NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Twist ending

A twist ending or surprise ending is an unexpected conclusion or climax to a work of fiction, and which often contains irony or causes the audience to reevaluate the narrative or characters. A twist ending is the conclusive form of plot twists. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Merge-arrows. ... Happy ending may refer to: Happy ending in fiction, when everything turns out well in the end Happy Ending (story), a science-fiction story by Henry Kuttner Happy Ending (song), a song by London-based singer Mika Happy Ending (Fredric Brown), a science-fiction story and title of a collection... A bad ending occurs when the player finishes a video game but is not completely successful for some reason. ... A false ending refers to a rarely used story-telling device where the plot seems to be heading to its conclusion, but in reality, theres still more to the story. ... The climax (or turning point) of a narrative work is its point of highest tension or drama in which the solution is given. ... For other uses, see Fiction (disambiguation). ... Ironic redirects here. ... For other uses, see Audience (disambiguation). ... A Plot twist is a change (twist) in the direction or expected outcome of the plot of a film or novel. ...

Mechanics of the twist ending

Literary devices

Anagnorisis, or discovery, is the protagonist's sudden recognition of his own or another character's true identity or nature. Through this technique, previously unforeseen character information is revealed. A notable example of anagorisis occurs in Oedipus Rex: Oedipus kills his father and marries his mother in ignorance, learning the truth only toward the climax of the play.^[1] This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Oedipus the King (also known as Oedipus Rex and Oedipus Tyrannos) is a Greek tragedy, written by Sophocles around 427 BC. The play was the second of Sophocles three Theban plays to be produced, but its events occur before those of Oedipus at Colonus or Antigone. ... For other uses, see Oedipus (disambiguation). ...

Flashback, or analepsis, is a sudden, vivid reversion to a past event. It is used to surprise the reader with previously unknown information that provides the answer to a mystery, places a character in a different light, or reveals the reason for a previously inexplicable action. The TV show Lost utilizes this technique frequently, as the show's mythos relies heavily on flashbacks. The finale of its third season added a new twist to a flashback revelation; a flashforward revelation. See also Racconto. In literature, film, television and other media, a flashback (also called analepsis) is an interjected scene that takes the narrative back in time from the current point the story has reached. ... LOST redirects here. ... A flashforward (also sometimes known as flash-forward or flash-ahead) in a narrative occurs when one or more scenes representing an event expected, projected or imagined to occur at a time later than the present depiction (see also Glossary: Flashforward). ... In literature, Racconto and Flashback mean almost the same thing. ...

An unreliable narrator twists the ending by revealing, almost always at the end of the narrative, that the narrator has manipulated or fabricated the preceding story, thus forcing the reader to question his prior assumptions about the text. This motif is often used within noir fiction and films, notably in the film The Usual Suspects (which, in turn, produced multiple imitators such as The Rich Man's Wife and "Lucky Number Slevin"). An unreliable narrator motif was employed by Agatha Christie in The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, a novel that generated much controversy due to critics' contention that it was unfair to trick the reader in such a manipulative manner ^[2]. Illustration by Gustave DorÃ© for Baron MÃ¼nchhausen: tall tales, such as those of the Baron, often feature unreliable narrators. ... In literature, a motif is a recurring element or theme that has symbolic significance in the story. ... Hardboiled crime fiction is a uniquely American style pioneered by Dashiell Hammett, refined by Raymond Chandler, and endlessly imitated since by writers such as Mickey Spillane. ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... The Usual Suspects is a 1995 American neo-noir film written by Christopher McQuarrie and directed by Bryan Singer. ... The Rich Mans Wife is a 1996 suspense-thriller film written and directed by Amy Holden Jones. ... Lucky Number Slevin (also known as Lucky # Slevin or The Wrong Man) is a 2006 crime thriller film written by Jason Smilovic, directed by Paul McGuigan and starring Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu, Stanley Tucci and Bruce Willis. ... The Murder of Roger Ackroyd (published in 1926) is a detective novel by Agatha Christie. ...

Peripeteia is a sudden reversal of the protagonist's fortune, whether for good or ill, that emerges naturally from the character's circumstances. Unlike the deus ex machina device, peripeteia must be logical within the frame of the story. An example of a reversal for good would be the transition of Wart from subservience to sovereignty in The Sword and the Stone. An example of a reversal for ill would be Agamemnon's sudden murder at the hands of his wife Clytemnestra in Aeschylus' The Oresteia. Peripeteia is an extreme type of plot point. Peripeteia (Greek, ) is a reversal of circumstances, or turning point. ... Wikibooks has more about this subject: The Sword in the Stone The Sword in the Stone is a novel by T. H. White, published in 1938, initially a stand-alone work but now the first part of a tetralogy The Once and Future King. ... This article is about a character in Greek mythology. ... After the murder (1882 painting) Clytemnestra (or Clytaemestra) â€˜â€˜(Eng. ... This article is about the ancient Greek playwright. ... The Oresteia is a trilogy of tragedies about the end of the curse on the House of Atreus, written by Aeschylus. ... A plot point is a significant or overt action or moment within a plot that creates obstacles, raises the stakes, articulates theme, or complicates things for a protagonist trying to reach an ...

