Knowing the End from the Beginning

[Tegid]

This thread is meant to be a place to talk about the impact of knowing how a story will turn out before hearing or seeing the whole story. Often, that ruins things. But some are meant to be that way. And we've all read a book or seen a movie that we would certainly welcome going back through again.

What about that next time through? How did knowing how it would end make the enjoyment of it different for you? Since the suspense wasn't there, what made up for it that wasn't there the first time, so that the pleasure wasn't any less? What made you want to go back?

What if it's your first time through, but you already know how it turns out? Why are you reading/watching? Any anger or regret if someone spoiled it for you?

But more to my point in starting this, I suppose: What stories could work this way? Which ones that you've read or seen could have been told in quite a different order, and how? The effect would certainly be different; in the case of that story, how?

Or, if the story was originally and intentionally told 'backwards,' (story/backstory, story/prequel, resolution/lead-up), could it have been narrated chronologically and still have worked? Think of specifically how that would change things for you.

Try to put yourself in the shoes of someone who did not know the story the way (order) you learned it, and that person had it presented in an entirely different order; how would that person's experience or enjoyment differ from yours? If you could go back and do it all over again, which way would you have it?

*** Note: Please, be mindful of others. If your post does give away something, START your message with a line like:

Spoiler: To Kill a Mockingbird

Thanks --

[dgan]

Well, there were about a dozen question marks in that post so I'm not sure which question I'm answering. I think I get the general idea, though.

The first example that jumps to mind is the Pendragon Cycle, which we've discussed before in an older thread. The book, Arthur, essentially tells the end of the story which made the reading of Arthur's "growing up" in Pendragon somewhat tedious for me. It wasn't so bad the first time around, but now when I read the cycle, I have to read it chronologically or else the Pendragon stories are just too boring.

Hopefully, that's relavent. ;D

[dinadan]

How about knowing the "end" of the Star Wars PT before seeing it in Revenge of the Sith. I know that I wasn't surprised, but friends of mine who didn't grow up being hardcore fans, and didn't know about the 'how I became flaming torso' scene were shocked (and one of them was appalled). For me, though, it was like "So that's how Lucas depicted it--genius"

[Child of Immanuel]

Rereading, for example. If it's a good book, well written, I can enjoy more details and even, by "willing suspension of knowledge" gain a little suspense back.

[twyrch]

I don't know if this is what you're looking for or not... but I enjoy spoilers. I enjoy knowing about a book, including the ending before I read it.

I was all over the Order of the Pheonix spoilers before the book came out. It never spoiled it for me. I rather prefer to know where the book is going. Gives me something to look forward to and helps me catch little things as I go through it the first time.

[dinadan]

I'm a re-reader. A book that I'm looking forward to (like the next HP or the next GRRM book), I'll read through as fast as possible, just to get the story down. Then, I'll read it again, slow, savoringly, and pick up all the details.

[Child of Immanuel]

Exactly.

[pink3elephant]

Well in the movie Titanic, everyone knew that the ship was gonna sink, but i think that's what made it good, knowing something that the characters didn't

[laurelin]

My brother spoiled the Sixth Sense for me, the day before I saw it in the theater. I'm still a little bitter about that (jk)
I don't really mind knowing what's going to happen, although I prefer it to be in the right order. I've read too many series the wrong way around. I think it's more fun to have surprises at least one time around, but it certainly won't ruin the story if I already know what's going to happen.

[dgan]

That's a good point. Much depends on the intended impact the "surprise". Sixth Sense would indeed have been spoiled, although the little details does give it replay value. A good work always has something obscure that makes it enjoyable repeatedly. I guess it depends.

[Riothamus]

SPOILERS: THE IDIOT

My brother spoiled the Sixth Sense for me, the day before I saw it in the theater.

I've been unintentionally spoiled for every Shyamalan except Unbreakable. To me, for things of that sort, it's a mixed blessing. I can see, on the one hand, where things are going and get a kind of second-viewing/reading experience the first time around; however, on the other hand, some of the fun--the experience of surprise--is lost. (this happened with The Murder of Roger Ackroyd) too.) As a general rule, though, "twist-ending" stories--like detective novels--I prefer not to know the ending of.

Otherwise, it's fair game. I try to avoid too many details--Prince Myshkin does this and then this and then this--but to know that he finally has a relapse isn't terribly important. Same with the Albion books. I know the ending, but not the connections. And same with Star Wars III.

In re-reading, much of the pleasure lies in the intellect, as opposed to the initial gut-reaction. If I re-read a book, it isn't just for the action, it's to try to get something a bit deeper out of it, or (in a detective novel,) try to form an idea of how well it's constructed.

My three cents, at any rate.