Prachi Patil: "Dear Vina Jie-Min Prasad: The Recency Effect"

Dear Vina Jie-Min Prasad: The Recency Effect

By: Prachi Patil

There is a concept in psychology called the recency effect, which states that people have the tendency to remember the last items in a series. I have found this to happen with stories as well. The ending is the culmination of everything, the finale. A good ending sticks in your brain; it makes you stay up, marveling at its beauty. More than anything, a good ending makes you feel. After reading a good ending, you lightly close the book, mouth hanging slightly open, fingers feeling the pages that gave you this moment. For a few minutes, you can’t do anything except exist, basking in the ending’s glory. For me, there are two kinds of endings that leave me this awe.

The first ending is Complete Closure, where everyone gets what they deserve and ends up happy. Even if poeple don’t get what they wanted, they find out that they needed something else the whole time anyways. These stories tie everything together in a bow with little to no loose ends. Often poetic and well written, this ending leaves you with a warm feeling in your soul, like a cup about to overflow. You watch the characters suffer, struggle, grow, and finally get their happily ever after. Sometimes, a reader (me) needs this type of ending. It assures us that life will be okay, that no matter what kind of sh*t you go through, the ending will always sweet.

One author that uses this type of ending is Neal Shusterman. Both of his series, the Unwind Dystology and the Skinjacker Trilogy, end in this fashion. In both series, all of these characters, which we have followed from their initial entrance into the situation, become integral parts of the society. They all find love or purpose, becoming better and stronger people. Although they may not have escaped the situation, they all end up as famous leaders, lovers, or activists. Something about these endings is so satisfying. They provide contentment, going to the end of the character’s journey, leaving no questions to be asked. We can rest assured that things will end up alright with them (and maybe us too).

            The second type of ending that I love is the exact opposite of the Complete Closure: the Mindf*ck. In these stories, nothing makes sense, but everything comes into focus. They are tricksters, letting you believe everything it tells you until the very last minute. It is not until this last paragraph that you realize you had been reading everything wrong. An example of this type of story is Ted Chiang’s “The Story of Your Life”, which makes you believe that (*SPOILER ALERT* please read the story before continuing with this post and your life because it will change you.) the little snippets about Louise’s daughter are flashbacks. We go through the story believing that Louise is 50-60 year old and coping with the loss of her child when she meets the heptapods. However, these events are not flashbacks, they are flash forwards. It isn’t until the last paragraph that you truly understand the story, that Louise has not yet had a daughter, but she knows everything that is to come. After reading this mindf*ck of an ending, I didn’t know what to do, so I just sat there and tried to process what it meant. Maybe you are like me and reread the story, punching yourself for not seeing it. Maybe it kept you up at night. Either way, you never look at the world the same way again, which is crazy. Another author that expertly executes these endings is O. Henry, whose every tale is like a surprise waiting to be opened, especially my favorite one: “The Last Leaf”.

            So maybe it isn’t just the recency effect that makes the endings of stories so powerful, maybe it is their impact, giving you the moment after which nothing will be the same. Whether it is a Complete Closure ending or a Mindf*ck one, a great ending gives us that moment of breathless amazement, providing us with the courage and sustenance to continue our mildly interesting, mundane lives. 

Comment down below what your favorite types of endings are and if you have any recommendations for me that have these types of endings! (No spoilers please <3 )