Acclaimed for her science fiction, Ontario writer Margaret Atwood has a useful essay/story entitled “Happy Endings” that plays upon the typical patterns of narrative.  Like a lot of serious literature as well, it is a metacommentary–writing about writing.  I also like it for its surprise ending and how audience, purpose, and strategy (those elements of the writing situation) get played with.  So read on, all you Johns and Marys!       It is available at: http://www.napavalley.edu/people/LYanover/Documents/English%20123/English%20123%20Margaret%20Atwood%27s%20HappyEndings.pdf