3/3/2023 0 Comments Deus ex machina examplesI haven’t read Dan Brown’s The Da Vinci Code, but I understand it contains a character with an Italian name that translates as “red herring.” The term dates from the use of strong-smelling fish to divert hounds from chasing the hare. Most frequently used in mysteries to lead the reader toward an incorrect conclusion. Anything used by the author to distract the reader’s attention away toward the unimportant and away from the important. “Holy plot device, Batman, why are you loading bear repellent in your utility belt?” “Better safe than sorry, Robin.” “Holy Ursa Major, Batman! We’re surrounded by hungry grizzlies!” “Yes, lucky thing I happened to bring…” Someone gives the protagonist an object that turns out to be the one thing needed later to get the hero out of a bad situation. “Listen, Dashiell, I like novel, but can we change this Sicilian Vulture statuette to something else…say, a Maltese Falcon?” “Okay, sure.” The protagonist pursues an object, believing it to be important, though (to the reader) another object could work as well. They can all act to further the author’s plot, no matter how irrational any character’s actions seem. If the writers plot problem is serious, one solution would be to set the story in the land of idiots, which would explain any unusual action taken by any character. This is another one from the Turkey City Lexicon. I know! I’ll let them be aided by an unknown benefactor, later revealed to be Captain Nemo!” Let’s see, Jules Verne thinks, I’ve got the title, The Mysterious Island, and I’ve got my heroic castaways who survive mostly by their wits, except sometimes they need outside help. A surprise entity comes out of nowhere to save the protagonist from a plot problem. This interrupts the story’s pace, pulls the reader out of the story, and is unnecessary. An inexperienced author will walk the reader through the character’s mental list of options, rationalizing why the character chooses one action and not the others. Sometimes, to make the plot work, the author needs a character to take an uncharacteristic action. This one comes from the Turkey City Lexicon. The ‘device’ in the term ‘plot device’ refers to its original definition of a plan, scheme, or technique, not its modern connotation of a mechanical or electronic gadget. Often the first two options are undesirable, so that drives writers to the third-the plot device. introducing a plot device to get past the difficulty.re-writing earlier sections to make the strange cause-effect chain believable.To put it another way, to get to the end you want, something illogical has to happen. You might hit a snag where the next logical event in a cause-effect chain will not result in your desired story ending. Unlike the reader, you know the story’s end and you’re aiming for that point. If you’re a writer crafting your story, it can be difficult to achieve all these purposes successfully. reflects believable cause-and-effect connections.leaves the reader with a powerful emotion at the end, and.grabs and sustains the reader’s attention,.introduces a conflict and depicts the protagonist striving to resolve it,.The writer aims to construct this sequence such that it accomplishes at least the following goals: A plot is a sequence of events in a story, events connected by cause and effect. No, wrong kind of ‘device.’įrom Before we can define the term ‘plot device,’ let’s review what a plot is, and how a writer develops one. You’ve heard of plot devices, but do you know what they are? Are they good or bad? Can you name any? For answers to these questions, you’ve come to the right blog post.
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