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Story writing technique
A plot device or plot mechanism is any technique in a narrative used to move the plot forward. A clichéd plot device may annoy the reader and a contrived
Plot_device
Background information within a narrative
This information can be about the setting, characters' backstories, prior plot events, historical context, etc. In literature, exposition appears in the
Exposition_(narrative)
Narrative technique
Forsyth's The Odessa File. A cliffhanger, or cliffhanger ending, is a plot device in fiction which features a main character in a precarious or difficult
Plot_twist
Reliance on exact conditions of an agreement
quibble in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. In fiction, a quibble is a plot device used to fulfill the exact verbal conditions of an agreement in order
Quibble_(plot_device)
Cause-and-effect events in a narrative
the unraveling or untying of the complexities of a plot. A plot device is a means of advancing the plot in a story. It is often used to motivate characters
Plot_(narrative)
Plot device
Mistaken identity is a plot device whereby one person is taken for another and, often, vice versa. It is used in many comical plays, exemplified by the
Mistaken identity (plot device)
Mistaken_identity_(plot_device)
Device to resolve the plot of a dramatic work
ɛks ˈmaːkʰɪnaː]; plural: dei ex machina; 'God from the machine') is a plot device, a type of denouement in which a seemingly unsolvable problem in a story
Deus_ex_machina
Literary and dramatic plot device
A deathtrap is a literary and dramatic plot device in which a villain who has captured the hero or another sympathetic character attempts to use an elaborate
Deathtrap_(plot_device)
Story plot device
fiction, a MacGuffin (sometimes McGuffin) is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant
MacGuffin
Hitchcock's films show an interesting tendency towards recurring themes and plot devices throughout his life as a director. Hitchcock preferred the use of suspense
Themes and plot devices in Hitchcock films
Themes_and_plot_devices_in_Hitchcock_films
Plot device in fiction where a character changes time periods
A time slip is a plot device in fantasy and science fiction in which a person, or group of people, seem to accidentally travel through time by unknown
Time_slip
Plot device that resets continuity in works of fiction
the idea of status quo ante) is a plot device for interrupting continuity in works of fiction. The reset button device is used to return all characters
Reset_button_technique
Plot device wherein a fictional character is preserved from harm
that they will survive such scenes. In other cases, plot armor simply refers to the plot device of endowing a character with invulnerability or immortality
Plot_armor
Fantasy about worlds accessed through dreams
(also called dream realms, illusory realms, or dreamscape) are a common plot device in fictional works, most notably in science fiction and fantasy fiction
Dream_world_(plot_device)
Fallacious approach to mislead an audience
deliberate literary device that leads readers or audiences toward a false conclusion, typically in order to heighten suspense or to make a plot twist more shocking
Red_herring
Purposeful use of language
A literary device, literary technique, figure of speech, rhetorical device, stylistic device, or trope is any strategy of using language that a writer
Literary_device
2025 film by Akiva Schaffer
the "P.L.O.T. Device"'s influence. Beth plans to kill Cane, but he sees this coming as telegraphed in her book. Frank finds the "P.L.O.T. Device" inside
The_Naked_Gun_(2025_film)
multiverse) are a common plot device in fiction. This is a list of notable fictional works which feature parallel universes as a plot element. Burt, Stephanie
List of fictional works featuring parallel universes
List_of_fictional_works_featuring_parallel_universes
Fantasy narratives involving travel through portals
particularly fantasy fiction and science fiction, that hinges upon the plot device in which characters enter a self-contained fantasy world through a portal
Portal_fantasy
Type of narrative convention
whose potential for discovery is the inciting incident (a motivating plot device) for an adventure—in adventure fiction Closed circle of suspects: the
Genre_convention
Supernatural hindrance, or incantation intended to bestow such a hindrance
the stone. Curses have also been used as plot devices in literature and theater. When used as a plot device, they involve one character placing a curse
Curse
Story whose beginning can follow its end
A. Lupoff's short story, 12:01 P.M., is an example of this circular plot device. If You Give a Mouse a Cookie "There's a Hole in My Bucket" "The Song
Circular_tale
Topics referred to by the same term
trio from the mid 1980s Device (Device album), 2013 Device (Eon album), 2006 Plot device, as in storytelling Rhetorical device, a technique used in writing
Device
Character of a work actively opposing the protagonist
norms or other rules may also be antagonists. An antagonist is used as a plot device, to set up conflicts, obstacles, or challenges for the protagonist. Though
Antagonist
Explosive device hidden in a body cavity of a person or animal
is an explosive device hidden inside the body of a person in order to commit a suicide attack. Although this is a common plot device in fiction, very
Body_cavity_bomb
Narrative technique
'into the middle of things') is the plot device of starting a narrative in the chronological middle of the plot or conflict, rather than at the chronological
In_medias_res
literature, incest is an important yet controversial thematic element and plot device in films, anime and manga, television, and video games. Pier Paolo Pasolini's
Incest_in_media
Literary trope
disproportionate harm, such as maiming, assault, or even death, to serve as plot devices to motivate male characters, an event colloquially known as "fridging"
