Quote:
Originally Posted by gmw
I have no reliable way to assess the book afresh, the story is too familiar to me. But I can understand how the ending might seem unsatisfying: a fairytale story like this should, perhaps, have a fairytale ending.
We might applaud the author for not bowing to a stereotypical ending, were it not that we know the intention was more cynical: if you are not satiated it suggests you care what happens next and so will buy the next book (or magazine or whatever). And sometimes it works, fantasyfan  . But not always, Catlady and Bookworm_Girl  .
But I would not characterise it as a cliff-hanger ending. The story is finished. The heroine is satisfying her idea of honour, intending to keep her promise, and William Clayton is a good man (and rich!), so we can't feel too sorry for her. The hero has satisfied his idea of honour and (we assume) will return to the jungle he knows. All the pieces are wrapped up and apparently finished, there is nothing more to be said or done (unless/until you say or do an entire book). There are many stand-alone books that leave much more unexplained than this one does.
Perhaps it's thanks to my long history with the series that I find it quite satisfying enough that I have no need to read more this time around. For me it's like watching an episode of of Doctor Who, or Star Trek, or Tarzan! I never expected the love interest would steal the hero away from a life of adventure, and so I leave this story knowing the hero is still out there rescuing others in distress, and I can join them again whenever I care to pick up the next book. |
I don't think it's a cliff-hanger ending either. The story's over; loose ends are neatly tied up. Jane's getting married and Tarzan's going back to the jungle; both are following their predictable paths of domesticity and adventure (though I don't know how Tarzan realistically sheds civilization for his old primitive life of isolation). Sure, I can see how the character can have lots more adventures, as he obviously did, but I don't see how there can be much more in the way of character growth--the story's done.
Speaking of Tarzan becoming civilized, I expected Jane to be the civilizing influence--to be the one teaching him to speak and understand, etc. (Me Tarzan, you Jane). Why offload all that?
The fairy-tale ending I expected was Jane joining Tarzan in the jungle--that's what happened in the Disney version, and it's what I thought happened in all the movie versions; wasn't Jane in them, and didn't they have a son (Boy)?
Then again, if ERB didn't want to go for the fairy-tale ending, I would rather have seen an ironic ending--Jane rejecting Tarzan because he's become too tame for her, no longer a beast but a milksop.
The ending we got, though, is just blah. Jane's being sensible and realistic, which is true to her nature, but Tarzan? This guy who's used to getting what he wants, who's traveled continents to reclaim his woman--he just gives up? He doesn't even TRY to convince Jane to run away with him? He HAS become a milksop.