Climax can refer to the moment of greatest tension or the final argument in a speech or essay. In narratives, it is the moment of maximum tension or resolution, while the epilogue follows. An anti-climax can also be intentional or awkward. In persuasive writing, the strongest argument should be saved for last before the conclusion. The final argument is the last chance to persuade the audience.
There are several ways to define climax, as it has many applications in a variety of fields. In language and the humanities, climax generally refers to two separate things. It can be the moment of greatest tension, perhaps most violence, or a resolution that resolves a narrative, or it can be the final argument in a series of arguments in a speech or essay. The word is of Greek origin and means “ladder”, with climax typically referring to the last rung of the ladder. Everything beyond the climax is one rung down the ladder.
In narratives (short stories, films, plays, novels), a climax can be hard to miss. It should not be confused with the epilogue, the series of scenes that can follow that moment of maximum tension, resolution of the plot or big final action. You could look at most typical Agatha Christie mysteries to see the difference between climax and denouement.
In Miss Marple stories, for example, the climax is usually the moments just before, and just when, Miss Marple discovers the criminal. What follows may be Miss Marple’s explanation of her thought process, usually to an audience of friends. Yet that moment when she may be in danger and the killer will be revealed is climactic in nature, and what follows can strictly be classified as an epilogue, the summary and explanation of why or how Miss Marple solved the crime. .
Sometimes, a climax, instead of being a thrill and a moment of extreme tension, action or resolution, is framed as an anti-climax. The solution to a puzzle turns out to be very simple, or a character wakes up from horrible circumstances and discovers that everything was part of a dream. In the latter example, there may be climaxes just before the end of the dream, but the ending may be so disappointing that it is considered anticlimactic. An anti-climax isn’t always a bad thing in a narrative, and sometimes it’s intentional, but it can also be an awkward way to end a narrative in which the audience or reader feels cheated by the outcome. Imagine Jaws swimming away instead of attacking the boat in the first Jaws movie, or all the velociraptors running away instead of chasing the survivors at the end of Jurassic Park.
Another way climax is employed is in persuasive essays and speeches. There’s old advice that you should save your strongest, most persuasive argument as your last main point. This is also the last rung on the ladder before summarizing, concluding, or briefly outlining what was discussed in a conclusion.
Just as Miss Marple’s explanations are the epilogue of any story, you could refer to your conclusion in an essay or speech in the same way. So when you’re trying to persuade, you want the final argument or point before the conclusion to really resonate. It’s your last chance as a writer or speaker to argue your point with an audience, so make it count.
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