Deus ex machina is a Latin term meaning "god out of a machine." It refers to an unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction to resolve a situation or untangle a plot. In Ancient Greek theater, the "deus ex machina" ('ἀπὸ μηχανῆς θεός') was literally a "god" lowered onto the stage from a machine to save the characters. In its modern, figurative sense, the "deus ex machina" creates a twist ending to a narrative because it unexpectedly resolves what appears to be an unsolvable situation. This device is often used to end a bleak story on a more positive note. For example, in William Golding's Lord of the Flies, a ship arrives on the island to rescue the boys just in time to prevent the band of "hunters" from killing the protagonist, Ralph.^[3] For other uses, see Deus ex machina (disambiguation). ... For other uses of Greek Theatre, see Greek theatre (disambiguation). ... Sir William Gerald Golding (19 September 1911 â€“ 19 June 1993) was a British novelist, poet and Nobel Prize for Literature laureate best known for his novel Lord of the Flies. ... For other uses, see Lord of the Flies (disambiguation). ... A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ...

Irony creates a gap or incongruity between what is the writer presents and what is understood. This often works in narratives to create a twist of fate, in which an eventual event reverts back on a previous one. Ironic redirects here. ...

Poetic justice is a literary device in which virtue is ultimately rewarded or vice punished in such a way that the reward or punishment has a logical connection to the deed. In modern literature, this device is often used to create an ironic twist of fate in which the villain gets caught up in his own trap. For example, in C.S. Lewis' The Horse and His Boy, Prince Rabadash climbs upon a mounting block during the battle in Archenland. Upon jumping down again, crying, "The bolt of Tash falls from above," his hauberk catches on a hook and leaves him hanging there, humiliated. A more recent example of poetic justice is in the film The Departed, in which Sullivan (Matt Damon) is ultimately and unexpectedly killed for his crimes. Poetic Justice is a 1993 drama/romance film starring Janet Jackson, Tupac Shakur, Regina King and Joe Torry. ... Personification of virtue (Greek á¼€ÏÎµÏ„Î®) in Celsus Library in Ephesos, Turkey Virtue (Latin virtus; Greek ) is moral excellence of a person. ... Vice is a practice or habit that is considered immoral, depraved, and/or degrading in the associated society. ... Ironic redirects here. ... Clive Staples Lewis (November 29, 1898 – November 22, 1963), commonly referred to as C. S. Lewis, was an author and scholar. ... Cover of a recent edition of The Horse and His Boy The Horse and His Boy is a novel by C.S. Lewis. ... For other uses, see Tash. ... The Departed is a 2006 crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio (in his third movie with Scorsese), Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. ... Matthew Paige Matt Damon (born October 8, 1970) is an American screenwriter and actor. ...

Chekhov's gun refers to a situation in which a character or plot element is introduced early in the narrative, then not referenced again until much later. Often the usefulness of the item is not immediately apparent until it suddenly attains pivotal significance. A perfect example of this is the tapir trap in Apocalypto, which serves as a way to fool and stop the Holcane leader from chasing Jaguar Paw for good. A similar mechanism is the "plant," a preparatory device that repeats throughout the story. During the resolution, the true significance of the plant is revealed. Both Chekhov’s gun and plants are used as elements of foreshadowing. Villains in Scooby-Doo, Where Are You? were often Chekhov's guns-they would be introduced early on as "innocuous secondary characters" (as remarked by Jason Fox), then ignored until they turned out to be the one in the bad costume driving people away to get at the hidden fortune. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Apocalypto is an Academy Award nominated 2006 epic film directed by Mel Gibson. ... This article is about Foreshadowing, the literary device. ... Scooby-Doo, Where are You! was the first incarnation of the long-running Hanna-Barbera Saturday morning cartoon Scooby-Doo. ...

A red herring is a false clue intended to lead investigators toward an incorrect solution. This device usually appears in detective novels and mystery fiction. The red herring is a type of misdirection, a device intended to distract the protagonist, and by extension the reader, away from the correct answer or from the site of pertinent clues or action, like how it is used in Saw (2004).^[4] A red herring can also be used as a form of false foreshadowing. In literature, a red herring is a plot device intended to distract the reader from a more important event in the plot, usually a twist ending. ... 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. ... Mystery fiction is a distinct subgenre of detective fiction that entails the occurrence of an unknown event which requires the protagonist to make known (or solve). ... Misdirection is a form of deception in which the attention of an audience is focused on one thing in order to distract its attention from another. ... A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ... This article is about the 2004 horror film, Saw. ... This article is about Foreshadowing, the literary device. ...

A cliffhanger is an abrupt ending that leaves the main characters in a precarious or difficult situation, creating a strong feeling of suspense that provokes the reader to ask, "What will happen next?" Cliffhangers often frustrate the reader, since they offer no resolution at all; however, the device does have the advantage of creating the Zeigarnik effect. A cliffhanger is often employed at the end of an installment of serialized novels, movies, or in most cases, TV Series. For other uses, see Cliffhanger (disambiguation). ... From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Revision as of 13:19, 23 March 2006; view current revision â† Older revision | Newer revision â†’ Jump to: navigation, search The Zeigarnik effect states that people remember uncompleted or interrupted tasks better than completed ones. ... The term serial refers to the intrinsic property of a series â€”namely its order. ... DVD front cover for The Adventures of Captain Marvel, one of the most celebrated serials for both Republic Pictures and of the sound era in general. ... A television program is the content of television broadcasting. ...

