Everyone likes a happily ever after but not all are fortunate enough to experience one. It’s a part of reality that is strongly reflected in our literature. Sometimes the hero just doesn’t win, the end goal isn’t reached, and the best ending is impossible. These kinds of endings make you heartbroken, frustrated, and even angry.
A lot of the greatest books and movies feature sad endings. Often, it is these conclusions that make them iconic. Spoiler alert! We’ll be discussing the finale of novels and films in this post. They may affect your reading and viewing experience later on.
Saddest Endings in Literature
Whether you’re looking for a good cry or a story to throw your frustrations on, below are some of
the saddest endings you can find in literature.
1. All the Bright Places By Jennifer Niven
A girl dealing with survivor’s guilt and a boy obsessed with death are brought together by fate. Though they struggle forward, one ultimately chooses suicide while the other is left to find peace alone.
2. 1984 By George Orwell
Far from defeating Big Brother’s rule, Winston Smith is tortured and re-educated by the totalitarian state he has served for so long. In the end, he betrays his loved one and admits to loving the power he dared to rebel against.
3. Of Mice and Men By John Steinbeck
Two brotherly drifters find work at a farm. George is intelligent but uneducated, Lennie, strong but mentally disabled.
Though their dream of having a farm is finally within reach, an accident leads to Lennie unintentionally killing someone. George is forced to shoot Lennie, knowing it is a more merciful death than a lynching.
4. The Metamorphosis By Franz Kafka
Gregor Samsa wakes up to find himself transformed into a monstrous insect. Unable to communicate and take care of himself, he witnesses his family slowly begin to hate him. His last days are spent hidden in a bedroom where he dies a wretched death, relieving his family and quickly being forgotten.
5. Wuthering Heights By Emily Brontë
Catherine and Heathcliff’s relationship is passionate and toxic from the start. There are plenty of signs that their love isn’t going to end well but they don’t take away from the pain when it does collapse.
Catherine dies after giving birth to Edgar’s child. Heathcliff lingers on, grief and Catherine’s memories eating away at him like a disease.
6. Anna Karenina By Leo Tolstoy
Anna Karenina had it all—the perfect family, wealth, and prestige—until she starts a very public
affair with a Count. Everything starts deteriorating since then.
Shamed by society and denied love by both her husband and lover, she throws herself under a train.
7. Me Before You By Jojo Moyes
Louisa Clark accepts a job taking care of wheelchair-bound, ex-free-spirited Will Traynor. Their personalities are polar opposites, leading to many fights and misunderstandings.
They both begin to warm up to each other though, paving the way for romance. But as much as Will loves Lou, he still intends to end his life—which he eventually goes through with.
8. A Little Life By Hanya Yanahigara
Jude St. Francis is a man with a tragic past and present. Though there are moments of hope and steadfast friends to support him, years of despair finally push him to take his own life.
9. Never Let Me Go By Kazuo Ishiguro
Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy are revealed early on as clones meant to be organ donors for “normals.” Their lives are already predetermined and all of them will die young.
Ruth dies after making her second donation, but not before urging the other two to form a relationship. Tommy dies next, leaving Kathy alone on her final journey.
10. We Need To Talk About Kevin By Lionel Shriver
Eva Plaskett’s son Kevin is an evil sociopath with a penchant for murder. We know as much from what she writes in her letters to her estranged husband, Franklin.
It is later revealed that Franklin is dead, along with Celia, their second child. Kevin murdered them right before his massacre at school. Despite all this, Eva concludes that she still loves her son, and waits for his eventual release so she can welcome her home.
Saddest Endings in Film
A lot of movies succeed in making people despair in the most satisfying manner. Sure, their endings are bitter affairs but boy do they enrich the whole story. Below is a list of such films.
11. Se7en
A serial killer whose murders are themed after the seven deadly sins is finally captured. He reveals to his captors that, to finish his last two murders, he has murdered one of the detective’s wives out of “envy.” Out of anger, the detective kills the killer on the spot, completing the sins by becoming “wrath.”
