Plot device facts for kids
A plot device is a special trick or tool writers use in stories. It helps move the story forward and makes things happen. When a plot device is used well, it can make the story exciting and believable. If it's used poorly, it might confuse readers or make them feel like the story isn't real.
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How Plot Devices Move Stories
Many stories, especially in fantasy, feature a special object with great magical power. This could be a crown, a sword, or a jewel. Often, the main character (the hero) needs to find this object and use it for good. They might need to get it before the villain uses it for evil. Sometimes, the object is broken, and the hero must gather all the pieces. Or, if the object itself is evil, the hero's job is to destroy it. Destroying the object can sometimes even lead to the villain's defeat!
In the Indiana Jones movies, Indiana Jones is always searching for a mystical artifact. In Raiders of the Lost Ark, he looks for the Ark of the Covenant. In Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, he searches for the Holy Grail. This idea of searching for a special object is also in the Arabian Nights tale "The City of Brass." In that story, travelers journey to find a brass vessel that Solomon once used to trap a jinn.
Several books in the Harry Potter series also involve searching for a special item. In Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Harry believes there is a magical stone at Hogwarts. This stone has special powers. Lord Voldemort needs it to get his body back. Harry searches for the stone to stop Voldemort from returning.
The One Ring from J. R. R. Tolkien's book, The Lord of the Rings, is a famous plot device. The whole story is about the quest to destroy this ring. A scholar named Nick Lowe said that Tolkien made the ring's power feel real. He focused on how the ring changed the characters who held it.
Types of Plot Devices
Deus ex Machina
The term deus ex machina (say: DAY-us ex MAH-kih-nah) means "god from the machine." It describes a story ending where a sudden, unlikely event solves all the problems. This usually leads to a happy ending.
This Latin phrase comes from ancient Greek plays. In those plays, a crane (the "machine") would lower actors playing gods onto the stage. These "gods" would then magically solve the characters' problems.
The Greek writer Euripides often used this device. For example, in his play Alcestis, the main character, Alcestis, dies to save her husband. Her husband, Admetus, feels terrible sadness. But then, the hero Heracles suddenly appears. He takes Alcestis back from Death, bringing her to life again. This frees Admetus from his grief.
Another example is Gandalf in The Hobbit. He often uses his magic to rescue the other characters from danger. The eagles in both The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings also perform unexpected rescues. They appear just when the characters need help the most. The philosopher Aristotle didn't like this device. He thought story problems should be solved by what happened earlier in the play.
Love Triangle
A love triangle is a common plot device in romance and drama stories. It happens when two characters are both trying to win the affection of a third character. This creates conflict and tension in the story.
MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is a term made popular by film director Alfred Hitchcock. It's an object that characters in a story chase after. But the object itself isn't really important. Any other object would work just as well, as long as the characters believe it's important. Alfred Hitchcock said that in crime stories, it's often a necklace. In spy stories, it's usually secret papers.
This is different from something like the One Ring in The Lord of the Rings. The One Ring's special nature is very important to that story. Not all directors agree with Hitchcock's idea of a MacGuffin. George Lucas, who directed Star Wars, believed that the audience should care about the MacGuffin. He thought it should be important to the characters and the plot.
MacGuffins are sometimes called plot coupons. This is especially true if a character needs to collect many of them. The idea is that the hero collects enough "coupons" to get to the end of the story.
Plot Voucher
A plot voucher is an object given to a character. This usually happens before they face a challenge where they will need that object. For example, a character might receive a gift. Later, that same gift might stop a deadly bullet, saving their life.
Quibble
A quibble is a clever argument. It focuses on the exact words of an agreement, ignoring what was originally meant. For example, in William Shakespeare's play The Merchant of Venice, Portia saves a character named Antonio. The villain, Shylock, was allowed to take a "pound of flesh" from Antonio. But Portia points out that the agreement said nothing about blood. So, Shylock could only take the flesh if he shed no blood, which is impossible. This clever argument saves Antonio.
Red Herring
A red herring is a plot device used to trick the audience. It pulls their attention away from something important. Red herrings are very common in mystery, horror, and crime stories. For example, in a detective story, clues might make you think one character is the murderer. But later, you find out it was someone else entirely.
Shoulder Angel
A shoulder angel is a plot device often seen in cartoons and comic strips. It's used for drama or humor. The angel usually represents a character's conscience, or their good side. It's often joined by a shoulder devil, who represents temptation or the bad side. These two figures help show a character's inner struggle. The angel is usually on the right shoulder, and the devil on the left. This is because the left side has traditionally been linked to bad things.
This device helps show the idea of a divided soul. It's like the good and bad thoughts we all have. This device was used in the movie The Emperor's New Groove. The character Kronk talks to his shoulder angel and devil. They help him decide whether to follow the villain Yzma's orders.
See also
- Dangler
- Literary technique
- Plot twist
- Premise (narrative)
- Stock character
- Theme (narrative)