In medias res (Latin, "into the middle of things") is a literary technique in which narrative proceeds from the middle of the story rather than its beginning. Information such characterization, setting, and motive is revealed through a series of flashbacks. This technique creates a twist when the cause for the inciting incident is not revealed until the climax. This technique is used effectively within the film The Prestige in which the opening scenes show one of the main characters drowning and the other being imprisoned. Subsequent scenes reveal the events leading up to these situations through a series of flashbacks. In media res is often used to provide a narrative hook. In medias res, also medias in res (Latin for into the middle of things) is a literary and artistic technique where the narrative starts in the middle of the story instead of from its beginning (ab ovo or ab initio). ... For other uses, see Latin (disambiguation). ... In literature and film, a flashback (also called analepsis) takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before and give the back-story. ... The Prestige is a 2006 period film directed by Christopher Nolan, with a screenplay adapted from the 1995 World Fantasy Award-winning novel of the same name by Christopher Priest. ... A narrative hook (or hook) is a literary technique in the opening of a story that hooks the readers attention so that he will read on. ...

Nonlinear storylines work by revealing plot and character in a random, non-chronological fashion. This technique requires the reader to attempt to piece together the timeline in order to fully understand the story. A twist ending can occur as the result of information which is held until the climax and which places characters or events in a different perspective. The nonlinear approach has been used in the anime series The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya and in works such as the films Highlander, Mulholland Drive, Pulp Fiction, Saw IV and Sin City and the book Invisible Monsters.^[5]^[6] In the arts, the word nonlinear is used to describe events portrayed in a non-chronological manner. ... The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya[1] ) is the first Japanese light novel in the Haruhi Suzumiya series written by Japanese author Nagaru Tanigawa and illustrated by Japanese artist Noizi Ito. ... Highlander is a 1986 film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. ... For the street in Los Angeles, see Mulholland Drive. ... Pulp Fiction is a 1994 film by director Quentin Tarantino, who cowrote the film with Roger Avary. ... Saw IV is the fourth installment in the popular Saw horror film series. ... Sin City is a 2005 neo-noir anthology film written, produced and directed by Frank Miller and Robert Rodriguez. ... Invisible Monsters is a novel by Chuck Palahniuk, published in 1999. ...

Reverse chronology works by revealing the plot in reverse order, i.e., from final event to initial event. Unlike traditional chronological storylines, which progress through causes before reaching a final effect, reverse chronological storylines reveal the final effect before tracing the causes leading up to it; therefore, the initial cause represents a "twist ending." Examples employing this technique include the film Irréversible and the color sequences from the film Memento. Reverse chronology is a method of story-telling whereby the plot is revealed in reverse order. ... IrrÃ©versible (2002, France) is a film written, directed, edited, and photographed by Gaspar NoÃ©. It is considered to be one of the most disturbing and controversial films of 2002, due to its explicit on-camera depiction of rape and murder. ... Memento is a neo-noirâ€“psychological thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan, adapted from his brother Jonathans short story Memento Mori. ...

Narrative elements

Amnesia (particularly retrograde amnesia, the inability to recollect long-term memories) is often used to create mysteries in which the protagonist must attempt to recover his identity. Usually his quest leads him to surprising revelations about himself and others. The protagonist may also experience strong feelings of paranoia, since he is unsure who he can trust. The film Memento alters the standard technique slightly, using reverse chronological order to portray a character with anterograde amnesia. Repressed memory, Alzheimer's disease, and Lacunar amnesia may also be employed in a similar fashion.^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10] For other uses, see Amnesia (disambiguation). ... Retrograde amnesia is a form of amnesia where someone will be unable to recall events that occurred before the onset of amnesia. ... For other senses of this word, see paranoia (disambiguation). ... Memento is a neo-noirâ€“psychological thriller film written and directed by Christopher Nolan, adapted from his brother Jonathans short story Memento Mori. ... Anterograde amnesia is a form of amnesia, or memory loss, in which new events are not transferred from short-term memory to long-term memory. ... A repressed memory, according to some theories of psychology, is a memory (often traumatic) of an event or environment which is stored by the unconscious mind but outside the awareness of the conscious mind. ... Please wikify (format) this article or section as suggested in the Guide to layout and the Manual of Style. ...

The android element is similar the puppet element, in that an apparently human character is ultimately revealed to be a robot. Due to the advanced technology needed to produce an android, this element is almost exclusively utilized within science fiction. Examples of films which feature the android element include Alien and its sequel Alien: Resurrection. For other uses, see Android (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see robot (disambiguation). ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... 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. ... This article is about the first film in a series. ... Film poster Alien: Resurrection Alien: Resurrection (1997) is the fourth movie in the Alien series, preceded by Alien, Aliens and Alien³. Synopsis Spoiler warning: Alien: Resurrection takes place 200 years after the events of Alien³. Ellen Ripley has been cloned using blood samples from Fiorina 161, on ice so that...

