History Main / FunctionalGenreSavvy

Another term for this is "cover copy savvy" -- the idea that the characters have already read the blurb on the back of the book or the DVD case and know what conventions apply to their universe. This term comes from the [[http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/index.html Slacktivist reviews]] of ''Literature/LeftBehind'', in which it's pointed out that no character in the books seriously considers the idea that the events of the series have any explanation other than a religious one.

Another term for this is "cover copy savvy" -- the idea that the characters have already read the blurb on the back of the book or the DVD case and know what conventions apply to their universe. This term comes from the [[http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/index.html Slacktivist reviews]] of ''LeftBehind'', in which it's pointed out that no character in the books seriously considers the idea that the events of the series have any explanation other than a religious one.

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While normally [[GenreSavvy Genre Savviness]] is very much intended by the author, many works also exhibit an unintentional form of Genre Savvy -- while characters might not necessarily think in terms of tropes, they will often be limited by the genre they inhabit. For example, characters in a science-fiction book will be quick to discard mundane or [[NoSuchThingAsSpaceJesus spiritual]] explanations for what they see, while characters in a detective novel will always disregard the possibility of suicide or accidental death.

->''"We're not ''that'' stupid. [[LampshadeHanging We just know the plot.]]"''

->''"[[LampshadeHanging We're not ''that'' stupid. We just know the plot.]]"''

->''"We're not ''that'' stupid. We just know the plot."''

* It's an illegal brothel and the townsfolk are just too ashamed to admit it?

* An underground smuggling ring is taking the villagers' organs and selling them?

Another term for this is "copy cover savvy" -- the idea that the characters have already read the blurb on the back of the book or the DVD case and know what conventions apply to their universe. This term comes from the [[http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/index.html Slacktivist reviews]] of ''LeftBehind'', in which it's pointed out that no character in the books seriously considers the idea that the events of the series have any explanation other than a religious one.

It is averted at first in works that start realistically (such as the novels of Creator/StephenKing or the films of Creator/MNightShyamalan) where the characters act as though they're in RealLife, even after the appearance of zombies, aliens, ghosts, mad AIs, werewolves, wizards, miscellaneous Things Going Terribly Wrong, or other genre-defining speculative fictional things or events. (Truthfully, if you saw a bloodied man shuffling toward you, would you really find the nearest shotgun? Hopefully the answer is no unless he was really, really obviously zombified, because this is RealLife, which is by default LikeRealityUnlessNoted.)

It is averted at first in works that start realistically (such as the novels of Creator/StephenKing or the films of MNightShyamalan) where the characters act as though they're in RealLife, even after the appearance of zombies, aliens, ghosts, mad AIs, werewolves, wizards, miscellaneous Things Going Terribly Wrong, or other genre-defining speculative fictional things or events. (Truthfully, if you saw a bloodied man shuffling toward you, would you really find the nearest shotgun? Hopefully the answer is no unless he was really, really obviously zombified, because this is RealLife, which is by default LikeRealityUnlessNoted.)

While normally [[GenreSavvy Genre Savviness]] is very much intended by the author, many works also exhibit an unintentional form of Genre Savvy -- while characters might not necessarily think in terms of tropes, they will often be limited by the genre they inhabit. For example, characters in a science-fiction book will be quick to discard mundane or [[NoSuchThingAsSpaceJesus spiritual]] explanations for what they see, while characters in a detective novel will always disregard the possibility of suicide or accidental death.

It is averted at first in works that start realistically (such as the novels of StephenKing or the films of MNightShyamalan) where the characters act as though they're in RealLife, even after the appearance of zombies, aliens, ghosts, mad AIs, werewolves, wizards, miscellaneous Things Going Terribly Wrong, or other genre-defining speculative fictional things or events. (Truthfully, if you saw a bloodied man shuffling toward you, would you really find the nearest shotgun? Hopefully the answer is no unless he was really, really obviously zombified, because this is RealLife, which is by default LikeRealityUnlessNoted.)

<<|OmnipresentTropes|>>
<<|MetafictionDemandedThisIndex|>>

-->-- '''Yakko Warner''', ''{{Animaniacs}}''

It is averted at first in works that start realistically (such as the novels of StephenKing or the films of MNightShyamalan) where the characters act as though they're in RealLife, even after the appearance of zombies, aliens, ghosts, mad AIs, werewolves, wizards, miscellaneous Things Going Terribly Wrong, or other genre-defining speculative fictional things or events. (Truthfully, if you saw a bloodied man shuffling toward you, would you really find the nearest shotgun? No, because this is RealLife, which is by default LikeRealityUnlessNoted.)

HarryPotter may be the most successful at averting this trope by giving the protagonist a constant sense of surprise at the genre he finds himself in, even through the final book.

Another term for this is "copy cover savvy" -- the idea that the characters have already read the blurb on the back of the book or the DVD case and know what conventions apply to their universe. This term comes from the [[http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/left_behind/index.html Slacktivist reviews]] of ''LeftBehind'', quoted above, in which it's pointed out that no character in the books seriously considers the idea that the events of the series have any explanation other than a religious one.

->''"The characters just keep acting like they've read the back cover of the book. They seem to know they're in a rapture story."''
-->-- '''[[http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2004/01/lb_email_macgyv.html The Slacktivist]]''', reviewing ''LeftBehind''.

->''"Haven't you ever been in a fairy tale before? The hero has to make a prophecy come true, and the villain is the one who has to stop him-- though in another kind of story, it's more often the other way around. And a hero has to be in trouble from the moment of his birth, or he's not a real hero. It's a great relief to find out about Prince Lir. I've been waiting for this tale to turn up a leading man."''
-->-- '''Schmendrick the Magician''', ''TheLastUnicorn''

->''The characters just keep acting like they've read the back cover of the book. They seem to know they're in a rapture story.''
->-- [[http://slacktivist.typepad.com/slacktivist/2004/01/lb_email_macgyv.html The Slacktivist]], reviewing ''LeftBehind''.

->"Haven't you ever been in a fairy tale before? The hero has to make a prophecy come true, and the villain is the one who has to stop him-- though in another kind of story, it's more often the other way around. And a hero has to be in trouble from the moment of his birth, or he's not a real hero. It's a great relief to find out about Prince Lir. I've been waiting for this tale to turn up a leading man."
->-- Schmendrick the Magician, ''TheLastUnicorn''

->"We're not ''that'' stupid. We just know the plot."
->-- Yakko Warner, ''{{Animaniacs}}''