The Washington
Post has an article on “The
23 most unforgettable last sentences in fiction.” Many critics and
readers focus on the first sentence, but the last sentence is the one that
leaves the final impression. Here are a few of my favorites.
“I got to light out for the territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she’s going to adopt me and sivilize me, and I can’t stand it. I been there before.”
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
“It’s funny. Don’t ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody.”
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
“He was soon borne away by the waves, and lost in darkness and distance.”
Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
“After all, tomorrow is another day.”
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
“He loved Big Brother.”
Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
I can't resist. Here are a couple of my favorites from my own books.
“I kept my head and Chestnut facing east.”
The Shopkeeper by James D. Best
(I didn’t want my hero to ride off into the sunset.)
“And then he was gone.”
Tempest at Dawn by James D. Best
(James Madison, an old man had left the room, but he soon after left the stage as our last remaining Founding Father.)