In a narrative with multiple antagonists, the reader is led to believe there is one villain when in fact there are two or more, a fact which is usually not revealed until the climax. The first Scream film is a notable example of this. Agatha Christie utilized this ploy several times in her mysteries by revealing the murderer (through her detective/narrator), then by going on to reveal the murderer's accomplice(s). Saw II revealed that Amanda was not a victim of the games, but an apprentice. For other uses, see Antagonist (disambiguation). ... Bad guy redirects here. ... Look up Climax in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Scream is a 1996 horror film, directed by Wes Craven and written by Kevin Williamson. ... Agatha Mary Clarissa, Lady Mallowan, DBE (15 September 1890 â€“ 12 January 1976), commonly known as Agatha Christie, was an English crime fiction writer. ... Saw II is a 2005 horror film. ...

Betrayal, also called the "double cross," can become more complex when the writer chooses to have the character who was double-crossed betray the other character as well, then referred to as a "triple cross." Writers rarely employ more counter-betrayals, as it is considered overly complex (such as in the films Employee of the Month (2004) and Circus (2000) in which the characters cross one another several times). Betrayal is often coupled with the con artist motif, since trust must be initially present in order for a scam to be successful. Betrayal, as a form of deception or dismissal of prior presumptions, is the breaking or violation of a presumptive social contract (trust, or confidence) that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations. ... Double Cross is the first produced, but the second aired, episode for the third season of the science fiction television show Sliders. ... This article is about the 2004 film. ... Circus is a 2000 British crime thriller movie directed by Rob Walker and written by David Logan. ... A confidence trick, confidence game, or con for short, (also known as a scam) is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the mark) usually with the goal of financial or other gain. ...

Blackout, similar to amnesia, is used to withhold information from both the protagonist and the reader. However, instead of the loss of the character's entire memory, only a short portion is missing. A blackout is often the result of a blow to the head, a medical disorder, or excessive alcohol consumption. A blackout contributes to a twist ending when a key event occurs during the missing moments and is not revealed until the conclusion. For example, in the film noir classic Black Angel, a character is unable to remember the night of a murder due to excessive alcohol consumption. The Butterfly Effect featured blackout that the protagonist suddenly experienced and finds himself in results that he wasn't aware what caused it. He apparently, went back in time and did things that made the results. A blackout is a phenomenon caused by the intake of alcohol in which long term memory creation is impaired. ... This still from The Big Combo (1955) demonstrates the visual style of film noir at its most extreme. ... Duryea and Vincent in Black Angel Black Angel is a 1946 black-and-white film noir based on the novel by Cornell Woolrich. ... This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long or excessively detailed compared to the rest of the article. ...

The dispelling of a character shield through the death of a major character almost always shocks the audience because it is relatively uncommon for the protagonist or other major character to die. The death of Janet Leigh's character halfway through Psycho is widely regarded as the first and best instance of this device in popular film. Additionally, in The Departed, both Sullivan and Costigan are ultimately bereft of character shields. Scream featured a known star, Drew Barrymore, being killed off after the initial sequence. The later novels of the Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling also readily dispelled the shields of a number of major characters, some quite unceremoniously. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Death (disambiguation), Dead (disambiguation), or Death (band). ... Psycho is a 1960 suspense/horror film directed by auteur Alfred Hitchcock from the screenplay by Joseph Stefano about a psychotic killer. ... The Departed is a 2006 crime film directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio (in his third movie with Scorsese), Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson and Mark Wahlberg. ... Scream can refer to several topics: Look up scream in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about the Harry Potter series of novels. ... Joanne Jo Murray, nÃ©e Rowling OBE (born 31 July 1965),[1] who writes under the pen name J. K. Rowling,[2] is an English writer and author of the Harry Potter fantasy series. ...

A twist in chronology may occur at the end of a film. For example, in Saw II, two storylines are shown as if occurring simultaneously, one in which several people trapped inside a house die one after another while in the other police observe the events on security camera monitors. However, it is later revealed that the events inside the house occur two hours before the police view the footage. For the novel by Michael Crichton, see Timeline (novel). ... Saw II is a 2005 horror film. ...

When cloning, often an element of science fiction, is used, the protagonist ultimately discovers that he is either a clone of another character or that he has been genetically altered in some manner (such as in the film The 6th Day). Alternately, cloning may be used by the antagonist to create multiple copies of himself. This plot element has become more commonly used in contemporary literature to illustrate the ethical issues surrounding the advances in technology that make human cloning theoretically possible. See also Doppelgänger and Evil twin. For other uses, see clone. ... 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. ... A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ... The 6th Day is a 2000 action movie starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ... For other uses, see DoppelgÃ¤nger (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Evil twin (disambiguation). ...

A con artist intentionally misleads another character (known as a "mark"), usually for the purpose of financial gain. In a twist, the con artist first tricks the mark into believing that they will work together to con a third party, while, in reality, the mark himself has been conned. The writer most often associated with this tactic is David Mamet, whose films such as House of Games con both the characters and the audience with a clever scam. In Matchstick Men, one con artist successfully cons another, further twisting the plot. A confidence trick, confidence game, or con for short, (also known as a scam) is an attempt to intentionally mislead a person or persons (known as the mark) usually with the goal of financial or other gain. ... David Alan Mamet (born November 30, 1947) is an American author, essayist, playwright, screenwriter, and film director. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ... Matchstick Men is a 2003 film starring Nicolas Cage, Sam Rockwell and Alison Lohman. ...

