Plot Elements & Narrative Devices
Plot elements are the objects, secrets, events, and abstract concepts that drive your narrative forward. They're the concrete things characters pursue, protect, reveal, or transform - the fuel that powers your story engine.
What Are Plot Elements?
In SCRIPTA, plot elements extend far beyond physical objects. They include anything that serves as a plot driver:
- Physical Objects - Artifacts, weapons, documents, keys
- Information - Secrets, prophecies, evidence, memories
- Relationships - Promises, debts, betrayals, inheritances
- Events - Crimes, deadlines, disasters, discoveries
- Abstract Concepts - Power, curses, destiny, revenge
"Every prop in your story should either support character or advance plot - preferably both." Film production wisdom
Plot Element Categories
Physical Objects
| Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Weapon | Creates threat, enables action | Excalibur, the One Ring, lightsabers |
| Artifact | Object of power or mystery | Holy Grail, Horcruxes, Infinity Stones |
| Key | Unlocks access to something | The Key to Time (Doctor Who), skeleton keys |
| Document | Carries information | Wills, maps, coded messages, contracts |
| Container | Holds secrets | Pandora's Box, Pulp Fiction briefcase |
| Substance | Transforms or destroys | Poison, potions, drugs, medicine |
Information & Secrets
| Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Secret | Hidden truth that would change everything | True parentage, hidden crime, past identity |
| Prophecy | Predicted future creating expectation | "The Chosen One will...", Oracle predictions |
| Evidence | Proof that reveals truth | Murder weapon, DNA, photographs |
| Memory | Past event affecting present | Repressed trauma, lost memories, false memories |
| Hidden Identity | True nature concealed | Undercover agent, secret heir, imposter |
Relationships & Bonds
| Type | Function | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Promise/Vow | Obligation that binds | Wedding vows, deathbed promises, oaths |
| Debt | Owed favor creating leverage | Life debt, financial obligation, moral debt |
| Betrayal | Broken trust as wound | Past treachery, impending betrayal |
| Inheritance | Legacy passed down | Fortune, curse, responsibility, gift |
Significance Levels
Not all plot elements carry equal weight. SCRIPTA tracks significance to help you balance your narrative:
| Level | Narrative Weight | How Often Referenced |
|---|---|---|
| Minor | Background detail, atmosphere | Once or twice, in passing |
| Important | Affects subplot or supports main plot | Multiple scenes |
| Central | Key to main plot, major story driver | Throughout the narrative |
| MacGuffin | Everyone wants it, drives all action | Constant motivation reference |
| Red Herring | Misleads reader, false clue | Set up, developed, then revealed as false |
| Chekhov's Gun | Introduced early, crucial later | Mentioned early, used at climax |
The MacGuffin
Term coined by Alfred Hitchcock for the object everyone wants but whose specific nature doesn't really matter to the story.
"In crook stories it is almost always the necklace and in spy stories it is most always the papers." Alfred Hitchcock
MacGuffin Characteristics
- Characters desperately want it
- Drives the entire plot
- Could often be substituted with another object
- Audience doesn't need to understand why it's valuable
- Not the real point of the story
Famous MacGuffins
- Maltese Falcon - The falcon statue (revealed as fake anyway)
- Pulp Fiction - The briefcase (contents never revealed)
- Mission: Impossible - The NOC List, Rabbit's Foot, etc.
- Raiders of the Lost Ark - The Ark of the Covenant
- Citizen Kane - "Rosebud" (as the mystery, not the sled)
MacGuffin vs. Central Object
The One Ring is NOT a MacGuffin - its nature (corrupting power, link to Sauron) is essential to the story. A true MacGuffin could be swapped for something else without changing the story's meaning.
Chekhov's Gun
Anton Chekhov's famous principle of narrative economy:
"If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired. Otherwise don't put it there." Anton Chekhov
The Principle Works Both Ways
- Setup Required - Important elements must be established before they're used
- Payoff Required - Established elements must be used
Implementing Chekhov's Gun
| Setup (Act 1) | Reminder (Act 2) | Payoff (Act 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Character casually mentions fear of fire | Fire imagery or near-miss | Must confront fire at climax |
| Antique knife displayed on mantle | Character notices it nervously | Knife used in final confrontation |
| Character shown to be allergic to bees | Bees seen in garden | Bee allergy creates crisis or escape |
Literature Examples
- Harry Potter - The Marauder's Map, introduced in book 3, crucial in book 4 and beyond
- Breaking Bad - The ricin cigarette, set up seasons before use
- Lord of the Rings - The phial of Galadriel, gifted in Fellowship, used in Shelob's lair
Red Herrings
A red herring is a false clue that misleads the audience (and often characters) away from the truth.
