I would argue that it was put in to surprise the viewer, but did not actually improve the story. Sure, it showed that he had turned his back on the Force and the ways of the Jedi, but we already knew that. I would say that Luke Skywalker tossing his lightsaber off the cliff was an example of a subversion NOT serving to improve the story. If it leaves your reader saying, “what?” or the dreaded, “Yeah, so?” then it has been done wrong. ![]() It needs to serve and improve the story from that point forward.Ī subversion should only be attempted if it will actually improve the story.It seems that every movie, especially remakes, have something that recalls expectations and pokes fun.īut it needs to be done in a satisfying way, or the internet will destroy you forever… apparently. In her day, Agatha Christie did just that by having our main detective be a short, funny-looking Belgian man (Poirot) or a kindly, soft, pink, old spinster (Miss Marple.) Nowadays, subverting expectations is almost the norm. Subverting expectations is a way to break the rules or expectations of storytelling, or the genre, and when done successfully it creates interest or humor. It must have strong verisimilitude to the story that came before it It needs to serve and improve the story from that point forward How do we do this as writers? How do you find a fresh way to surprise your readers, but not in a way that feels contrived and unnatural?Īccording to The Closer Look on YouTube, three things are needed to make the subversion satisfying. What did Rian Johnson learn in between making these two films? How to subvert expectations in a satisfying way. Why is the entire internet comparing these two movies? Because they were done by the same director in quick succession. The example that springs to mind is the fizzled mystery of who Rey’s parents are. The Last Jedi is a widely accepted example of it being done wrong. Knives Out is a widely accepted example of “subverting expectations” being done well.įor one thing, it echoes a traditional mystery in many ways, but then changes from a ‘whodunnit’ to a “how will she get away with this” type story. ![]() Popular culture gives us many examples of creators subverting the audience’s expectations–both done well and done disastrously. I don’t know about you, but isolated definitions don’t help me much. Verisimilitude helps to promote a reader's willing suspension of disbelief. It is also one of the most essential literary devices of fiction writing. Having the appearance of truth : PROBABLEĪ theoretical concept that determines the level of truth in an assertion or hypothesis. ( ) Verisimilitude – noun (stay tuned, we’ll get to this) Usually used in the arts when analyzing the reaction of the audience to a performance or piece of writing. To behave contrary to an established belief or assumption for the purpose of being fresh and interesting. Undermine the power and authority of (an established system or institution). ![]() Subvert – verb gerund or present participle: subverting Before we begin, SPOILER ALERT! We will be ruining The Last Jedi and Knives Out, so go watch those before reading this. We will talk a lot about movies because they are the most available examples of how to subvert expectations, but this is a principle that you can, and probably should, incorporate into your writing. If you find a good example or think of something I haven’t said, please comment below so we can all learn from each other. Since I have been studying this lately and was having a hard time grasping it, I decided to write down what I have learned and share it with you. This movie felt so revolutionary and perfect, and digging deeper, I found the internet a-buzz with discussions of how this movie used this storytelling tool. By Jessica Thompson, stumbled across the concept of subverting expectations while studying the movie Knives Out.
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