CommentsFriday nights were my date nights with my dad when I was growing up. We didn’t have money to go out, so mom and my little brother would go to bed early and Dad and I got to watch whatever we wanted on TV and eat whatever we wanted (usually tubs of ice cream with M&Ms). Looking back, the movies on TV after 10 on Fridays were totally unsuitable for kids. But one night Beaches was on. My dad was a smoker then, and my biggest concern in life was that it would kill him. So when the movie ended, I threw myself into his arms and sobbed, “I don’t want you to die!” He helped me up the stairs because I was crying so hard I could barely walk (Mom says we were both supporting each other, but I have no idea if Dad was emotional, too). I can’t watch that movie at all now, even though he quit smoking 10 years ago. Hi, Katrina –I love the tradition you and your dad had of movies, ice cream, and M&Ms on Friday nights. Fathers and daughters sure have special bonds, don’t they? Beaches is in a category with Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias . . . ultimate crying movies. Thanks for sharing your moving story!  Tamara Hogan says: When “Legends of the Fall” starts, I just… grab a box of Kleenex, but the one scene that really gets me blubbering is the last scene, his death – not because he died, but because, after a life so hard lived, he died so well. “It was a good death.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75O_JBfpX7I I also being surprised at myself when I cried reading J.D. Robb’s “Promises in Death.” The scene where Eve had to tell her friend and coworker, Chief Examiner Morris, that his fiancee had died just shredded me. Thanks for the link, Tamara, I haven’t watched that movie in so long, and I think I need to add it to my queue. I’d forgotten about the bear . . . yikes. I love it when a book or movie surprises me with emotion, like “Promises in Death” caught you off guard. I recently watched The Bucket List, which I thought would be light and cute. I couldn’t believe how much I came to care about those two old men and their unlikely friendship. I don’t guess a book has ever made me cry, but the movie Field of Dreams, don’t ask me why, makes me cry. I don’t even give a flip about baseball, but the movie isn’t really about baseball, is it? No book has ever made you cry? Wow! Okay . . . Shoshana and I dare you to read any Horton book without sniffling. Field of Dreams is a good choice too. I wonder what it is about that movie. Maybe because he kept the faith and it all worked out in the end? Or, maybe it was just Kevin Costner. The first book that ever made me cry was Black Beauty. There were just some heartbreaking scenes in that book. I can still picture the one in which Ginger (one of the horses) is wheeled away on a cart. I haven’t read the book again, but that image has always stayed with me. I’m actually a pretty stoic person in real life. I rarely cry. But books are another matter. When an author pulls me so far into the story that I experience the emotions of the characters…well, it’s just fantastic. LOL, Tina. You and I must both have a really soft spot for pets (dogs, horses, turtles, etc.) Oh, and Charlotte’s Web is another animal story that’s hard for me to read aloud. As a kid, I remember feeling like the author betrayed me when an ending didn’t turn out perfectly happy. I think I gravitated to romance at an early age.  Elisa Beatty says: Oh, man…Charlotte’s Web is a toughie. I remember trying to prepare my daughter for that as we were reading. Oh, and we watched the movie Ring of Bright Water, about the writer who befriends a wild otter… and my hazy childhood memories of the books were happy, and so it TOTALLY took us by surprise when the otter is very suddenly clubbed to death by a farmer. My daughter took years to forgive me…. Black Beauty did it too me too, Tina. I felt so sorry for Ginger, and worried for Black Beauty. The other one I remember is Old Yeller. I was really upset about that! Good post, Anne. sniff LaVyrle Spencer makes me cry in every one of her books. Even when I know it’s coming, I still get all misty and end up brushing away tears. I cry at the drop of a hat, the selection of a new hat, when someone compliments my hat. Yes, I’m exaggerating just a bit, but tears are often my reaction to the highs and lows in life. I had to teach my two-year-old daughter the concept of tears of joy because she grew concerned when I wept every time she acquired a new skill, said something profound, or melted my heart with an unexpected hug or kiss. I love stories that can move me to tears. (I bawled while watching Julie and Julia during the answering machine scene–and several others.) When I pop a DVD into the player and make a beeline for the tissue box, my hubby knows it’s one of “those” movies and will often find something else to do. He’s learned not to worry about my weepy ways, but sometimes it can be hard for him to