Effective Red Herrings
- Must Be Plausible - Readers should believe it could be real
- Must Have Explanation - When revealed as false, explain why it seemed true
- Don't Overuse - Too many makes readers distrust everything
- Fair Play - Don't use information readers couldn't have known
Types of Red Herrings
| Type | How It Works | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Suspicious Character | Made to look guilty but isn't | The butler who "did it" |
| False Clue | Evidence that points wrong direction | Planted evidence, mistaken identity |
| Red Herring Subplot | Entire storyline that's misdirection | Apparent motive that's false |
| Dead End | Investigation path that leads nowhere | Classic mystery tradition |
Master of Red Herrings: Agatha Christie
Christie was renowned for planting multiple convincing suspects. In The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, she famously made the narrator the murderer, the ultimate red herring as readers trust the storyteller.
Physical Objects in Detail
The Artifact
Objects of power, mystery, or ancient origin that carry narrative weight:
Famous Artifacts in Literature
- The One Ring (LOTR) - Corrupts bearer, must be destroyed where made
- Elder Wand (Harry Potter) - Supreme power, transfers by defeat
- Holy Grail (Arthurian legend) - Ultimate quest object, grants eternal life
- The Silmarils (Tolkien) - Beautiful jewels that inspire obsession and doom
- Stormbringer (Elric saga) - Cursed sword that feeds on souls
The Key
Objects that unlock access to places, knowledge, or power:
- Literal Keys - Open locked doors, chests, passages
- Password/Code - Information as key
- Blood/DNA - Biological keys (fantasy and scifi)
- Ritual Objects - Required for magical access
The Document
Written information as plot driver:
- Maps - Show the way to treasure, danger, or goal
- Wills & Testaments - Redistribute power and wealth
- Letters - Reveal secrets, prove relationships
- Contracts - Create binding obligations
- Diaries - Reveal inner truth, document history
Secrets & Information
The Secret
Hidden information that would change everything if revealed:
| Secret Type | Stakes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| True Parentage | Identity, inheritance, relationship | Luke Skywalker's father, Jon Snow |
| Hidden Crime | Freedom, reputation, life | Murder, theft, fraud |
| Forbidden Love | Social position, safety | Affairs, cross-class romance |
| True Identity | Trust, relationships, safety | Undercover agents, hidden heirs |
| Vulnerability | Power, survival | Achilles' heel, kryptonite |
The Prophecy
Predicted futures that shape present action:
- Self-Fulfilling - Actions to prevent it cause it (Oedipus)
- Ambiguous - Meaning unclear until fulfilled (Macbeth's witches)
- Subverted - Expectations set and then broken
- The Chosen One - Individual marked by destiny
Prophecy Problems
Prophecies can undermine tension if readers feel the outcome is predetermined. Consider making prophecies ambiguous, conditional, or subject to interpretation.
Abstract Concepts as Plot Elements
Intangible forces can drive plot just as effectively as physical objects:
Curses & Blessings
- Generational Curse - Affects entire bloodline (House of Atreus)
- Conditional Curse - Triggered by specific action (Sleeping Beauty)
- Ironic Curse - "Gift" that's actually punishment (Midas touch)
- Curse Breaking - Quest to lift the curse
Revenge
Desire for retribution as driving force:
Revenge Narratives
- Count of Monte Cristo - Elaborate, patient, systematic revenge
- Hamlet - Revenge delayed by doubt and ethics
- Kill Bill - Direct, violent revenge quest
- Carrie - Explosive revenge after long abuse
Destiny/Fate
Predetermined outcome as plot element:
- Fighting Fate - Attempting to escape destiny
- Accepting Fate - Coming to terms with inevitable
- Fulfilling Destiny - Growing into prophesied role
- Multiple Fates - Branching possibilities
Genre-Specific Plot Elements
Mystery/Thriller
- The Body, The Murder Weapon, The Alibi
- Evidence (fingerprints, DNA, surveillance)
- Witness Testimony, Confessions
- The Ticking Clock (deadline, threat)
Romance
- The Meet-Cute Object (what brings them together)
- The Obstacle (social class, prior commitment)
- The Token (gift that represents love)
- The Misunderstanding (letter, overheard conversation)
Fantasy
- Magical Artifacts (swords, rings, wands)
- Prophecies and Chosen One markers
- Ancient Texts (spellbooks, histories)
- Portals and Keys to other worlds
Science Fiction
- Alien Technology, First Contact Objects
- Data/Information (codes, coordinates, formulas)
- Biological Threats (viruses, mutations)
- AI Cores, Consciousness Uploads
Horror
- Cursed Objects (dolls, mirrors, books)
- Ritual Components (blood, relics, symbols)
- Infection/Transformation Agents
- Protective Talismans
Further Reading & Resources
Essential Books
- 20 Master Plots - Ronald Tobias (1993)
- The Art of Dramatic Writing - Lajos Egri (1946)
- Plot & Structure - James Scott Bell (2004)