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Tropes

Sep 25, 2024, 4 min read

  • Tropes are a tool. They are a reminder that most if not all ideas have already been done in the past, and that’s okay.
  • Tropes are subject to manipulations that serve to extend or enrich their use.
    • Subversion: it seemed like a trope was being used, but in actuality it is revealed that wasn’t the case.
    • Inversion: The setup for the trope is modified (usually involving reversal or swapping)
    • Deconstruction: The trope is played straight, but the consequences are different than usual.
    • Downplaying: The trope is present but to a lesser degree.

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Standout Tropes

  • Desperately Looking for a Purpose in Life - The protagonist is motivated by finding a purpose in life. It’s what happens when those that just wanted to be special and would have jumped at the Call never get the opportunity to.

    It is interesting because it gives an existential, optimistic nihilist air to the story as the hero tries to find something fulfilling to do. It touches on the human desire for meaning.

  • MacGuffin An object or element in a story that drives the plot, but serves no further purpose beyond being desired by the characters. MacGuffins are interchangeable in that substitute them for another object and the plot does not change, and what they are (as in physical properties) does not really matter to the plot.

    MacGuffins allow focus to be on other interesting parts of the story. Also, there are subcategories of MacGuffins which imply we can abstract the essence of an object into its role in the race for the MacGuffin.

    From an Aesop standpoint, the MacGuffin can be used to highlight the human desire for collection, human greed, and if the MacGuffin was indeed worthless, the futility of chasing something that had no real value beyond being desired (somewhat of a cliche tied to MacGuffins being “the real journey was the friends we made along the way”).

    Note: MacGuffins don’t need to be objects. They can be people as well (i.e., damsel in distress, escort mission). MacGuffins don’t need to stay MacGuffins either for the whole story (i.e., eggs or plot coupons)

    Some plot structures afforded by MacGuffins:

    • Everybody wants the MacGuffin
    • Keep the MacGuffin away from the villains
    • Transport / Escort the MacGuffin to a location
    • Collect all the MacGuffins.

  • Noodle Incident An incident from the past that is referred to but never explained because it is too absurd or offensive for description.

    The noodle incident is left for the audience’s imagination, which adds to the horror or comedy of the situation,

  • Passing the Torch / Take Up My Sword The Hero receives the mantle of hero from one before them. Passing the Torch involves the former hero being alive, and Take Up My Sword involves when the Hero dies. It is more than passing on the plot device as the new Hero receives the title.

    It gives a cyclical nature to the heroics in that there will always be a new hero to continue the adventure.

  • Proscenium Reveal The moment when we’re looking at an event thinking it is happening in the world of the story is revealed to be part of a framing device or a simulation.

  • Red Pill, Blue Pill / Two Roads Before You The Call to Adventure involves a choice. The Red Pill, Blue Pill Variant involves the choice between going out on a dangerous adventure or pretending like nothing happened and going back to normalcy.

    These variants are about the presentation of a choice that will meaningfully impact the character’s life and characterization

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