watch such shows. After all, he just might find his own eyes moist. Stories and movies that tap into my own experiences and mine the depths of my emotions are the ones most likely to start my fountain flowing. If a character is losing a battle with cancer, I’m transported to my beloved mother-in-law’s bedside during her last agonizing weeks fighting that terrible disease. If a character learns her biological father isn’t the wonderful man she’s known, loved, and called Dad all her life, I sob uncontrollably, having experienced that life-altering revelation. As a writer, I long to evoke emotion from my readers by making them laugh, smile, sigh–and cry. If I can do that, I feel I’ve written something worth reading. Hi Keli! I liked what you said about certain scenes transporting us to other times in our lives–that’s so true. It can be painful, but cathartic too. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. The nice thing with stories is we have a safety net. If a scene gets too intense, we can choose *not* to willingly suspend our disbelief. Or, better yet, close the book.  Shea Berkley says: Great blog, Anne. It definitely gets you thinking about how we can adopt that kind of pull into our own books. On a similar note, did you see the guy on one of the morning shows the other day who promised his wife he’d watch 30 chick flicks in 30 days? He did and he says he learned some powerful lessons by doing so. He even blogged about it. To see what he learned, go to http://30chickflicks.com/?page_id=2 Not only does he say he learned a lot about his wife by just watching the movies with her, he learned how to be a better kisser. Love a guy who isn’t afraid of bettering himself for his woman. Oh, that’s cute, Shea. Isn’t it adorable when you see guys taking their wives/girlfriends to a total chick flick? That’s how you know they’re smitten. Now I wonder if we could find a husband willing to take the 30 Romance Novels in 30 Days challenge.  Darynda Jones says: That’s awesome, Shea! I’m going to check that out. Elisa Beatty says: Thanks, Anne–definitely, I’d love to have scenes in my books that genuinely made readers cry! Personally, I cry at Hallmark commercials…it’s embarrassing. I’ve been known to choke up in my classroom, too, which is much more humiliating in front of high schoolers than third graders. I like your attitude, though. (When we do Toni Morrison’s Beloved, I completely lose it at least once.) In terms of fiction, the ending of Philip Pullman’s Golden Compass series–the ending of The Subtle Knife–was SOOOO tough to read aloud (to my daughter), and I had no idea it was coming. I remember a lot of romance novels making me cry at their black moments, though it hasn’t happened in awhile. Is my heart harder, or are the novels less angsty lately?? LOL, Elisa, I can see how high schoolers might be less forgiving. Sometimes, when I get to a really hard part I just ask a student to read for me and we all laugh about it. There’s something about reading the story aloud that makes it more potent, I think. Esp. if you’re reading to your son or daughter, because then you’re seeing it through their eyes too. I don’t know, but it’s a very weird phenomenon. And for me, it happens just as much with the happy parts as with the sad. Like Keli said in her comment, I think maybe the happy tears confuse kids (and men) more. I forgot to say it’s also been a while for me since a romance novel made me cry. And yet I’ve been reading some great books . . . maybe we’re overanalyzing? Darynda Jones says: Okay, Anne, I read this post first thing this morning, but I couldn’t think of any books that made me cry, even though, trust me, there have been dozens! Everything makes me cry. Commercials make me cry. I would have to say the one book that had me sobbing throughout the whole thing, and it was sooooooooooo good, was A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux. MAN, that book was amazing. And there were so many more, I just can’t think of them. As for film/TV, I recently discovered the show Supernatural. I bought the seasons on DVD and have been rewarding myself with one show a night for good (writing) behavior. They had a Christmas special and the main plot was kind of silly, but cute. But the subplot where Sam thinks back in time to a Christmas he and Dean had in a hotel room when they were kids. It wasn’t even “sad” in the traditional sense, and I cried so hard I couldn’t catch my breath! I’m such a wiener. No you’re not, Darynda! If you are, you’ve got plenty of company. I haven’t read A Knight in Shining Armor, but I really want to now. Need to make a trip to the library! I love that you’re rewarding yourself with Supernatural episodes. Isn’t it great when you discover a show like that? Christmas specials usually get me too. A little snow, some carols, a heartfelt gift, and I’m good. Darynda Jones says: Thanks, Anne! I love the company I’m with!  