The point is that if EITHER evil OR good completely wins (with no hope of a shift later on) then you have a static situation, and static situations don't make for good storytelling. It is the struggle and tension between the two that makes for suspense and uncertainty. No one really wants to hear about what exactly "happily ever after" in a fairy tale involves because it would be boring. The words are a way of letting people know that the struggle is over and a static situation has ensued.
Theoretically, if evil won, it would be similar, only it would sound something like this:
And darkness covered the land, and Sauron destroyed all that was green and good in Middle Earth, and he caused all growing things to wither. When the orcs could find no other food, they fed upon each other and died off, until all that was left were wraiths and spiteful spirits in a wasteland of endless gloom.
The point is that, short of that sort of ending, there is ALWAYS an opportunity for movement and change. Think of the typical Hollywood ending - the villain crawls out the rubble after everyone thought he was dead, to plot a new dastardly scheme, or heroes crawl out of a blasted city and say, "We can rebuild this."
Interestingly enough, movies that aren't looking to make sequels often have endings where evil wins - Cloverfield comes to mind immediately, but there are plenty of others.
Theoretically, if evil won, it would be similar, only it would sound something like this:
And darkness covered the land, and Sauron destroyed all that was green and good in Middle Earth, and he caused all growing things to wither. When the orcs could find no other food, they fed upon each other and died off, until all that was left were wraiths and spiteful spirits in a wasteland of endless gloom.
The point is that, short of that sort of ending, there is ALWAYS an opportunity for movement and change. Think of the typical Hollywood ending - the villain crawls out the rubble after everyone thought he was dead, to plot a new dastardly scheme, or heroes crawl out of a blasted city and say, "We can rebuild this."
Interestingly enough, movies that aren't looking to make sequels often have endings where evil wins - Cloverfield comes to mind immediately, but there are plenty of others.
Political correctness is the pettiest form of casuistry.
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
ἡ δὲ κἀκ τριῶν τρυπημάτων ἐργαζομένη ἐνεκάλει τῇ φύσει, δυσφορουμένη, ὅτι δὴ μὴ καὶ τοὺς τιτθοὺς αὐτῇ εὐρύτερον ἢ νῦν εἰσι τρυπώη, ὅπως καὶ ἄλλην ἐνταῦθα μίξιν ἐπιτεχνᾶσθαι δυνατὴ εἴη. – Procopius
Ummaka qinnassa nīk!
*MySmiley*
Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 01:01:18 PM
1494 Views
Re: Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 01:17:00 PM
1104 Views
Well, usually the bigger army are the invaders. Defence tends to have an edge
- 20/09/2009 04:38:45 PM
1136 Views
It's an essential plot device
- 20/09/2009 04:41:04 PM
1140 Views
Yeah but...
- 20/09/2009 07:38:36 PM
1115 Views
I don't quite agree
- 21/09/2009 01:22:45 AM
1067 Views
I'm sitting here trying to think if I've read any books like that...
- 21/09/2009 01:40:08 AM
1017 Views
Fail.
- 21/09/2009 04:43:24 AM
1195 Views
- 21/09/2009 04:43:24 AM
1195 Views
Agreed.
- 21/09/2009 04:59:39 AM
1119 Views
Hrmm...guess Miéville failed to follow the script then *NM*
- 20/09/2009 07:48:29 PM
417 Views
and a lot of others. But there's a rumour somewhere that it's not the size that matters... *NM*
- 20/09/2009 07:53:41 PM
412 Views
It's still a valid point, even if one author doesn't "follow the script." *NM*
- 25/09/2009 12:34:48 AM
472 Views
Re: Ever notice how in fantasy books the smaller army always wins?
- 20/09/2009 08:45:48 PM
1241 Views
That, and...
- 20/09/2009 09:08:48 PM
1117 Views
Nineteen Eighty-Four, baby!
- 20/09/2009 10:37:05 PM
1063 Views
That is not even fantasy...
- 21/09/2009 12:00:48 AM
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IT ISN'T?! *NM*
- 21/09/2009 01:42:16 AM
435 Views
Yeah, didn't your dad tell you about the double ungood days of the 80s? *NM*
- 21/09/2009 01:52:46 AM
440 Views
Doubleplusungood.
- 25/09/2009 02:09:27 AM
1045 Views
Oops, sorry. Probably a thoughtcrime to put a space in. Rebellious waste of... pixels? Space? *NM*
- 25/09/2009 04:26:14 PM
461 Views
I agree. 1984 is not SF-F. *NM*
- 25/09/2009 12:36:46 AM
455 Views
All books should have a point, IMO. Otherwise, what's the point in reading them.
- 25/09/2009 04:32:43 PM
1115 Views
Nineteen Eighty-Four is unquestionably Science Fiction. *NM*
- 26/09/2009 04:12:47 AM
487 Views
No, it's not. ScyFy does not lay claim to anything and everything that takes place...
- 26/09/2009 07:05:59 AM
1051 Views
It's a novel which heavily relies upon futuristic technology. How is it not Science Fiction? *NM*
- 28/09/2009 01:43:23 AM
435 Views
I read it years ago and I don't remember any futuristic technology except...
- 28/09/2009 04:16:21 AM
1110 Views
I would say that if a story uses that sort of thing, it has a science fiction element.
- 28/09/2009 05:20:39 AM
897 Views
Because you don't have to root for the huge army that's supposed to win.
- 21/09/2009 04:38:22 AM
1076 Views
Pratchett makes much of this. *NM*
- 21/09/2009 04:11:04 PM
452 Views
"You can take our lives, but you can never take our freedom!" "...wrong!" *NM*
- 21/09/2009 11:02:25 PM
394 Views
