Provide Conclusion for Narrative

People have been telling stories for thousands of years. From ancient campfire tales to modern novels and movies, every great story has something in common: it needs an ending that makes you feel satisfied. A narrative conclusion is the final part of a story. It wraps up the events and leaves the reader feeling like the story is truly finished.

Think about it this way: have you ever watched a movie that just stopped in the middle of the action? It feels wrong, right? That's because humans naturally crave endings. Throughout history, storytellers have learned that the way you end a story is just as important as how you begin it.

So here's the big question this lesson will help you answer: How do you write a conclusion that feels like it truly belongs at the end of your story? Let's find out.

A strong narrative conclusion doesn't just stop the story. It gives readers a sense of closure (the feeling that the story is truly complete). There are a few key principles that every great conclusion follows.

Every story follows a shape called a story arc (also called a narrative arc). This is the path your story takes from beginning to end. The conclusion sits at the very end of this arc, right after the climax and falling action. Let's look at a diagram to see exactly where it goes.

As you can see, the conclusion comes after the falling action (the part where things start to calm down after the biggest moment). Your conclusion is where you tie everything together. It should feel like a natural landing after the ride of the story—not a sudden crash.

Now that you know where the conclusion fits in a story, let's look at how to actually write one. There are several techniques you can use. Good writers often combine more than one technique to create a satisfying ending.

Technique 1: Reflection

The character looks back on what happened and thinks about what it means. This is one of the most common and powerful ways to end a narrative. For example: "As I walked home that evening, I realized that standing up to Marcus wasn't just about the basketball game. It was about learning that my voice mattered."

Technique 2: A Final Action or Image

Instead of telling the reader what the character learned, you show it through one last action or image. For example: "I tucked the letter into my pocket, smiled at Mom, and stepped onto the bus without looking back." The reader understands the character has grown without being told directly.

Technique 3: Connecting Back to the Beginning

This technique is sometimes called a circular ending. You bring the reader back to something from the opening of the story, but now it has a different meaning. If your story started with the character feeling afraid of the ocean, the conclusion might show them wading into the waves with a grin.

Technique 4: A Lesson Learned or Looking Ahead

The character states what they learned, or they look forward to the future. For example: "I didn't know what seventh grade would bring, but for the first time, I wasn't afraid to find out." This gives readers hope and a sense that the story's events truly mattered.

Not all conclusions are created equal. Some conclusions make your reader say, "Wow!" while others make them say, "That's it?" Let's look at the difference between weak conclusions and strong conclusions so you can spot the difference in your own writing.

The biggest difference is that strong conclusions feel like they grow out of the story. They don't come out of nowhere. If your story is about overcoming stage fright, your conclusion should connect to that struggle. If your story is about losing a pet, your conclusion should relate to that loss. Every element of your conclusion should be traceable back to the events you already narrated.

Let's walk through writing a conclusion for a short narrative. Imagine you wrote a story about a student named Mia who was terrified of swimming but had to take swimming lessons. In the climax, she jumped off the diving board for the first time. Now you need a conclusion.

When you're writing a conclusion, there are some common mistakes that even experienced writers make. Let's compare what makes a conclusion strong versus what makes it weak so you know exactly what to aim for—and what to avoid.

The conclusion skills you're learning now are the foundation for all the writing you'll do in the future. As you move into 7th and 8th grade—and eventually high school—your narrative conclusions will get more complex and layered. Here's a preview of how this skill grows.

The great news is that once you master the basics of writing a conclusion that follows from the narrated experiences, you'll have a strong foundation. Every advanced technique builds on what you're learning right now. Think of this as learning to ride a bike with training wheels—soon you'll be doing tricks!

Now it's your turn! Try these five practice problems. They start easy and get more challenging. For each one, think about the principles we learned: connect to the events, show change, reflect, and leave a lasting impression.