What Are Some Last Lines YOU Like?
While the contest is still going on, and before we get into the in-depth discussion of last lines, I thought I’d let y’all do some of the discussion . . .
What is your favorite last line from a book or movie?
Why do you like it?
What makes it memorable?
How does it make you feel?
How does it serve the story that it ends?
If you don’t have a favorite line, what do you like to see in the last paragraph/line of a story when you’re reading? Are you a fan of Jane Austen’s style of wrapping everything up and taking the characters years into the future in a quick, happily-ever-after summary? Or do you prefer something more vague, an ending that leaves a lot of the solution of the story’s conflicts up to the reader’s imagination?
Right now, let’s just focus on what we read . . . we’ll get into what we write later!
Happy Friday the 13th!
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KayeDacus.com 
Hi, me again…twice in one day!
I can think of a ton of awesome lines from movies, but I don’t think most of them are last lines…like “So you have to ask yourself: Do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?” or “That’s no moon…that’s a space station!” I’ll have to pull out a couple of my favorite movies when I get home and find out what the last line is and see if they’re worth sharing.
As far as last lines in books, I’ve read a lot of classic literature which gives the wrap up / summary kind of ending. Some of them tend to philosophize a bit at the end, too. I guess becuz I’m used to that kind of ending, I’m a little disappointed when I don’t get it in the modern literature I read.
I struggle with it in my writing, so I can’t wait to learn more when you talk about it with our writing.
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I finally figured out what my favorite last line of a movie is…
“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist. And like that…he’s gone.” The Usual Suspects
I love this line for lots of reasons…especially because the speaker is referring, in a way, to himself. Without giving too much of the movie away, this line sums up evertyhing this character has said the previous two hours. And as the cop realizes what’s just happened, the line resonates…especially when he runs out after the ‘suspect’.
“Who is Keyser Soze?”–great line from the ads too.
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“Welcome to my new life. Don’t bother wiping your feet.” From My Life as a Doormat, by Rene Gutteridge. Loved that book.
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A favorite line of mine, and this isn’t from a fiction book but rather from an history book that reads like a novel, is:
The warrior’s name was Tatanka Yotanka. The whites would come to know him as Sitting Bull. From Over the Earth I Come by Duane Schultz, Thomas Dunne Books, 1992.
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As far as movies, it’s from Phantom of the Opera. And it’s actually sung by the Phantom, but with such great emotion and passion that I will never forget Gerard’s tone for as long as I live. I think his performance was Oscar-worthy, but then I’m a major Phantom fan, lol.
“It’s over now, the music of the night”. Sung as his world literally comes crashing down around him. The whole book/play/movie is about the little world that he tries to create to block out the cruelties the real world has shown him. It’s a world made of glass, literally and figuratively. At the end, it all crashes down.
But the very last scene of the movie is even more memorable for me. Even though it’s not in the book, and there’s no way it could have worked in the musical, it’s so PERFECT. The single red rose with the black ribbon tied in a bow, and Christine’s engagement ring tied in the ribbon, left on her gravestone. It was just a moment of absolute perfection that showed the Phantom’s undying love for her.
Also love the last line from the second Pirates movie, though right now I can’t remember it to save my life, lol. I think part of why it’s so memorable is because it’s spoken by in an accent I’m so familiar with, but never hear in movies. I do like the last line of Se7en too, but again, can’t remember it at the moment to save my life!
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Okay, unfortunately I can’t quote this since it’s been a while since I’ve watched EVER AFTER…but I love the last few lines of that movie (the older Danielle’s voiceover as the Brothers Grimm leave her castle).
I also love the last few lines of THE CROWN AND THE CRUCIBLE by Michael Phillips and Judith Pella. It was such a sweet, beautiful summation of all Anna, the main character, had hoped and dreamed throughout the entire novel. LOVED it.
I should really think of these comments when I’m at home with my book and DVD collection…not doing too well from memory here… 😛
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