In the study of literature, an audience surrogate is a character who expresses the questions and confusion of the reader. It is a device frequently used in detective fiction and science fiction. Old book bindings at the Merton College library. ... Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes Detective fiction is a branch of crime fiction that centers upon the investigation of a crime, usually murder, by a detective, either professional or amateur. ... Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ...

In detective fiction, the audience surrogate is usually a minor character who asks a central character how he or she accomplished certain deeds, for the purpose of inciting that character to explain (for the curious audience) his or her methods.

In science fiction, the audience surrogate frequently takes the form of a child or other uninformed person, asking a relatively educated person to explain what amounts to the backstory. Science fiction is a form of speculative fiction principally dealing with the impact of imagined science and technology, or both, upon society and persons as individuals. ... “Children” redirects here. ... In narratology, a back-story (also back story or backstory) is the history behind the situation extant at the start of the main story. ...

In superhero comics, the audience surrogate is often the sidekick of the hero. The earliest example of this is Batman's sidekick, Robin, who was created specifically for this purpose. Don Quixote and Sancho Panza unsuccessfully confront windmills. ... Batman (originally referred to as the Bat-Man and still referred to at times as the Batman) is a DC Comics fictional superhero who first appeared in Detective Comics #27 in May 1939. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Dr. Watson in The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes may be considered an audience surrogate as would each of The Doctor's many companions in Doctor Who. Dr Watson (left) and Sherlock Holmes, by Sidney Paget. ... The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes is a collection of twelve stories by Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring his famous detective and illustrated by Sidney Paget. ... Doctor Who or, see History of Doctor Who. ... Companion, in the long-running BBC television science fiction programme Doctor Who and related works, is a term used to describe a character who travels with and shares the adventures of the Doctor. ... Doctor Who is a long-running award-winning British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The series depicts the adventures of a mysterious time-traveller known as the Doctor who travels in his TARDIS (Time And Relative Dimension(s) In Space) time ship, which appears from the exterior...

The West Wing television series frequently uses audience surrogates to explain some aspect of politics. Donna Moss is probably the most commonly used, but other characters are used occasionally in areas which are outside their own fields of expertise. The West Wing is an American television serial drama created by Aaron Sorkin that was originally broadcast from 1999 to 2006. ... Donnatella Donna Moss is a fictional character played by Janel Moloney on the television serial drama The West Wing. ...

One possible meaning behind John's uses of an unnamed "beloved disciple" in the New Testament is to serve as an audience surrogate. For other uses, see Gospel of John (disambiguation). ... Jesus and the Beloved Disciple, polychromed and gilded wood, c 1320 The phrase the disciple whom Jesus loved or Beloved Disciple is used several times in the Gospel of John, but in none of the other accounts of Jesus. ... This article is about the Christian scriptures. ...

See also

• Author surrogate