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Markup View
Author: Dcoetzee
Apr 29th 2010
at
7:09:09 AM
Wikipedia has an article on plot device, defining it as "an object or character in a story whose sole purpose is to advance the plot of the story, or alternatively to overcome some difficulty in the plot." It gives several examples: the MacGuffin, the DeusExMachina, the "plot voucher" (which is what we call ChekhovsGun), TranslatorMicrobes, and DeathTrap. It also gives this example which I wasn't able to find a trope for: "Other plot devices are simply intended to get the protagonist to the next scene of the story. The enemy spy, who suddenly appears, defects, reveals the location of the secret headquarters, and is never heard of again, would be an extreme example.".
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