Whenever I start on a new book, after I read the first page, I turn to the last couple of pages. I read the ending before I even start on the book properly. Why? I'm not quite sure .
Maybe it’s because, when I already know that the book is going to end well, I enjoy the book better. There is a sense of relief when something goes wrong during the narrative, that eventually, it’ll all turn out fine. If it doesn’t end well, I will be prepared for the worst and not raise my hopes while I’m reading the book. Contrary to what my friends tell me, it doesn’t spoil the effect of the book for me- in fact, it makes me feel secure.
There is a scene in the movie When Harry Met Sally, where Harry (Billy Crystal) says that he always reads the last of a book first, so that if he has to die before he finishes the book, he’ll at least die knowing how the book ended. Or something like that.
Why can’t our life be like that? We call the experiences in our life as chapters. Why can’t we know what the chapters are? And most importantly, how come we don’t have any way of knowing whether there is a happy ending or not?
“Because life is full of surprises”, you may offer. I know that. “Because if we already knew what our life would be like, what’s the fun?” you may say. I know that too. “Because life is not a book”. “Because that’s not how it’s supposed to be”. “Because it’s not the end that matters, it’s the chapters in between.”
Dammit!! Didn’t I say I know all that?!!!
I just wish I had some way of knowing, though… just one tiny little peek into the last page. Well, last but one page, technically, because the very last page would be “And thus, she kicked the bucket, gracefull at that.” I want to know whether fairytales were just to fool us into a sense of false euphoria...
You know that guy up there, the author of all our lives? He is a crafty old man.
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Ya, depressing post. I know that too. *sigh*...
U Know, thrs a movie called Pulp Fiction which defies every movie premise of 'a beginning followed by a middle n then an end'..in Pulp Fiction, its all messed up n thts the beauty of it :D
ReplyDeleteBut I think the beauty of not knowing the end chapter of life is dat u cn chart ur own course..u cn fill in ur own chapters n u cn make ur book of life a blockbuster.. (yes, I am usually high on saturday mornings..must b yday's cheap rum:D)
I want my epitaph to say "He died. (Finally!!)"
Some questions don't have an answer. But if you wanna believe in astrology you might be able to get an answer. Astrology does give you a peek into your future chapters of life i.e if you want to believe in it. People always wanna know what will happen and thats why so many astrologers even exist!
ReplyDelete@R-A-J: Ya ya, I've heard of Pulp Fiction, one too many times.
ReplyDeleteR-A-J, meet Arun John (the guy who's commented after you, a Pulp Fiction fanatic.
Ya, I know the beauty is in not knowing. I wrote the post on a particularly crappy-mood day. :p
@Arun: You know I don't even read the daily horoscopes in the newspapers, because I would rather not know whether I'm gonna be bitten by a dog or chased by an elephant.
Momentary lapse of reason led to the post. :)
Tempting as the thought is, I'd have to disagree with you on this. If I peeked into the future and saw myself as a foul-mouthed, obese, alcoholic old man, I'd be too depressed to do anything in life again. I mean, I know where it's all going to lead, right?
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer moving on in life, thinking that I'll retire on my private island, with six dogs, and happily married to Ashwini Ponnappa!!
@Hriday: Ya ya, I know... Why does everyone keep telling me the same thing.. Sigh.. Thanks for dropping by. :) You're an HCU-ian as well, right?
ReplyDelete