Women_in_refrigerators
Plot device used in science-fiction stories
mind, mind coalescence, or gestalt intelligence in science fiction is a plot device in which multiple minds, or consciousnesses, are linked into a single
Group_mind_(science_fiction)
Plot device used in fiction
A cliffhanger is a plot device in fiction that places a main character in an unresolved, precarious situation—such as a sudden danger, a difficult dilemma
Cliffhanger
List of methods used to convey information in a narrative
of narrative, rather than being merely optional strategies. Plot device Rhetorical device Orehovec, Barbara (2003). Revisiting the Reading Workshop: A
List_of_narrative_techniques
Plot device in fiction
The time loop or temporal loop is a plot device in fiction whereby characters re-experience a span of time which is repeated, sometimes more than once
Time_loop
Plot device in fiction
universe, also known as an alternate universe, world, or dimension, is a plot device in fiction which uses the notion of a hypothetical universe co-existing
Parallel_universes_in_fiction
English mystery and detective writer (1890–1976)
honour. She was buried in the nearby churchyard of St Mary's, Cholsey, in a plot she had chosen with her husband 10 years previously. The simple funeral service
Agatha_Christie
Artefacts in Tolkien's legendarium
fantasy novel The Lord of the Rings. The One Ring first appeared as a plot device, a magic ring in Tolkien's children's fantasy novel, The Hobbit. Tolkien
Rings_of_Power
characters or issues and may have same-sex romance or relationships as a plot device. Cárceles, Fran (March 8, 2026). "Los embarazos trans, una realidad «aún
List of LGBTQ-related films of 2026
List_of_LGBTQ-related_films_of_2026
Portal device within the Stargate fictional universe
as a plot device, allowing the main characters to visit alien planets without the need for spaceships or any other type of technology. The device allows
Stargate_(device)
Fictional entity from the 1967 British television programme The Prisoner
Rover is a plot device from the 1967 British television programme The Prisoner, and was a crucial tool used to keep 'prisoners' from escaping the Village
Rover_(The_Prisoner)
Hope or desire for something
is a hope or desire for something. In fiction, wishes can be used as plot devices. In folklore, opportunities for "making a wish" or for wishes to "come
Wish
Fantasy subgenre about being transferred to another world or time
Accidental travel is a speculative fiction plot device in which ordinary people accidentally find themselves outside of their normal place or time, often
Accidental_travel
Dramatic principle
Foreshadowing – a plot device where what is to come is hinted at, to arouse interest or to guard against disappointment MacGuffin – a plot motivator that
Chekhov's_gun
Topics referred to by the same term
Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Quibble (computing), a quad nibble Quibble (plot device), in narratology Quibble, a character in the video game franchise My
Quibble
Portrayal and stereotypes of people or animals with albinism
albinism. This phenomenon is often referred to as the "evil albino" plot device. The "evil albino" stereotype or stock character is a villain in fiction
Albinism_in_popular_culture
Deliberately complex contraption
creativity, number of interventions, and number of steps. Deathtrap (plot device) Domino effect "Rube Goldberg - History of Creating Inventions, Machines
Rube_Goldberg_machine
Secondary strand of a narrative plot
story is a strand of the plot that is a supporting side story for any story or for the main plot. Subplots may connect to main plots, in either time and place
Subplot
Implausible plot device in fiction
"Alien space bats" ("ASBs") is a neologism for plot devices used in alternate history to mean an implausible point of divergence. "Alien space bats" was
Alien_space_bats
Shared fictional universe based on the work of H. P. Lovecraft
would actively write about the Mythos rather than treat it as a discrete plot device within Lovecraft's own stories. Derleth expanded the boundaries of the
Cthulhu_Mythos
American actress (born 1997)
film The Equalizer because her character "felt so real", rather than a "plot device". In October 2014, Moretz was named one of the 25 Most Influential Teens
Chloë_Grace_Moretz
Fictional character
a small purple dragon with a runaway imagination, which serves as a plot device in Journey into Imagination with Figment, the most recent edition of
Figment_(Disney)
American film director and writer (born 1984)
entitled Plot Device. The short was created to highlight features of Red Giant's Magic Bullet Suite of video tools. His short films include: Plot Device (2011)
Seth_Worley
2021 American apocalyptic comedy-drama film
the reality of 2020 COVID-19 protocols while serving the underlying plot device of walking through the deserted streets of Los Angeles. The film had
How_It_Ends_(2021_film)
Type of plot device
plotline due to fan backlash or an editor's lack of interest to pursue such a plot. In television, when a creative team fears that their show may not be picked
Dangler_(narrative)
List of 2025 LGBT movies
characters or issues and may have same-sex romance or relationships as a plot device. Dominik Böhler, "David Pablos' 'En el Camino' Wins the Queer Lion in
List of LGBTQ-related films of 2025
List_of_LGBTQ-related_films_of_2025
Babies who are erroneously switched at birth
undiscovered more often in the past. The phenomenon has been common as a plot device in fiction since the 18th century. The exchange may be accidental, or
Babies_switched_at_birth
Topics referred to by the same term
to mistakes in eyewitness identification Mistaken identity (plot device), literary device Mistaken identification of any kind Mistaken Identity (Kim Carnes
Mistaken_identity
Fictional character from American Dad!
