Killing off the Protagonist

You’ve (probably) done it. I have done it. Sooner or later, every fiction writer does it--kills off their protagonist, that is.

But experts consider this to be a big fiction writing sin. The reason that these nameless, faceless experts condemn protagonist-cide (my term) is that such a plot twist is too easy. You must make your protagonist struggle through to the bitter end, they say, and that bitter end must not include the protagonists own death.

But why?  In real life, people die all the time. Some are murdered. Some die in accidents. Some commit suicide. Why can’t I allow my protagonist to suffer a similar fate?  

How I Leaned the Rule about Killing a Protagonist

I leaned this rule against protagonist-cide the hard way. (Actually, I already knew the rule, but I think that I was just testing the waters--and my classmate’s patience.)

In response to a flash fiction assignment in my college creative writing class, I wrote a story about a woman who suffered from bipolar disorder. Due to her mental illness, her formerly upscale suburban life had begun to unravel. One night, she went to a motel room for a one night stand with a sleazy salesman. Disgusted at herself and her life, she shot herself with the gun that she had begun carrying in her purse for that purpose.

My professor and classmates read this story and viciously (I felt) attacked me for writing such an ending. I was hurt because I felt that I had made a perfectly reasonable, artistic decision in bringing my story to such a climax.

But this is what really bothers me…

If I had been a famous author, killing off my protagonist would have probably brought me critical acclaim. They would have praised me for my creative genius. My story would have been required reading in all creative writing classes--okay, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit with this one.

Anyway…

Have you ever killed off your protagonist? How do you feel about authors who kill off their protagonists? Do you believe that only famous authors should be given the creative license to commit protagonist-cide?