Rita says: I watch the movies I like more than once. Sometimes I can get through a sad moment with a – that’s too bad and the next time I watch I need tissue. I read several series books and it upsets me when the author kills a friend or lover off or has them go bad. I feel terrible for the protagonist. “I’m still thinking about those characters. I want to reach into the story and give them a hug or hold a hand.” Oh, Rita, I love how you put this. The characters you think about long after you finish reading the story are the really, really good ones. Thanks for this! Hi Anne, The first book I remember crying through was Gone With the Wind. I cried from the moment Bonnie died straight through to the end. Happened every time I read it. I loved your description of your Read Alouds. I teach 4th grade so my book selection is a bit different. Sharon Creech is on my list too though. I was reminded of your blog today. We were reading her Granny Torrelli Makes Soup and there’s a scene where granny is describing the death of her first love. So sad. Most of our stories are fun rather than sad, but many do have sad moments. Sarah Plain and Tall, when the girl realizes her mother is never coming back, parts of Tale of Despereaux. Obviously I could go on and on, but I think what they all have in common is that the author created characters the children identify with so they’re totally wrapped up in whatever happens to them. Those are some more great stories, Mary! And I like fun mixed with a little sad . . . and happy endings. I think you’re absolutely right about it all starting with the characters, and like Rita said, we think about them long after the book ends. It’s nice to see so many teachers here–we’re coming out of the woodwork, aren’t we? Fourth grade is awesome.  Liz Talley says: This made me smile.. the thought of you tearing up in front of your third graders. I’ve done it before…in front of high school students. Talk about uncomfortable. I cry every time I read “The Scarlet Ibis” – it’s gut-wrenching in its beauty. In my Adult Ed. class I started crying in the middle of Blima – a Holocaust story. I also get tickled in stories. Every time I read Thurber’s “The Catbird Seat” I’d start giggling. Of course, none of my student’s understood his humor, but I totally love Thurber. I can’t even go into movies. Okay, I will. The two that always make me cry – Nottinghill (The readers of Horse and Hound would like to know….”) and Sense and Sensibility (when she finds out he’s not married and bursts out in tears) Love those scenes. Hey Liz — I’m so glad I’m not alone! As for that scene in Sense and Sensibility where Emma Thompson/Elinor finds out Hugh Grant/Edward isn’t really married . . . ME TOO!! It’s like all the passion she’s been denying for years is pouring out of her. And more than anything, it’s relief. Oh, I’m so glad you reminded me of that one. I haven’t seen Nottinghill. Adding to queue!  Laurie Kellogg says: Sorry I’m late to the party! The animated movie UP! I cried THREE times during that dang CARTOON!  Sue Mason says: Hi Anne, What a cute topic. Normally I will avoid a sad movie like the plague – I hate crying! But a few have snuck up on me. Like “NIghts in Rodanthe” (can never spell that). I smacked myself in the forehead after I realized it was a Nicholas Sparks movie – doesn’t he love to kill everyone off! I will not watch another of those until someone pre-screens it for me. Like “Dear John”. My daughter saw it and says the hero doesn’t die, but it’s not a happy ending. We’ll see – maybe on DVD. Although I did love “Notebook”. Maybe because the older couple died together. I still cried though. Another one that totally caught me off guard was “Me and Marley”. How dumb was I not to realize that the dog would die!! Of course he would. And animals dying are always worth ten times more tears. Never did see the end of that one – had to leave the room! Give me a happy ending anytime. (Don’t mind tears of joy!) Cheers, Sue
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There’s a scene near the end of Dream a Little Dream by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, where the heroine heals a little girl who has cancer. Taken outside the context of the book I would think the scene was ridiculous (I mean–come on–faith healing? Really?), but within the story it feels realistic. The heroine has been through so many terrible things, none of them her fault, and with that scene I felt like things were finally balancing out. Anyway, it makes me cry every time I read it.
I also once started crying half way through Horton Hatches the Egg by Dr. Seuss, but I blame that on pregnancy hormones.
That sounds like a cool scene in Dream a Little Dream, Shoshana. I like how you put it: “with that scene I felt like things were finally balancing out.” That would get to me too.
And LOL about Horton, but how can you *not* feel for an elephant who’s trying to protect an egg? Esp. if you’re pregnant.