What do you think are the saddest scenes/passages in literature? *General spoiler alert*

[QuimReaper]

For me, it's either:

• Lyra leafing Pantalaimon on the shore in The Amber Spyglass
• Will leaving to go back to his awful mother in Goodnight Mr Tom

Makes me tear up just thinking about either. What's yours?

Quotes would be much appreciated, even though I was too lazy to look any up!

(This thread will probably contain assorted spoilers, don't read on if you're going to complain about them )

When Emma dies in 'One Day' - read it on a plane and sobbed.

The whole of 'Uncle Tom's cabin'

I really don’t want to give a spoiler!

But the reveal in Behind the Scenes at the Museum by kate Atkinson is one of the most emotional and affecting pieces of writing. The description of the event after the build up previously makes t almost unbearable.

the death of Teddy in "A God in Ruins" by Kate Atkinson. I got so involved in the story even though it's fictional

Manzana, that's reminded me –is it also A God in Ruins or is it Life After Life...? anyway when Albert dies and one of his brothers or sisters is thinking afterwards about how happy he was when they all went out for the day once and had a picnic, and said what a good day it was. It's something like 'He realised that Albert had collected good days.'

I'm not totally sure why, but I find that so profoundly sad and unbearably sweet.

@manzana That whole chapter, about the crash, is probably the best thing I've ever read. I barely took a breath the whole time I was reading.

Some passaged in both 'Never Let me Go" and "A Fine Balance" ( R Ministry ) completely choked me.

The death of Hazel from Watership Down. From memory (can't find the book):

"It seemed to him that he would not need his body anymore, so he left it

lying by the side of the road..."

@DarlingNikita that's from Behind the Scenes 😀

OneFor, Christ, is it really? I didn't realise I was THAT mixed up...!

@peachgreen, me too, it was beautifully written and a shock after the previous chapters. Should've known it was coming after reading her other books.

The end of The Amateur Marriage, when he finds himself walking past the house he shared with his now-dead first wife. He thinks for a moment she is there on the front lawn putting seed in the bird feeder, and she turns and sees him and she says "It's you! It's really and truly you!" And her face lights up with joy. What makes it sadder in a way, is that the marriage wasn't really happy.

"Pale broken thing. Why will it not work. What magic word made it work. Who is the keeper of that word. What did it profit Him to switch this one off. What a contraption it is. How did it ever run. What spark ran it. Grand little machine. Set up just so. Receiving the spark, it jumped to life."

Abraham Lincoln holding his young sons in his crypt in the middle of the night in Lincoln in the Bardo...such a wonderful wonderful book.

@manzana Yes although I was also lulled into a false sense of security by Teddy's eventual timeline in Life After Life!

So many of these have made me sob.
I add
The bit in Adolphus Tips where they are stood on the beach reflecting the war. Has me in bits.
Through a Glass Darkly when the angel leaves
The Little Princess when she is shouting for her daddy but he can't see her
All the Things we Cannot See - many parts but the part with the young girls and the Russian soldiers.
Tattooist of Auschwitz at the end - just the sheer emotion

Boxer's fate in Animal Farm makes me weep. And all the students I teach.

The line the fall through the air of the true,wise friend named Piggy.

I can't read the end of Of Mice and Men without needing to go somewhere quiet to sob.

And Carlo dying saving Captain Corelli. That made a boy I taught cry on a train. He was cross with me for not warning him.

Oh yes.. and Ted Burgess. Just the sentence that tells us he shot himself.So sad.

@Passmethecrisps I know exactly what you mean!

@DarlingNikita @OneForTheRoadThen I really don't think it is? BTSaTM is the only Atkinson I've read and I don't know what you're talking about! Amazing that she came up twice in one minute though. I am now inspired to read more by her.

@Pieceofpurplesky The scene at the end of the Alfonso Cuaron adaptation of The Little Princess is heartbreaking. It's not a great film, but that scene has me sobbing every time.

"And more than once I have stood rope in hand in that same awful place, and tried to save a struggling wretch; but never saw one come through the surf alive, in such a night as he saved me."

I'm welling up writing that. It's the end of Moonfleet by JM Faulkner, amazing book.

God Of Small Things is such a sad book.

My list keeps growing.

The most recent book to make me cry was A Suitable Boy. To be honest , I only like books if I cry.

And The Travelling Cat Chronicles had me crying into a seatback on a plane.

@CanadianJohn 'It seemed to Hazel that he would not be needing his body anymore, so he left it lying on the edge of a ditch, but stopped for a moment to watch his rabbits and to try to get used to the extraordinary feeling that strength and speed were flowing inexhaustibly out of him into their sleek young bodies and healthy senses.'

End ‘Of Mice and Men’
Catherine’s change in attitude in ‘The Heiress” When her aunt tells her that she is cruel. Catherine agrees saying that she has been taught by masters

@haverhill Gibley did when Marnie was There as their last ever film I think - it was one of the most beautiful, moving things I ever saw, it was like having a dream. I gave the DVD to my sis for Christmas the same year. Please check it out!

In Rilla of Ingleside when Walter dies and the description of Jem's dog howling down at the station as if he knew always gets me, all of the description of Walter's death gets to me but the dog knowing just breaks me.