Dune
ended as most books do, with good winning out over evil. Duke Leto was killed,
but his son, Paul, kept his legacy alive and eventually regained control of
Dune. However, as I was reading this book, I wondered what it would have been
like if Frank Herbert had strayed from the well-trodden path of endings
favoring good, and made the outcome of Dune favor evil.
This thought led me to several different alternative
endings to Dune. For example, what if Paul had died before killing the
Baron? What if Paul and the Baron had
died? This would have lead to the Baron or his descendants gaining complete
control over Dune, and eventually, the entire galaxy. Evil would have taken
over, and everyone’s hopes would have died along with Paul.
I
wonder why authors always choose to make good win out over evil. It could be because in our world, good does win out, and maybe authors can’t
imagine (or don’t want to imagine) what it would be like in the world if evil
overcame good. Maybe it is because
authors want people to always have hope and to strive for good. These are noble objectives, but it is an
interesting thought to imagine what it would be like for an author to choose
the less traveled path.
I loved that book! In my opinion it was fantastically written, the characters seemed real and believable, and the plot was deep and exciting. Even though it, in a way, showcases the archetype of good triumphing over evil, it was done with finesse. They do not win out instantly and there are many plot turns along the way. In my mind, this book is a masterpiece of science fiction to be remembered by those who read it. Truly a hallmark.
ReplyDeleteFunny you should say most books end with good over evil, the blog I just wrote about Pet Sematary was quite the opposite! I like your assumption on hope and striving for good, it seems like what many may do, other than King of course. I was also curious on what was the Stephen King book you recommended me the other day, I believe the title was a sequence of numbers?
ReplyDeleteThis is a great example of a reading response, Richard. Well done. Do make sure to include your reading times for the week.
ReplyDeleteFantastic reading reading response. I was reading that book just a few days ago, and you captured it perfectly.Frank Herbert made a wonderfully complex novel.
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