Chekov's gun principle of storytelling
Summary
- Chekov's gun states that everything in a story must serve a purpose in the plot
Details
- In other words, strip out all unnecessary stuff
- Anton Chekov was a playwright who suggested that if you mention a gun hanging on a wall in one scene, it must go off later. otherwise don't mention it
- Foreshadowing can also give clues as to what will happen later
Reflections
- general principle: only keep things which have a use
References
Quotes
The principle of Chekhov’s gun states that everything that appears in a story must serve some overall purpose in the wider plot. Playwright Anton Chekov advised that a gun hanging on the wall in one scene must go off later in the text. Otherwise, its presence is unnecessary.
Distinct from Chekhov’s gun is the importance of foreshadowing, which is when events early in a narrative give clues as to what is going to happen later. What happens early on in a story essentially makes a promise to the audience about what might happen later, so it’s important for a writer to fulfill that promise