Not Thriving: Hold On To My Hat

Hold On To My Hat is a page that has existed since 2013 (or at least, the history tells me so), yet has only 25 wicks. Out of the 25 wicks, 13 were not applicable (index, administrivia, etc.) and 12 were examples. Out of those 12, only 7 were correct, with 4 being misuse and 1 being a pothole.

The description is only one paragraph, fairly short, so it could use some magic in fluffing out the concept if we were to decide to help it. Other than that, I'm not quite sure why it has failed so miserably. Perhaps it needs a rename?

I think this concept is tropeworthy, so I support sending it over to the TLP for definition expansion and example farming. Other options include merging it with Reunion Vow or possibly renaming it.

Opened. I see no reason not to merge it with Reunion Vow, which it claims to be a subtrope of.

Merge

Merge

Hmm, according to Hold Onto My Hat's description, it's about someone leaving behind a keepsake as a symbol of a promise, not necessarily a promise to reunite, so it's not exactly a subtrope to Reunion Vow. Maybe cut and yard it?

Edited by Adept on Sep 23rd 2022 at 9:35:12 PM

Wouldn't those fit under Memento MacGuffin (which isn't a true MacGuffin subtrope, despite the name), which is also linked to in the description?

Edited by GastonRabbit on Sep 23rd 2022 at 7:42:22 AM

IDK about that, since the objects don't seem to be a MacGuffin.

Whichever one it gets merged into, the description from HOTMH should be merged with it (or at least part of it/reference to it)

Memento MacGuffin examples don't have to be MacGuffins. I already pointed out that it's not a proper subtrope.

Emphasis more on giving exposition than playing a central role in the plot.

Edit: Actually, maybe Friendship Trinket or Tragic Keepsake would work depending on the context. Either way, I'm not sure if there's anything here that isn't already covered elsewhere.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Sep 23rd 2022 at 8:17:39 AM

I don't think it's close enough to Reunion Vow (verbal promise) but close to Memento MacGuffin (holding on to an object), so perhaps merging with that would be better or disambiguating.

I've also discovered Returning the Handkerchief and The Lady's Favour, and not sure if they are to be taken literally or are in effect the same as this.

Returning the Handkerchief seems to be literal. I looked briefly trough the wicks, and all I saw were about handkerchiefs (one was about a towel). Also they are usually left by accident and are used as a pretext to talk to the owner. So it's not this.

The Lady's Favour is more about romance, I think.

Broadly, this looks like a character giving another something of importance of theirs to hold onto, indicating they'll meet again (so the giver can see it/the recipient again). Or maybe it's "significant lent item".

The examples on the trope page are a mixed bag with a tendency to by "significant lent item", the non-romantic version of The Lady's Favour.

"Significant lent item" is Memento MacGuffin and lent items symbolizing platonic relationships are covered by Friendship Trinket.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Sep 24th 2022 at 4:20:49 AM

The "lent" part requires/implies a return of said item which seems to be different from Memento MacGuffin and Friendship Trinket. Whether it's significant enough to warrant its own trope has to be discussed.

What discussion do you want that hasn't already occurred? I already said I don't think it's distinct enough from other tropes.

Well, since the concept is related to multiple tropes, maybe disambig rather than redirect? I don't think it's a subtrope to Reunion Vow.

I'd be fine with that.

Disambig sounds good.

Other tropes that we could use are Memento MacGuffin and The Promise.

I took care of the on-page examples (moving them to either Reunion Vow or Memento MacGuffin at least), so the disambiguation page can be made unless I missed anything.

Edited by GastonRabbit on Sep 27th 2022 at 5:21:37 AM

I made the ambiguation page.

I took care of the wicks, so hanging up the hat.