have a life outside the house. Roger's personas have become a major plot device, with his myriad of alter egos frequently being the subject or facilitator
Roger_(American_Dad!)
built today, it violates no physical principles. Plot device: An example of an unsupported plot device is scrith, the material used to construct Ringworld
Materials science in science fiction
Materials_science_in_science_fiction
Plot device used for an effect in fictional works
A shoulder angel is a plot device used for dramatic and/or humorous effect in fiction, mainly in animation and comic books/strips. The angel represents
Shoulder_angel
Compendium of images by Swiss artist H. R. Giger
Necronomicon, a fictional grimoire Lovecraft invented and used as a plot device in his stories. Giger's Necronomicon was influential in the design of
Necronomicon_(Giger_book)
Hypothesis that reality could be a computer simulation
idea have also been featured in science fiction, appearing as a central plot device in many stories and films, such as Simulacron-3 (1964), The Matrix (1999)
Simulation_hypothesis
4th episode of the 7th series of Black Mirror
Alex (10 April 2025). "How Netflix Turned a Terrifying 'Black Mirror' Plot Device Into a Real-Life Video Game". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 11 April
Plaything_(Black_Mirror)
1991 American film by Michael Lehmann
technology à la Coburn's Our Man Flint films of the 1960s. A recurring plot device in the film has Hudson Hawkins and his partner Tommy "Five-Tone" Messina
Hudson_Hawk
Plot device in science fiction
sphere – Hypothetical megastructure around a star MacGuffin – Story plot device Megastructure – Very large artificial object Ringworld – 1970 science
Big_Dumb_Object
1969 novel by Donald Hamilton
resembles Nystrom enough to enable him to take his place. A standard plot device in Helm stories is to have a second government agency working either
The_Interlopers_(novel)
Concept and accompanying genre in fiction
means, for example brought on by angels or spirits. A time slip is a plot device in fantasy and science fiction in which a person, or group of people
Time_travel_in_fiction
2023 Indian film by Nitesh Tiwari
June 2024. Jain, Jhalak (24 July 2023). "'Bawaal' Uses Holocaust as a Plot Device – Only to Make a Mockery of the Tragedy". The Quint. Archived from the
Bawaal
each succeeding actor is explained within the narrative through the plot device of regeneration, which allows Time Lords a change of cellular structure
List of actors who have played the Doctor
List_of_actors_who_have_played_the_Doctor
British actress, dancer, and singer (born 1991)
in the teen horror film Gateway, which uses the Momo Challenge as a plot device. In April 2022, Spencer was confirmed as a cast member in BBC Drama The
Charlotte_Spencer_(actress)
1923 poem by Robert Lee Frost
the lyrics and rhyme scheme. The last stanza of the poem is used as a plot device in the 1977 spy film Telefon. The words are used as a spoken code phrase
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening
Stopping_by_Woods_on_a_Snowy_Evening
Group of Wizards (Istari) in J. R. R. Tolkien's legendarium
third Wizard, Radagast the Brown, appears briefly, more or less as a plot device. Two Blue Wizards are mentioned in passing. Saruman is installed as the
Wizards_in_Middle-earth
Magic depicted in fictional stories
that do not naturally occur in the real world. Magic often serves as a plot device and has long been a component of fiction. Historically, witches such
Magic_in_fiction
Film by Adrian Lyne
war in Vietnam and reading chronicles of near-death experiences. The plot device of a long period of subjective time passing in an instant was inspired
Jacob's_Ladder_(1990_film)
Narrative device implying future events
Foreshadowing is a narrative device in which suggestions or warnings about events to come are dropped or planted. Foreshadowing often appears at the beginning
Foreshadowing
2011 American science fiction crime drama television series
had been transformed from a "crime-fighting show" with an entertaining plot device into "one of the best science-fiction series ever broadcast". The show
Person of Interest (TV series)
Person_of_Interest_(TV_series)
Terminator franchise character
appears briefly as an antagonist. In the context of the stories, the plot device of having various robots looking the same provides a certain continuity
Terminator_(character)
Study of narrative structures
contest and puzzles. Development and exclusive consumption of digital devices and interactivity are key characteristics of electronic literature. This
Narratology
Topics referred to by the same term
Shinigami eyes or Shinigami Eyes may refer to: Shinigami eyes, a plot device in the manga Death Note The eyes of shinigami, creatures in Japanese culture
Shinigami_Eyes
Film genre
that has an impending or ongoing disaster as its subject and primary plot device. Such disasters may include natural disasters, accidents, military/terrorist
