Deus ex machina is a plot device. It is a character or an event introduced at the last minute to save a character or resolve the story. An author uses it because he's written himself into a corner. It is unexpected and does not arise from the logic of the story up to that point:
The hero's car is teetering at the edge of a cliff in a remote wilderness. The front wheels are over the abyss and the hero can't open the door to jump to safety. The hero can do nothing to save himself. Just then, out of the blue, a helpful stranger happens to drive up in a tow truck and pulls car and driver to safety. That's deus ex machina.
No comments:
Post a Comment