Posted by VHunter on 7/11/2007, 8:16 am, in reply to "Re: I know I'm not Maureen but....." --Previous Message--
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You're absolutely correct, Maureen. The best stories may be sad, but they're not just plain depressing. Usually it's one of two ways: a mostly happy story with as sad ending; or
a story that's sad throughout then has a happy ending. But there are a lot of readers and/or viewers that do enjoy stories of sacrifice. I think it's simply because people wish that they knew for certain that if they were given the kinds of choices the characters are given, that they too would do the right thing.
Through much experience I've found that most people who have had troublesome lives enjoy mainly uplifting/happy stories. People who've lived perfectly good lives usually lean toward more tragic stories. But that, of course, is just an example of human nature. We always want whatever it is that we don't have. 
: But that's the point. People do need to learn
: to deal with hard times, and therefore
: stories should _deal_ with depressing
: subjects, but plan _not_ to depress the
: reader. Give people a sad ending or a happy
: ending, but not a pointless gray one.
:
: Most readers feel that life is too short for
: being programmed into a bout of depression,
: and they have a perfect right to resent
: being depressed by somebody else, on
: purpose. (Especially since depression's
: depth and frequency seems to be connected
: not just to neurochemistry, but also to
: certain bad habits of thought, like brooding
: or imagining that all is useless and
: everyone hates you.) Even a sad story needs
: moments when a bit of happiness or hope
: peeks through; or at least it ought to have
: changes of pace to give the reader a bit of
: a mental break. A satisfying story keeps the
: reader's enjoyment (and mental health!) in
: mind, as well as the fact that readers can
: easily choose not to read a story, or stop
: in the middle.
:
: Of course, it is difficult to prove to a
: reader that you are worthy of their trust.
: That's why stories need to start in an
: entertaining and interesting way; it's a
: sort of promise to the reader, or a payment
: in advance.
:
: Probably part of what makes tragedy sad but
: not depressing is that tragedies point out
: "If he hadn't done this, or this, he
: would have been all right. He could have
: chosen this other path, but chose not
: to." So perhaps tragedies believe in
: free will, but depressing stories don't.
:
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