12. Memento
A man with anterograde amnesia chases after his killer’s wife, using polaroid photos, tattoos, and notes to track information he can’t remember.
He actually killed the killer a year ago and has been used ever since. He cyclically forgets and
begins the search again, giving his life some kind of twisted purpose.
13. Million Dollar Baby
An underdog boxer fights her way to the top of the boxing world but is rendered paralyzed after being sucker punched by a competitor. As her condition worsens, she asks her trainer (who she shares a fatherly bond with) to kill her. Though her trainer initially refuses in horror, he eventually goes through with it.
14. Grave of the Fireflies
Throughout World War 2, siblings Seita and Setsuko survive alone after their aunt grows resentful of them. They are slowly ravaged by the war until both die one after the other.
15. Gallipoli
Archy and Frank are a pair of sprinters who join the army at the height of World War 1, becoming fast friends. During an assault on No Man’s Land, Archy is ordered to be a message runner but cedes it to Frank, ensuring the latter’s survival.
Frank winds up with orders to cancel the assault. Because of faulty communication lines, he arrives seconds too late and sees his friends being cut down by gunfire.
16. Tokyo Story
Shūkichi and Tomi Hirayama travel to Tokyo to visit their adult children, only to find that no one has time for them. Only their widowed daughter-in-law Noriko goes out of her way to entertain them.
Tomi dies soon after, with their children leaving right after the funeral. Noriko offers to take care of Shūkichi but is told by him to return to Tokyo and live her life. Shūkichi remains behind, waiting for his time to die.
17. The Fly
Scientist Seth Brundle accidentally fuses himself with a fly while drunkenly experimenting with his teleport pod. It causes him to deteriorate and turn into a creature that is neither man nor an insect.
Increasingly deranged, he hatches a plan to fuse his girlfriend and unborn child to himself to become the “ultimate family.” In the end, he places a shotgun to his head, silently begging his partner to end his suffering.
18. All Quiet on the Western Front
Paul Bäumer and his classmates are inspired by their professor to join the army. Their romantic notions are quickly dashed by the harsh training. Escaping military life is no longer possible and they are deployed to the combat zone.
Paul becomes increasingly disillusioned with the war. While on the front lines, he sees a butterfly just beyond his friend. Smiling, he reaches out to it, only to be shot and killed by an enemy sniper.
19. Requiem for a Dream
Four people use drugs to fuel their lives to reach their dreams. However, their substance abuse only leads to a domino effect of failure and despair.
Marion works for a pimp in desperation and is sexually assaulted. Sara ends up in a catatonic, near-vegetative state. Harry’s arm turns gangrenous from heroin use and is amputated. Tyrone is arrested and subjected to abuse by his racist guards. All are last seen curling up into a fetal position.
20. Schindler’s List
Oskar Schindler starts out as a Nazi Party member and war profiteer. Over time, his focus shifts from making his fortune to saving as many lives as possible
As the war ends, he must flee from the Allies due to his status. He is presented by his workers with a ring engraved with a Talmudic quotation, leaving him sobbing about not being able to do more.
Why Do People Enjoy Tragic Endings
It certainly seems masochistic to subject yourself to tragic endings. But sometimes you want to cry, let out your frustrations, and understand why things don’t end on a positive note. Imagine if you could only feel sorrow during a funeral, anger during a confrontation, and fear when you’re being chased down.
Fictional entertainment helps you safely explore certain situations and dilemmas that would otherwise be traumatizing in real life. This way, you can express your negative emotions in a controlled environment.
Ultimately, these sad endings help you prepare for life—either as an outlet for negative thoughts and emotions or as a training ground for the challenges you’ll encounter in real life.
What’s the saddest book or movie you remember? Share it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- Famous Last Lines: 15 of the Best Book Endings in Literature
- 6 Types of Endings and How You Can Write Them Effectively
- The Saddest Character Deaths on Screen and Paper
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