Conspiracies use rumors, lies, cover-ups, propaganda, and counter-propaganda to frustrate the characters and to obscure the truth and reality. Conspiracies in fiction can be similar to simulated reality in that hidden organizations manipulate what the characters perceive to be true and factual. Conspiracies are often used in political thrillers as means to provide commentary upon a governmental system (such as John Frankenheimer's The Manchurian Candidate and Alan J. Pakula's The Parallax View). False perception of conspiracy is one form of paranoia. A double-twist on the conspiracy element is used in the Richard Donner film, Conspiracy Theory, in which the viewer is challeged to determine which of the conspiracies are real. Particularly since the 1960s, conspiracy theory has been a popular subject of fiction. ... Simulated reality is the idea that reality could be simulated â€” often computer-simulated â€” to a degree indistinguishable from true reality. ... A political thriller is a thriller that is set against the backdrop of political power struggle. ... John Michael Frankenheimer (February 19, 1930 â€“ July 6, 2002) was an American film director. ... The Manchurian Candidate is a 1959 thriller novel written by Richard Condon, later adapted into films in 1962 and 2004. ... Alan Jay Pakula (April 7, 1928 - November 19, 1998) was an American film producer, writer and director noted for his contributions to the conspiracy thriller genre. ... The Parallax View is a 1974 movie directed by Alan J. Pakula and starring Warren Beatty (who was also a producer), adapted from the novel by Loren Singer. ... For other senses of this word, see paranoia (disambiguation). ... Richard Donner (born Richard Donald Schwartzberg on April 24, 1930) is an American film director and also producer through the production company, The Donners Company, he and his wife, producer Lauren Shuler-Donner, own. ... This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Cults can be used similarly to conspiracies. In a work of fiction, the cult is often a secret, sinister organization or group that is not revealed until the climax, usually in order to explain how characters are connected or how events and characters have been manipulated. Ira Levin's novel Rosemary's Baby is a notable example of the use of cults in fiction. It is parodied in Hot Fuzz, in which the antagonists are revealed to be members of a murderous cult rather than of a real estate conspiracy as implied. Cults is a suburb on the western edge of Aberdeen, Scotland. ... Ira Levin (born August 27, 1929 in New York) is an American novelist, playwright and songwriter. ... For the film based on the novel, see Rosemarys Baby (film). ... Hot Fuzz is a 2007 British police action comedy film written by Simon Pegg and Edgar Wright and starring Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. ...

Dissociative identity disorder (formerly "multiple personality disorder" and often incorrectly called schizophrenia) typically involves the protagonist's ultimate discovery that the killer he has been searching for is in fact himself, a fact of which his disorder made him unaware. This disorder often manifests in the protagonist's perception of other characters who are not really there. Dissociative identity disorder is used most notably in Robert Bloch's Psycho, which was so effective in its execution of the twist ending that it inspired a stream of imitations, almost to the point of overuse and cliché (such as William Castle's Homicidal and several Hammer Film Productions such as Maniac and Nightmare). Other examples include Chuck Palahniuk's Fight Club, French film Switchblade Romance/Haute Tension Steven King's Secret Window, Secret Garden, and Joel Schumacher's The Number 23. For more examples, see DID/MPD in fiction. Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID), as defined by the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR), is a mental condition whereby a single individual evidences two or more distinct identities or personalities, each with its own pattern of perceiving and interacting with the environment. ... A protagonist is the main figure of a piece of literature or drama and has the main part or role. ... Robert Albert Bloch (April 5, 1917, Chicago-September 23, 1994, Los Angeles) was a prolific American writer. ... Psycho is a 1959 pulp thriller by Robert Bloch. ... William Castle (April 24, 1914â€“May 31, 1977) born William Schloss, was an American film director, producer, and actor. ... Homicidal is a 1961 thriller film produced and directed by the self-proclaimed King of Showmanship, William Castle. ... New company logo as introduced in May 2007 A poster for Dracula: Prince of Darkness (1966). ... Maniac is a 1963 Hammer Film Productions release filmed in black and white in the Camargue district of southern France. ... Movie poster for Nightmare Nightmare is a 1964 horror/suspense film from Hammer Films. ... Charles Michael Chuck Palahniuk (pronounced )[1] (born February 21, 1962) is an American satirical novelist and freelance journalist of Ukrainian ancestry born in Pasco, Washington. ... Fight Club[1] (1996) is the first published novel by American author Chuck Palahniuk. ... Haute Tension also referred to as Switchblade Romance in the UK and High Tension (or H.T.) in the USA, is a French slasher film originally released in France during 2003, later released during 2004 in the UK and 2005 in the USA and Canada. ... Steven King may refer to the following: a misspelling of Stephen King. ... Four Past Midnight is a collection of four novellas by Stephen King. ... Joel Schumacher (born August 29, 1939 in New York, New York, USA) is an American film director, writer, and producer. ... For the actual number, see 23 (number). ... The idea of multiple personalities has been popularized in many works of fiction, especially (but not exclusively) in the United States. ...

