C - Climax

Time for letter C! This time it is written by Stephanie. Thanks Stephanie!

Make sure to comment, everyone! :D

________________________

C-Climax

by Stephanie

This week is C - for Climax. Personally this is my favorite part of a story... the most fun to read, write, or watch. A climax is where everything comes together, and that when the climax is done, something(s), someone(s) (or a combination of both) are not the same as when we first meet them/it at the beginning of the story. It is necessary for both books and movie screenplays to have this.

The general definition is this:

Climax |ˈklīˌmaks|
noun

the most intense, exciting, or important point of something; a culmination or apex: the climax of her speech | a thrilling climax to the game.

• Rhetoric a sequence of propositions or ideas in order of increasing importance, force, or effectiveness of expression.

verb [ no obj. ]culminate in an exciting or impressive event; reach a climax: the day climaxed with a gala concert.

• [ with obj. ] bring (something) to a climax: the sentencing climaxed a seven-month trial.

Climax should have these three “elements” to make it a good one:

1. Suspense. EVERY story has to have that to some degree. Otherwise why would someone want to read the story, or watch the movie? The story will be monotone unless there is some suspense to some degree, be it subtle or intense.

2. Importance. Whatever happens, it MUST be important enough to change the character(s), the setting, or both.

3. Tying up loose ends. Ok, so I couldn’t find a word for this, but this phrase. Or if you want you can say everything comes to a head. Basically, the climax needs to tie up the major plot lines. A culmination of all the storylines. Be it one Main Character (MC) or many.

Although leaving some tiny things for the reader to wonder about is okay, even good, sometimes. Makes the reader use their imagination.

Some examples of good climaxes would be...

Like with Lord of the Rings. It spans three books. The main character “group” (aka, the Fellowship) gathers, and are together in the first book (Fellowship of the Ring). But by the end of the FoTR, the group has been split into about 3-4 storylines. And it stays way throughout the rest of the storyline... until the climax. There are smaller, underlying storylines that crop up in the story, but all of them, big and small, culminate together in destroying the Ring, which of course is THE CLIMAX.

Or take Les Miserables, where Jean ValJean’s story is the sole story at the beginning, but snowballs into where, anyone he knows, their story lines climax when his does. ValJean’s story is the engine that pulls the storyline into the climax, and all the supporting characters are the cars of the train, making a complete train of thought and storyline ending in the climax.

Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe is a great example. The question of “will the Pevensies win, and make it back home” builds the suspense. The battle is important to defeat the White Witch and provide justice for the Narnians. And the main loose ends that get tied up are the Witch getting defeated, and Edmund earning back their trust, among other small storylines.

Or take Charles Dicken’s A Christmas Carol, with Scrooge going on three “adventures” (or doors), each one more life changing than the last, building suspense, making how Scrooge reacts important, and how he reacts is the main loose end (a side story loose end being how will Tiny Tim survive).

And as a final example, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice. Will everything be set to rights (people marrying mostly ;) ) is the suspense. Everything adds up to being important. And the numerous little loose storylines/threads get tied up, although the main one is that Elizabeth Bennet changes, learning not to judge so hastily and learning to love Darcy in the process. :)

So, there you have it. Three elements that make up a climax, and five different stories to illustrate the points! Just remember to make a wonderful climax that the reader can’t wait for, with suspense, importance, and revealing all the little ending nuggets to the character(s) storyline(s) (aka tie up the loose ends!) Now go write something fabulous! :D