^{Photo by Marina Vitale on Unsplash}

What makes a plot tragic or angsty? Understanding the difference between tragedy and angst is important in fiction. These two terms are often used interchangeably but have distinct differences.

When reading stories that evoke feelings of sadness or emotional pain, it can be a sign that the author has done an excellent job in creating a truly moving experience. Flateland’s book, Until We Meet Again, is a masterpiece that captures the essence of both angst and tragedy through its portrayal of self-awareness, maturity, and emotional depth.

Even in areas like fanfiction writing, a lot of people love a good dose of anxiety experienced by fictional people. Not to say that they’re sadists or masochists, but angst evokes strong emotions and empathy with those characters. Additionally, readers who love this trope thrive on the surge of emotions which makes the character come alive. A tragic event also triggers sympathy for the suffering person.

Furthermore, tragedy fascinates people because it redirects the plot’s pace, which becomes the ultimate basis for the ending. That’s why it’s also a complicated process to pull off a good angst with an ending worth waiting for. Whether in fiction or real life, humans are oddly drawn to things that make them sad, regardless of whether they’re happy.

More importantly, how are we going to differentiate the two?

Angst and Tragedy: Two Worlds Apart

Contrary to what other writers might show you, angst and tragedy are two different entities. Angst builds tension and anticipation of how the character will react. It sets up a challenge for the character to overcome or be overwhelmed by.

One thing we need to remember about angst and tragedy is that the former is more of a tool designed to build up the plot. It can even be a way for readers to uncover a different side of the characters that ironically comes to light in the dark. However, many confuse angst and tragedy as the same thing, which may not be accurate. In tragedy, there is a sense of impending doom, where the actions and decisions of one affect everything else in the story.

A Brief Description of Angst

Have you ever read a story where a character starts off happy, but then gets hit with an adverse circumstance? That’s what we call an angsty moment. It’s a fine line between anxiety and tragedy, and it can be difficult to pinpoint the exact meaning.

Angst is often used to move the story along, but it mainly focuses on characterization. It creates a gray area regarding bad things happening to characters, and it deals heavily with one’s personal feelings of anxiety, fear, and doubt. This plot device can be resolved through introspection, where external conflicts generate more inner battles. When writing these types of stories, it’s important to consider the intent behind them.

Tragedy and The Fascination Behind It

Admit it: we love some excellent tragedies, especially when well-executed. We find the protagonists struggling with their flaws, which catalyzes the plot. Stories with tragedy often hit moments of despair and hopelessness, with the protagonist working towards changing that. However, tragedy is more than just a bad thing happening. It can persist no matter what the protagonist does, making it an inevitable part of the plot. Changing it may even cause more conflict than the existing one. But still, we find it amusing, to say the least.

It may be funny to ask, “Why do we do this to ourselves?”

Don’t we avoid enough pain so we won’t have to endure it for a time? Why do we need to read about characters going through a series of misfortunes and emotional turmoil? Does it help make us feel better when we see someone suffering? Furthermore, we think of the gradual slip of despair and loss of hope as we flip along the pages of a tragic fiction plot.

Blurring The Fine Line Between Angsty and Tragic Stories

There is a feeling among readers that the most disliked character in the story meets a tragic end, and they somewhat feel happy. It’s called Schadenfreude, a German word that means “shameful joy.” With this, people might say “Serves them right” to a character they hate the moment they suffer immensely. It doesn’t even have to be the villain, per se. There are moments where even the protagonists are hated or are poorly written and toxic.

If people see that person immensely suffer and feel they deserved it, there might be a dark sense of satisfaction in seeing justice being met. So when readers come across books that contain angst and tragedy, they can better comprehend how they differ and meet halfway.