A dream sequence can be used to create a twist ending when the writer reveals that a significant portion of the previous narrative was actually a dream, a combination of flashbacks, fantasies, and visions that created a sort of simulated reality initiated by the character's own mind. Film director David Lynch is known for utilizing this element, most notably within his film Mulholland Drive. Another example would be the television series St. Elsewhere, which created controversy when the final episode revealed that the entire series occurred only in the imagination of Tommy Westphall. When used in this manner, the dream sequence can be considered anticlimatic. A dream sequence is a technique used in storytelling, particularly in television and film, to set apart a brief interlude from the main story. ... For other uses, see Dream (disambiguation). ... In literature and film, a flashback (also called analepsis) takes the narrative back in time from the point the story has reached, to recount events that happened before and give the back-story. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... In religion, visions comprise inspirational renderings, generally of a future state and/or of a mythical being, and are believed (by followers of the religion) to come from a deity, directly or indirectly via prophets, and serve to inspire or prod believers as part of a revelation or an epiphany. ... Simulated reality is the idea that reality could be simulated â€” often computer-simulated â€” to a degree indistinguishable from true reality. ... For other persons named David Lynch, see David Lynch (disambiguation). ... For the street in Los Angeles, see Mulholland Drive. ... St. ...

Gender confusion creates a twist ending by revealing at a pivotal moment that a particular character is not of his or her apparent sex, as when a woman has been masquerading as a man, or vice versa. This motif is notably used in The Crying Game and in the Italian giallo genre. See also Transsexualism and Transgender. Gender identity disorder, as identified by psychologists and physicians, is a condition in which a person has been assigned one gender, usually on the basis of their sex at birth (compare intersex disorders), but identifies as belonging to another gender, and feels significant discomfort or being unable to deal with... For the song of the same name by Geoff Stephens, see The Crying Game (song). ... S.S. Van Dines The Benson Murder Case, the first giallo ever published (1929). ... For the electronic music EP by Mr. ... A transgender woman at New York Citys gay pride parade Transgender (IPA: , from trans (Latin) and gender (English)) is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies that diverge from the normative gender role (woman or man) commonly, but not always, assigned at...

Imitation is an element by which one character pretends to be another character, thereby tricking both the other characters and the reader, until his true identity is ultimately revealed. In the murder mystery The Last of Sheila, one character imitates the voice of another in order to mask his identity. In Anthony Shaffer's Absolution, a student fools a priest into believing that he is a different student. A variation on imitation is ventriloquism, in which a character manipulates his voice to make it appear to come from elsewhere. A famous example is the ending of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, in which Donald Sutherland is revealed to have been converted by the aliens and points out the non-transformed Veronica Cartwright in the film's final seconds. See also Impressions. Imitation is an advanced animal behaviour whereby an individual observes anothers behaviour and replicates it itself. ... Sherlock Holmes, pipe-puffing hero of crime fiction, confers with his colleague Dr. Watson; together these characters popularized the genre. ... The Last of Sheila is a 1973 film directed by Herbert Ross, written by Anthony Perkins and Stephen Sondheim, and starring Richard Benjamin, Dyan Cannon, James Coburn, James Mason, and Raquel Welch. ... Anthony Joshua Shaffer, (May 15, 1926 – November 6, 2001), was a English dramatist. ... For the Batman villain, see Ventriloquist (comics). ... Invasion of the Body Snatchers is a 1978 science fiction film based on the novel The Body Snatchers by Jack Finney. ... For other persons named Donald Sutherland, see Donald Sutherland (disambiguation). ... Veronica Cartwright (born April 20, 1950 in Bristol, England) is an actress. ... An impressionist is a performer whose act consists of giving the impression of being someone else by imitating the other persons voice and mannerisms. ...

Incest can be an effective twist ending, since it violates the expectation that sexual activity should not be performed among members of the same family. Sexual relationships among closely-related members (such as mother and son) are especially shocking. Examples of this element include Roman Polanski's Chinatown and Park Chan-wook's Oldboy. Incest is defined as sexual intercourse between closely related persons. ... Roman Polanski (born August 18, 1933) is an Academy Award-winning film director, writer, actor, and producer. ... Chinatown is a 1974 film directed by Roman Polanski featuring many elements of the film noir genre, particularly a multi-layered story that is part mystery and part psychological drama. ... Park Chan-wook (born August 23, 1963 in Tanyan) is a South Korean director and screenwriter. ... This article is about the Korean film. ...

Multiple births can create a twist ending when a character is revealed to have an identical twin or even identical triplets. Often the conclusion reveals that the siblings were working together throughout the narrative, unbeknownst to the other characters. Examples include The Prestige and The Crimson Rivers. See also Evil twin. Identical triplet brothers at graduation. ... Fraternal twin boys in the tub The term twin most notably refers to two individuals (or one of two individuals) who have shared the same uterus (womb) and usually, but not necessarily, born on the same day. ... Identical triplet brothers at graduation. ... The Prestige is a novel by British writer Christopher Priest. ... The Crimson Rivers (original French title: Les riviÃ¨res pourpres) is a 2000 French police drama film directed by Mathieu Kassovitz and based on the novel Red Blood Rivers by the films co-writer Jean-Christophe GrangÃ©. A sequel, Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse (Les riviÃ¨res... For other uses, see Evil twin (disambiguation). ...

