McGuffin
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A plot device: An object, goal, or event in a story, especially in films or thrillers, that serves primarily to motivate the characters and advance the plot, but whose specific nature is often unimportant or unexplained. 2. A narrative catalyst: Something that the characters care deeply about (e.g., stolen plans, a mysterious package, a secret formula) which drives the action, while the audience's attention is focused on the resulting conflicts and pursuits.
Usage Examples
- As a plot-driving object:
- In the movie, the McGuffin was a statuette that every character was trying to steal.
- The entire spy thriller revolves around a McGuffin—a briefcase whose contents are never revealed.
- As a narrative motivator:
- The screenwriter used a missing document as a McGuffin to set the chase in motion.
- Hitchcock famously said the nature of the McGuffin doesn't matter; it's just the engine for the plot.
Advanced Usage
- "The McGuffin": Often capitalized when referring to the concept as coined by Alfred Hitchcock.
- Alfred Hitchcock popularized the use of the McGuffin in cinema.
- Conceptual discussion: Used in literary and film analysis to critique or describe plot mechanics.
- The film's weakness is that its central McGuffin feels contrived and unconvincing.
Variants and Related Words
- MacGuffin: An alternative spelling.
- Plot device (n.): A more general term for any technique used to advance a story.
Synonyms
- Plot device
- Motivator
- Pretext (in a narrative context)
Related Idioms & Phrases
- "Chasing a McGuffin": Describes characters (or by extension, people in real situations) pursuing a goal whose value or substance may be questionable or secondary to the action of the pursuit itself.
- The politicians argued for months, but it felt like they were just chasing a McGuffin while real issues were ignored.
Noun
- (film) a plot element that catches the viewers' attention or drives the plot
- the McGuffin was a key element of Alfred Hitchcock's films