Disaster_film
American film franchise
Crusade, Lucas let the series end as he felt he could not think of a good plot device to drive the next installment and chose instead to produce The Young
Indiana_Jones
Continuity between different fictional works
writers are set Parallel universes in fiction – Plot device in fiction Reset button technique – Plot device that resets continuity in works of fiction Sequel –
Canon_(fiction)
Fictional character from American TV series Sex and the City
relationship issues and Carrie's coping with the ambiguity are frequent plot devices. Carrie repeatedly returns to the relationship even though he is clearly
Mr._Big_(Sex_and_the_City)
Treasure motif in Arthurian literature
his continuing quest to find the Holy Grail. His quest is primarily a plot device, as the episode's action revolves not around the quest but rather around
Holy_Grail
Topics referred to by the same term
dictionary. Dangle, dangler or dangling may refer to: Dangler (plot device), an unresolved plot line in a story Dangle (espionage), an agent of one side who
Dangle
Common plot device in works of fantasy, mythology, and science fiction
A sentient weapon is a common plot device in many works of fantasy, mythology, and science fiction, and is related to the classic motif of the magic sword
Sentient_weapon
Fictional candy from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory used the Everlasting Gobstopper as a plot device in which Wonka's business rival Slugworth attempts to bribe the children
Everlasting_Gobstopper
the transition between actors is written into the plot with the concept of regeneration, a plot device in which a Time Lord's cells regenerated when they
List of Doctor Who episodes (2005–2025)
List_of_Doctor_Who_episodes_(2005–2025)
Type of lectin
arrested three Muslim men allegedly plotting a terrorist attack using ricin. Ricin has been used as a plot device, such as in the television series Breaking
Ricin
Activity that has been interrupted may be more readily recalled
attention and heighten suspense. List of cognitive biases Cliffhanger – Plot device used in fiction Closure (psychology) – Psychological term for one's need
Zeigarnik_effect
Topics referred to by the same term
Death Trap, a 1977 film better known as Eaten Alive Deathtrap (plot device), a plot device in fiction and drama "Death Trap" (Star Wars: The Clone Wars)
Deathtrap
Teleportation device installed on starships in Star Trek
physically landing. Malfunctioning transporters are also often used as a plot device to set up a variety of science fiction premises. The transporter has
Transporter_(Star_Trek)
1962 film by Joseph Green
his earlier failed experiments) imprisoned in a closet. The specific plot device of a mad doctor who discovers a way to keep a human head alive had been
The_Brain_That_Wouldn't_Die
Literary element
chosen order and sometimes specifically referring to the ordering of the plot: the narrative series of events, though this can vary based on culture. In
Story_structure
characters or issues and may have same-sex romance or relationships as a plot device. Made-for-television films are listed separately. There is also a list
List of LGBTQ-related films by year
List_of_LGBTQ-related_films_by_year
Topics referred to by the same term
Look up plot, plots, or plotting in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Plot or plotting may refer to: Plot (narrative), the connected story elements of a
Plot
1962 mystery novel by Agatha Christie
detective Miss Marple solving a mystery in St Mary Mead. The central plot device providing motivation for the initial murder derives from a real-life
The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side
The_Mirror_Crack'd_from_Side_to_Side
Fictional time machine
The Wayback Machine or WABAC Machine is a fictional time machine and plot device from the 1960s American cartoon television series The Adventures of Rocky
Wayback Machine (Peabody's Improbable History)
Wayback_Machine_(Peabody's_Improbable_History)
1977 Franco-British-German experimental film
Nazi tourism and entertainment industry for foreigners. One particular plot device, especially for mocking post-war fascination and cliches about Hitler
Hitler:_A_Film_from_Germany
Iranian mythological bird
Simurgh card from a fictional collectible card game serves as a major plot device in the sci-fi novel Entanglement, by Gibson Monk. A simurgh appeared
Simurgh
American mystery writer (1876–1958)
(1930), although the exact phrase does not appear in her work and the plot device had been used prior to that time. She also worked to tell the stories
Mary_Roberts_Rinehart
Incest is an important thematic element and plot device in literature, with famous early examples such as Sophocles' classic Oedipus Rex, a tragedy in
Incest_in_literature
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