The shape of a melody

Look at this melody in the grid: it climbs for two bars, reaches its highest note in the third, then steps down and ends on 1.

That highest note is the climax. Saving it for late in the phrase gives a melody a sense of direction, like a sentence building to its point.

Ending on 1 over the last chord brings the phrase home. Try ending on another note and hear the melody ask to go on.