Pseudocide, the reverse of the undead twist (see below), is a situation in which a character thought to be dead is revealed to be alive. Examples include the film adaptation of the classic Mission: Impossible television series and the first Saw film. Pseudocide is an American term for a serious (rather than joke) attempt to fake ones own death. ... Mission: Impossible is the name of an American television series which aired on the CBS network from September 1966 to September 1973. ... This article is about the 2004 horror film, Saw. ...

In the puppetry twist, the protagonist discovers that another character is only a puppet being controlled by a puppeteer, rather than the actual human being he appears to be. This element is most often found within horror fiction. An episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents entitled The Glass Eye twisted this further, revealed that the story's puppeteer was the puppet, while the puppet was the actual puppeteer. A more recent example is the horror film Dead Silence, in which a character who appears to be alive is revealed to be dead, his corpse having been turned into a puppet. A puppeteer is a person who manipulates a puppet or marionette, either by the use of strings, wires or their hands, for a stage production or film. ... A puppet is a representational object manipulated by a puppeteer. ... A puppeteer is a person who manipulates an inanimate object â€” a puppetâ€” in real time to create the illusion of life. ... â€œHorror storyâ€ redirects here. ... Alfred Hitchcock Presents was an anthology television series hosted by Alfred Hitchcock. ... The following is a list of episodes from Alfred Hitchcock Presents. ... Dead Silence (originally titled Shhhh. ...

A quibble occurs when a character discovers a crucial flaw or technicality that changes an expected outcome. For example, in A Merchant of Venice, Shylock's triumph appeared certain until Portia observed that his bargain called only for flesh, effectively preventing him from shedding Antonio's blood. In Ruddigore, the baronets of a certain line are doomed to die if they do not commit a horrible crime every day; however, by failing to commit a crime, they are effectively committing suicide, which is a horrible crime. A quibble is a common plot device, used to fulfil the exact verbal conditions of an agreement in order to avoid the intended meaning. ... Shylock and Jessica by Maurycy Gottlieb (1856-1879) The Merchant of Venice is a famous comedy (note: at the time the play was written, comedy had a very different meaning; see Shakespearean comedies) by William Shakespeare, written at an uncertain date between 1594 and 1597. ... Shylock After the Trial by John Gilbert (late 19th century) Shylock is a central character in Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice who famously demanded a pound of flesh from the title character. ... Kate Dolan as Portia, painted by John Everett Millais (1829â€“1896) Portia is a fictional character, the heroine of William Shakespeares The Merchant of Venice. ... Antonio is the title character in Shakespeareâ€™s The Merchant of Venice. ... Ruddigore, or The Witchs Curse, is a comic opera in two acts, with music by Arthur Sullivan and libretto by W. S. Gilbert. ...

The Rashomon effect (named after Akira Kurosawa's film Rashōmon), refers to the way that the subjectivity of perception affects recollection; i.e., multiple observers produce substantially different but equally plausible accounts of the same event because they perceive the event in different ways. This concept works in film and literature by altering key elements and details to present a single event as unfolding in different ways, according to the perceptions of different characters. Some more recent examples include Courage Under Fire, A Very Long Engagement, and The Outrage.^[11] The Rashomon effect is the effect of the subjectivity of perception on recollection, by which observers of an event are able to produce substantially different but equally plausible accounts of it. ... Kurosawa redirects here. ... Rashomon ) is a 1950 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa, working in close collaboration with cinematographer Kazuo Miyagawa. ... This article is in need of attention. ... In psychology and the cognitive sciences, perception is the process of acquiring, interpreting, selecting, and organizing sensory information. ... Courage Under Fire is a motion picture, released in 1996, starring Denzel Washington, Meg Ryan, Lou Diamond Phillips and Matt Damon. ... A Very Long Engagement (Un long dimanche de fianÃ§ailles) is a novel by Sebastien Japrisot, first published in 1993. ... The Outrage is a 1964 film that is a remake of the Japanese film Rashomon (1950). ...

In a sexual orientation twist, a character is presumed to be heterosexual until he is ultimately revealed to be homosexual, or vice versa. Examples include the films Heights and Clue. Sexual orientation refers to the direction of an individuals sexuality, usually conceived of as classifiable according to the sex or gender of the persons whom the individual finds sexually attractive. ... One version of a Heterosexuality symbol Heterosexuality is sexual or romantic attraction between opposite sexes, and is the most common sexual orientation among humans. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... Heights is a movie released in 2004. ... This article is about the 1985 film. ...

Simulated reality describes a situation in which a hypothetical environment is experienced as real but is actually a highly-detailed simulation of reality and not reality itself. Narratives that utilize this plot element usually present the simulated world as a real setting, not revealing its true nature until the end. This motif is often found within science fiction literature (most notably in Philip K. Dick's works) and science fiction films (such as The Thirteenth Floor or the Matrix films), as the simulated world is usually created through technological means. Simulated reality is the idea that reality could be simulated â€” often computer-simulated â€” to a degree indistinguishable from true reality. ... This article is about the general term. ... In literature, a motif is a recurring element or theme that has symbolic significance in the story. ... 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. ... Philip Kindred Dick (December 16, 1928 â€“ March 2, 1982) was an American writer, mostly known for his works of science fiction. ... Movie Poster The Thirteenth Floor is a 1999 film released to cinemas in Germany and the United States (as The 13th Floor). ... The Matrix series consists primarily of three films, The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded and The Matrix Revolutions. ... By the mid 20th century humans had achieved a mastery of technology sufficient to leave the surface of the Earth for the first time and explore space. ...

