It teaches readers that not everything in the world is always black and white. But if all books were super realistic, there wouldn’t be as many people wanting to sit down and read in their free time. Unrealistic, happy ending, fairytale-like stories are vital to everyone’s library. 

Happy endings are like a safety net. Something that you can fall back on when you need an escape from the harsh reality. Happy endings don’t necessarily mean that nothing tragic occurs or that everything is always sunshine and rainbows. Books can have tragic stories that leave readers on an emotional roller coaster but still have a happy ending. It would just be a bittersweet ending, and in my opinion, that’s the best kind. Those are the kinds of books that stay with you even days after you’ve finished reading. They are the kind of books that will rip you apart and break your heart, only to stitch it all back together in the end. It’s what you look for when trying to escape because it’s different from what you see happen in the real world. Nobody wants to read a book that reminds them of what they are living through and will continue to live through until they die. Because if that was the case, what would our imaginations be used for if we were expected to only ever read about and imagine a world that stays between the lines of reality. 

In conclusion, happy endings are better than realistic endings when it comes to books. They serve a better purpose for the imagination and they hit harder than realistic stories if you make sure to read the right ones. Everybody has their preferences when it comes to reading because there are endless possibilities of genres to choose from. So I’ll leave you with one question: would you rather read a book with an ending that reminds you of reality or would you rather read a book with an ending that allows you to escape reality?