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Rated: 13+ · Message Forum · Writing · #1474311
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Oct 25, 2021 at 10:22am
#3459489
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions
About MacGuffins, for both you and QueenNormaJean maybesnow?!:

It's not that the presence of the MacGuffin isn't critical to the plot. It's that the specific identity of the object in question isn't critical to the plot. You could swap it out for a host of other objects and still have the same plot.

A great example is Monty Python and the holy Grail. The plot is driven by King Arthur's desire to obtain the holy Grail. But is the story really about the holy grail? No, it's about the QUEST. He finds his Knights of the round table, they have adventures on the way, and randomly someone in modern times gets murdered and there's a police investigation. It could be the quest for the holy shroud, or the arc of the covenant, or it could be the pacifier of sir-not-appearing-in-this-film. It's a MacGuffin because it doesn't matter what the object is, but the quest for that object is most definitely critical to the plot. It matters that Arthur wants it, and that motivates him.

Cheers,
Michelle

Gift from Blue Witch
MESSAGE THREAD
Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 6:05pm
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 6:23pm
by Adherennium Plotting something Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 7:22pm
by QueenNormaJean maybesnow?! Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 10:14pm
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 10:27pm
by QueenNormaJean maybesnow?! Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 11:27pm
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 11:57pm
by QueenNormaJean maybesnow?! Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 12:01am
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 12:54am
by QueenNormaJean maybesnow?! Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Quest... · 10-25-21 12:57am
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
*Star* Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 10:22am
by BrandiwynšŸŽ¶ Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 11:56pm
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-26-21 11:17am
by Adherennium Plotting something Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-26-21 9:01pm
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-24-21 10:19pm
by QueenNormaJean maybesnow?! Author IconMail Icon
Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 9:09am
by BrandiwynšŸŽ¶ Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 9:33am
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-25-21 10:13am
by BrandiwynšŸŽ¶ Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-26-21 6:49am
by BrandiwynšŸŽ¶ Author IconMail Icon
Re: Re: Re: Re: Literary Device Questions · 10-26-21 10:55am
by Schnujo's Doing NaNoWriMo? Author IconMail Icon

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