Who said that only sad stories can be happy?

I have no idea who said that. Maybe it was some literary critic or a famous author, but I'm not sure.

There's a story of a man who loses his job (sad). But this setback makes him start his own business which becomes very successful (happy). He realizes that the loss was a push in the right direction for him to achieve greater things.

Happy endings are better. They leave the reader with a positive feeling, a sense of hope and satisfaction. It's like a warm embrace at the end of a journey. For example, in most fairy tales, the good guys win and live happily ever after. It gives the audience something to cheer for and makes them feel good about the world, at least for a while.

Sure. Consider a young athlete who gets injured and can't compete in an important event (sad). But during his recovery, he discovers a passion for coaching. He then goes on to train many successful athletes, which gives him a great sense of fulfillment (happy).

Sure. A sad story could be about a lost dog that wandered the streets for days, looking for its owner who had moved away without it. It was cold and hungry. A happy story would be a young girl who found a lottery ticket on the ground and it turned out to be a winning one. She used the money to build a school in her poor village.

Sure. There was a girl who lost her dog. She was extremely sad. She searched everywhere but couldn't find it. One day, while she was at the park, she heard a familiar bark. It was her dog! A kind family had found it and took care of it until they could reunite them. She went from being heartbroken to overjoyed.

In happy stories, common themes often include love, achievement, and reunion. For example, a love story where two people overcome obstacles to be together is a typical happy theme. In sad stories, themes like loss, loneliness, and failure are common. For instance, the loss of a loved one can be a very sad theme.

One characteristic is that they can make the reader feel a range of emotions in a short span. In a story about a family losing their home in a fire, they are sad. But then the community comes together to build them a new home. The family is happy again. These stories often rely on simple yet powerful situations to create that emotional shift from happy to sad or vice versa. They might also end on a positive or bittersweet note to leave an impact on the reader.

One common element is a turning point. For example, in the story of the lost dog, the moment of finding the dog was the turning point. Another element is often the presence of some kind of support, like the new teacher for the bullied boy. Also, perseverance plays a role, just as the young man who kept trying in his business.

It depends on the type and theme of the story. Some stories work better with a happy ending to give readers a sense of hope and fulfillment. Others need a sad ending to convey a deeper message or evoke stronger emotions.