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  2. Chekhov's gun - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chekhov's_gun

    Chekhov's gun (or Chekhov's rifle; Russian: Чеховское ружьё) is a narrative principle that states that every element in a story must be necessary and irrelevant elements should be removed. For example, if a writer features a gun in a story, there must be a reason for it, such as it being fired some time later in the plot.

  3. Plot device - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plot_device

    A plot device or plot mechanism [1] is any technique in a narrative used to move the plot forward. [2] A clichéd plot device may annoy the reader and a contrived or arbitrary device may confuse the reader, causing a loss of the suspension of disbelief. However, a well-crafted plot device, or one that emerges naturally from the setting or ...

  4. MacGuffin - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MacGuffin

    The use of a MacGuffin as a plot device predates the name MacGuffin. The Holy Grail of Arthurian legend has been cited as an early example of a MacGuffin. The Holy Grail is the desired object that is essential to initiate and advance the plot, but the final disposition of the Grail is never revealed, suggesting that the object is not of significance in itself. [8]

  5. List of narrative techniques - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_narrative_techniques

    Name Definition Example Setting as a form of symbolism or allegory: The setting is both the time and geographic location within a narrative or within a work of fiction; sometimes, storytellers use the setting as a way to represent deeper ideas, reflect characters' emotions, or encourage the audience to make certain connections that add complexity to how the story may be interpreted.

  6. Deus ex machina - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deus_ex_machina

    Deus ex machina in Euripides' Medea, performed in 2009 in Syracuse, Italy; the sun god sends a golden chariot to rescue Medea.. Deus ex machina (/ ˌ d eɪ ə s ɛ k s ˈ m æ k ɪ n ə, ˈ m ɑː k-/ DAY-əs ex-MA(H)K-in-ə, [1] Latin: [ˈdɛ.ʊs ɛks ˈmaːkʰɪnaː]; plural: dei ex machina; 'God from the machine') [2] [3] is a plot device whereby a seemingly unsolvable problem in a story is ...

  7. Glossary of literary terms - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glossary_of_literary_terms

    Also apophthegm. A terse, pithy saying, akin to a proverb, maxim, or aphorism. aposiopesis A rhetorical device in which speech is broken off abruptly and the sentence is left unfinished. apostrophe A figure of speech in which a speaker breaks off from addressing the audience (e.g., in a play) and directs speech to a third party such as an opposing litigant or some other individual, sometimes ...

  8. Narratology - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narratology

    Narrative is also linked to language. The way a story can be manipulated by a character, or in the display of medium contributes to how a story is seen by the world. [22] Narratology, as defined by Shlomith Rimmon-Kenan, is a branch of narrative theory. The concept of narratology was developed mainly in France during the sixties and seventies. [22]

  9. List of story structures - Wikipedia

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_story_structures

    The story itself is considered a performance so there is a synergy among the aforementioned elements. [1] In the story, the narrator may draw attention to the narrative or to himself as storyteller. [2] The structure often includes the following: Tell riddles to test the audience. Audience becomes a chorus and comments on the story.