Make Your Point > Archived Issues > DENOUEMENT

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explore the archives: In a story or real-life situation, the denouement is the unraveling of the knot: the part near the end when everything becomes clear or falls into place. Thinking of a situation or plot as a tangled knot will remind you of our term G______ knot (two words), meaning any difficult, complex problem or situation, but especially one that you "solve" by slicing right through it--by using sneakiness or cleverness to eliminate the problem altogether. make your point with... "DENOUEMENT" French for "an untying," and originally from Latin roots meaning "un" and "knot," the denouement of any story (or any difficulty, or any complicated situation) is the part near the end when the main problem gets solved. (Some literature teachers disagree on the exact meaning of "denouement," but for general usage, we don't need to worry about that.) Pronunciation: day new MAW (That last vowel is nasalized. To do this, as you say the vowel, lower your soft palate, which will force air into your nose as if you're whining. Or, don't even worry about it--just say "day new MA.") Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." However, even though "denouement" is countable, we usually talk about only "a denouement" or "the denouement" and not multiple "denouements.") Other forms: none How to use it: Even though we took this word from French, it's extremely common in English now: so, there's no need to italicize it or even include the little mark over the first "e," although some people still prefer to write it that way: "dénouement." Pick "denouement" (instead of "outcome" or "resolution") when you need a more formal word, or one with a literary flavor. To use the stricter, literary sense of this word, talk about the denouement of a play, an opera, a ballet, a novel, a short story, an epic, an individual TV episode or an entire season, or a movie. To be more general, talk about the denouement of an athletic competition or season, the denouement of a highly publicized trial or investigation, the denouement of a mysterious or dramatic situation in someone's life, etc. By the way, do you prefer thinking of a plot as a knot to be neatly unraveled, or the opposite, as a set of threads to be neatly knotted? Although "denouement" literally means untying, unraveling, we do often think of a story's conclusion as the tying up of loose ends. examples: Mark Twain's "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" rambles on and on, but stick with it; the denouement is hilarious and satisfying. The game's denouement drew loud cheers with its staggering series of passes. study it now: Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "denouement" means when you can explain it without saying "unraveling" or "resolution." try it out: Think of a frustrating, complicated, or mysterious situation in your life that hasn't been resolved yet. Fill in the blank: "There's this whole drama (about/involving) _____, and I'm still waiting to see the denouement." Example: "There's this whole drama about furniture we purchased that may never be delivered, and I'm still waiting to see the denouement." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. This month, we're playing "You Know, That Thing!" This game challenges your powers of recall. Start a timer: twenty seconds if you're an adult, longer if you're a kid or an English language learner. Read the description of each thing, and come up with its name. Try to name all three before your timer runs out. (Scroll all the way down for the answers.) Ready? Go! 1. A paper you sign to formally give up one of your rights is a… 2. The skin irritation that babies get from wearing their diapers is… 3. A sound processor, or the effect it has, that alters the pitch of someone's singing is… review today's word: 1. A close opposite of DENOUEMENT is A. RISING ACTION B. DIALOGUE C. TONE 2. Economists did their best to _____ the denouement of the debt crisis. A. predict B. prepare C. disregard Answers are below. a final word: To be a sponsor and send your own message to readers of this list, please contact Liesl at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: Word meanings presented here are expressed in plain language and are limited to common, useful applications only. Readers interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words are encouraged to check a dictionary. Likewise, word meanings, usage, and pronunciations are limited to American English; these elements may vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. A Answers to game questions: 1. waiver 2. diaper rash, nappy/nappie rash, or napkin rash 3. Auto-Tune