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A 'plot device' is an element introduced to a story to affect or advance the plot. In the hands of a skilled writer, the reader or viewer will not notice that the device is a construction of the author—it will seem to follow naturally from the setting or characters in the story. A poorly-written story, on the other hand, may have such awkward or contrived plot devices that the reader has serious trouble maintaining suspension of disbelief; indeed, the devices may even leave plot holes.
Some plot devices include:

★ Chase scene — a scene interjected between plot points that does not develop the plot, but serves to heighten tension in the conflict; in film, often used purely to display special effects

★ Chekhov's Gun — object introduced into a story but not used until much later

★ Cliffhanger — abrupt ending presumably allowing the story to be continued in another episode or some other work

★ Deathtrap — overly complicated method of killing a character, typically used by a villain

★ Deus ex machina — strange or unusual means of resolving a story, such as having an event turn out to be a dream

★ Discovery — sudden realization of events or relations with other characters

★ Eavesdropping — surreptitious listening to others' conversations

★ Fictional fictional character — a fictional character known to be fictional by the characters in the story

★ Flashing arrow — explicit and obvious reference to a person or object in a story

★ Foreshadowing — giving subtle hints of events yet to come in the story

★ Frame story — a main story being told in the form of smaller stories

★ Framing device — a single event or object having heightened significance

★ Happy ending — where most everything turns out for the best

★ MacGuffin — a prime motivation for the characters that has little other relevance to the story

★ Mexican standoff — where two or more people are trapped in an impasse where neither can win

★ Narrative hook — the opening of a story intended to grab the reader and hold them to read the story

★ Plot coupon — obvious object needed to resolve a conflict in a story

★ Plot dump / Exposition — explaining prior events occurring in the story

★ Plot generator — a character or device which creates plots and allows virtually unlimited stories to be created

★ Plot point — an event that changes the direction of the plot and the story

★ Plot twist — an event which completely reverses the plot or story

★ Predestination paradox — where someone travels back in time and could conceivably change history or their past

★ Pyrrhic victory — where someone wins an outcome, but the result of the "win" is disastrous

★ Quest — complicated search for capture or return of an object or person

★ Quibble — following the exact terms of an agreement to escape what would normally be expected

★ Red herring — a person, event or object which deflects attention from the real thing

★ Reversal — a change in the action or circumstances completely reversing them

★ Self-fulfilling prophecy — a prediction of a future event, where the prediction of the event causes the event

★ Sexual tension — where characters desire each other but either can't fulfill their desires or they are delayed

★ Side story — additional story taking place at the same time as the main story

★ Stock character — character which is stereotypical in nature

★ Story within a story — where one story is being told as part of a larger one

★ Twist ending — unexpected conclusion to a story

★ Villain — evil character in a story
In humor-themed forms of entertainment, particularly those that break the fourth wall in pursuit of comedy, plot devices or the concept itself may be deliberately pointed out to the audience for a joke. For example, in the one-shot DC comic book ''Blasters'', written by Peter David, one of the protagonists is shown installing a device, made by an alien race known as the "Plaht", into her spacecraft that will allow herself and her companion to locate the other protagonists, which was required to forward the plot of the story. Her companion then seemingly turned to face the reader and said, "Oh, I get it. It's a ''Plaht device''." (In this case, the "Plaht device" would be considered a deus ex machina.)
The animated series Sheep in the Big City even featured a robot character actually ''named'' "Plot Device", who apparently worked for the antagonists and served no other purpose than to advance the plot when it arrived at an apparent standstill (usually by coming up with ridiculous plans to capture Sheep).
The popular card game munchkin contains a literal "plot device" that dramatically turns the tide of a game.
Also, in the Bret Easton Ellis novel Glamorama, the protagonist refers to his father as "A contrivance, a plot device."

Contents

Elements of fiction

See also

External links

Elements of fiction

Plot devices are useful in creating an effective plot, which is one of the five 'elements of fiction', along with 'character', 'setting', 'theme', and 'style'. Of these five elements, character is the ''who'', plot is the ''what'', setting is the ''where'' and ''when'', and style is the ''how'' of a story. [1]

See also

★ Literary technique

★ Plot devices in Agatha Christie's novels

External links

★ Television Tropes and Idioms Big list of plot devices, editable wiki