Resolution

The resolution is the final stage of a narrative, after the climax. The central conflict is settled and the consequences work themselves out. Loose ends are tied up, questions are answered, and the reader learns how things stand for the characters after the crisis.

A resolution may be happy, tragic or deliberately open, leaving some questions unanswered for the reader to ponder. It gives a sense of completion and often reflects on the meaning of what has happened. The reader's final impression shapes how they understand the whole text.

In Literature, discussing the resolution lets you explore how a writer closes a text and what final meaning or feeling they leave with the reader. Examiners reward you for linking the ending to theme and for noticing whether it is neat, unsettling or open. In your own narrative writing, a controlled resolution rounds off your story purposefully.

Avoid both a rushed finish and a loose, unresolved trailing away.

After a long quarrel, a story might close quietly with two brothers repairing a fence together in silence. The reader senses reconciliation without it being stated.

Identify how the conflict is settled and what the ending leaves the reader feeling. Then explain whether it is neat, tragic or open, and how it reflects the theme. In your own writing, plan an ending that follows naturally from your climax and gives a sense of completion.

Decide deliberately whether to resolve everything or leave a question hanging.

You may also find writing formats and annotated model responses useful. Next, visit our skills guides for IGCSE English to see terms like this used in real answers. Our IGCSE English tuition page explains how lessons run. When you are ready, the paid one-hour trial is the first step.