Species reversal creates a twist ending by leading the audience to believe that a character is human until the climax, at which point he is revealed to be an animal, supernatural being, or alien, or vice versa. The character's true nature is revealed through metamorphosis (biological change), shapeshifting (supernatural or magical change), or mere costuming (such as in Men In Black, in which some humans are simply aliens wearing disguises). Species reversal is a common motif of Gothic fiction, such as Ann Radcliffe's A Sicilian Romance in which apparently supernatural events have rational explanations, and science fiction, such as Edmond Hamilton's story "The Dead Planet." For other uses, see Species (disambiguation). ... A cicada in the process of shedding. ... For other uses, see Shapeshifting (disambiguation). ... Yarkand ladies summer fashions. ... This article is about alleged secretive government departments. ... Strawberry Hill, an English villa in the Gothic revival style, built by seminal Gothic writer Horace Walpole Gothic fiction is an important genre of literature that combines elements of both horror and romance. ... This article is about the 19th-century author. ... Edmond Hamilton (November 21, 1904 - February 1, 1977) began writing science fiction with the story The Monster God of Mamurth in 1928. ...

Spiritual possession is used to create twist endings in horror and fantasy fiction by revealing late in the narrative that a character is acting under control of spiritual forces rather than his own free will. An example is the Asian horror film Dead Friend. Less often, the twist is that a presumably possessed character is in fact not under paranormal coercion, such as in the film Vertigo. Spiritual possession is a concept of supernatural and/or superstitious belief systems whereby gods, daemons, demons, animas, or other disincarnate entities may temporarily take control of a human body, resulting in noticeable changes in behaviour. ... â€œHorror storyâ€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... Dead Friend (Ryeong) is a 2004 South Korean horror film. ... For other uses of the word, see Vertigo. ...

An undead character is one who is presumed alive but is ultimately revealed to be a member of the "living dead." This device has seen a recent resurgence due to the success of M. Night Shyamalan's The Sixth Sense. Other examples include Dead & Buried and Giuseppe Tornatore's A Pure Formality. Undead is a collective name for mythological beings that are deceased yet behave as if alive. ... Manoj Nelliattu Shyamalan (born August 6, 1970), known professionally as M. Night Shyamalan, //, is an Academy Award nominated screenwriter and director, who also performs smaller roles in his own movies. ... For the ability sometimes referred to as sixth sense, see Extra-sensory perception. ... Dead & Buried is a 1981 horror movie directed by Gary Sherman and starring Melody Anderson and James Farentino. ... Giuseppe Tornatore (born 27 May 1956) is an Italian film director. ...

Caveats

Suspension of disbelief must exist for a twist ending to be accepted by the reader. Extreme implausibility or may cause an audience to become frustrated or lose interest. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

The reader may experience confusion if the twist ending is unnecessarily complex, possibly providing too many twists or a twist that does not make sense within the context of the story. As a result, the reader will not understand what has occurred and will be left unsatisfied. Look up Confusion in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Confusion can have the following meanings: Unclarity or puzzlement, e. ...

Actions which are out of character, i.e., inconsistent with a character's previously established characterization, are usually seen as negative, possibly destructive to the narrative's credibility and foundation, and possibly indicative of the writer's lack of focus. Out of Character (OOC) is a roleplaying term, referring to the world of the players, rather than the world of the characters. ...

Plot holes may emerge when a twist ending is utilized at the story's conclusion. Narratives may have a twist ending purely for shock value and may, as a result, become inconsistent with events that occurred earlier in the story. This also causes disruptions in continuity. A plot hole is a gap in a storyline that goes against the flow of logic established by the storys plot or story bible. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... In fiction, continuity is consistency of the characteristics of persons, plot, objects, places and events seen by the reader or viewer. ...

The use of a cliffhanger may lead to the lack of any resolution, creating an anticlimax to a story in which the reader has already invested much time. The horror film genre frequently employs cliffhangers—often by revealing that the villain is not dead—in order to ensure material for sequel films. For other uses, see Cliffhanger (disambiguation). ... The climax (or turning point) of a narrative work is its point of highest tension or drama in which the solution is given. ... â€œHorror Movieâ€ redirects here. ... For other uses, see Sequel (disambiguation). ...

A red herring may cause readers to feel cheated, as it may be considered a trick perpetrated on the reader for cheap shock value. In literature, a red herring is a plot device intended to distract the reader from a more important event in the plot, usually a twist ending. ...

Contents

Mechanics of the twist ending

Literary devices

Narrative elements

Caveats

See also

Notes

References

Contents

Mechanics of the twist ending GA_googleFillSlot("encyclopedia_square");

Literary devices

Narrative elements

Caveats

See also

Notes

References

Mechanics of the twist ending