Definition of cliffhanger: A cliffhanger is a type of ending to a story in which there is no resolution to the conflict.
What is a Cliffhanger?
What does cliffhanger mean? A cliffhanger is a type of ending which is suspenseful in nature. Instead of resolving the conflict at the end of the story, the author leaves the reader in suspense with many questions left to answer.
Example of a Cliffhanger
Imagine at the end of a movie the protagonist is being chased by his antagonist. He finds himself running to the edge of a cliff, and the movie ends with him at the edge staring into the eyes of the enemy.
This movie ending is an example of a cliffhanger because the audience is left in suspense wondering what happened to the protagonist.
Modern Examples of Cliffhangers
In the famous television series The Sopranos, a cliffhanger is presented in the series finale.
At the end of the episode the main character, Tony Soprano, is seated at the dinner table in a restaurant with his family. However, the audience is presented with camera shots of a man whose intentions are to murder Tony Soprano. As the screen goes to black to end the series, the audience never sees Soprano get murdered. While we can assume this is what happens at the end, it is still left up to interpretation. By not showing what happens, the writers have created a cliffhanger ending leaving the audience in suspense.
Another television show that is notorious for cliffhanger endings is AMC’s The Walking Dead. The show’s premise is the continuous attempt to defeat the zombies that are overtaking the country.
As part of a season finale, the beloved character Glenn’s fate is unknown to the viewers. As the episode ends it seems very likely that the zombies attacked him; however, since it was not shown his state of mortality is left to question which makes this an example of a cliffhanger. Viewers were left in suspense and theories flooded Internet forums.
The Function Cliffhangers
The purpose of cliffhangers is to leave the audience in suspense at the ending a story. Many times this suspense is a desired effect for series of books because it entices readers to purchase the next installment in the series.
Examples of Cliffhangers in Literature
Here are some cliffhangers that are used in literature:
In the young adult novel Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs, the author leaves the story ending in a cliffhanger.
The teen protagonist, Jacob, has discovered a secret life that his late grandfather lived. Through this discovery, Jacob is tempted to leave his own normal life behind to join the secret world his grandfather was a part of at one time.
At the end of the novel, Jacob remains in this strange world in order to defeat and protect the peculiar children from the evil forces hunting them; therefore, the reader is left in suspense. Questions such as will he return to his family and will the evil hunters be caught are left unanswered. This cliffhanger is likely included because this is the first book in the series, so it leaves the reader wanting to read the next installment.
Another example of cliffhanger can be found in the short story The Most Dangerous Game by Richard Connell, the ending of which is left as a cliffhanger rather than a clear resolution.
Protagonist and world-renowned hunter, Rainsford, fell off his ship and was washed up on a strange island. On this island, he meets hunting enthusiast General Zaroff.
Bored of hunting animals, General Zaroff now hunts the humans that wash upon his island. He challenges Rainsford to a hunt bragging that he has not lost. However, Rainsford manages to skillfully beat General Zaroff at his own game.
At the end of the story, Rainsford and General Zaroff are face-to-face in the General’s bedroom. While the reader can infer that Rainsford killed Zaroff, it is left to interpretation. This unanswered ending creates a cliffhanger and leaves the reader with unanswered questions.
Summary: What are Cliffhangers?
Define cliffhanger: In summation, a cliffhanger is a type of ending in which there is no clear resolution given to the reader. The reader is left to interpret the ending himself by inferring what may have happened next.
Often times, cliff hangers are used in serials because they leave the audience in suspense and excitement to read the next installment.
Final example:
In the popular dystopian series The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, the reader is left in suspense at the end of the first book. Collins ends the book with the victors, Peeta and Katniss, winning the Hunger Games.
Having two victors is unheard of in this dystopian society, so this leaves the reader in question as to what will happen to the victors. The reader wonders if they will be in danger for pretending to be in love in order to defeat the society they live in, and this heightens interest in reading the next book in the series.
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