Summarise, in not more than 100 words, the surprise ending of the story
Answers
A “twist” is the revelation of crucial information that radically changes the reader’s understanding of the story. And to work properly, the twist must be related to a major choice made by the protagonist.
Many writers fail to make this connection. Rather, they think that a twist ending simply needs to withhold any important background information until the end of the story. And then, upon revealing it, they will somehow have reached a surprising and satisfying ending.
But this isn’t the case.
I found this to be true as a judge of the 2017 Fall Writing Contest, hosted by The Write Practice. The theme, “Let’s Fall in Love,” yielded many stories where characters simply “remembered” things that happened long ago. Perhaps they were visiting a cemetery where a loved one was buried, or a residence from childhood. The memories came back, and bits of information were revealed throughout the 1,500 word allotment. Then the story was over.
Nothing happened. Little changed.
Sure, surprising information appeared here and there, but it didn’t arrive in the context of choice.
The revelation of surprising information is not climactic action. Information doesn’t do anything; it just explains.
Yet when that information accompanies a surprising, climactic choice, it enhances the complexity of the choice.
A bad twist is information posing as a choice. But a great twist reveals a choice that the reader usually can’t see coming, and why it is so impactful.
That’s the kind of twist you want.
Answer:
The surprise ending is that wolves reach Ulrich and Georg at the end of the story. Wolves reaching the two men at the end of the story is appropriate. Ulrich and Georg have been the enemy of one another throughout the story.