Quote on Endings

“A novel is like a symphony in that its closing movement echoes and resounds with all that has gone before. Toward the close of a novel, the writer brings back — directly or in the form of his characters recollections — images, characters, events, and intellectual motifs encountered earlier. Unexpected connections begin to surface; hidden causes become plain; life becomes, however briefly and unstably, organized; the universe reveals itself, if only for the moment, as inexorably moral; the outcome of the various characters’ actions is at least manifest; and we see the responsibility of free will.” – John Gardner (From The Art Of Fiction). by John Gardner

John Gardner was an American novelist, essayist, literary critic and university professor. He is perhaps most noted for his Grendel novel , a retelling of the Beowulf myth from the monster’s point of view. Other notable novels include The Sunlight Diaries, October Light, and his craft book The Art of Fiction.

I got this from Ingrid's Notes.