While researching for literary
devices for a project, I came across something called a MacGuffin, its also
called McGuffin or maguffin. I have to admit that I had not heard of this term
before. MacGuffin is supposed to be an element of plot that catches the
viewers’ attention or drives the plot of a work of fiction. It’s frequently used in films, television and
literature. The main or defining aspect of a MacGuffin is that the major
players in the story are, atleast in the beginning of the story willing to do
anything or sacrifice almost anything to obtain it, regardless of what the
MacGuffin actually is.
The
article further went on to say that the specific nature of the MacGuffin may be
vague, ambiguous, undefined, generic, sometimes left open to interpretation or
otherwise completely unimportant to the plot. Common examples of a MacGuffin
are money, victory, glory, to gain prestige, survival, a source of power, or a potential
threat, a feeling of one upmanship, jealousy, it can also be something entirely
unexplained.
The
MacGuffin is said to be common in
movies, especially thrillers. They are also more often than not, the central
focus of the movies in the first act, the MacGuffin declines in importance as
the struggles and motivations of characters play out in the second act. It may
return or come into play at the climax of the story, but sometimes the
MacGuffin is eventually forgotten by the end of the movie. Multiple MacGuffins in a story are referred to as plot
coupons.
Few
examples of the use of the literary
device MacGuffin in films are the
meaning of rosebud in Citizen Kane, the rabbit’s foot in Mission
In
television examples of MacGuffin are the Rambaldi device in Alias, the orb in
The Adventures of Brisco County, Jr, and Krieger Waves in the Star Trek:The
Next generation episode “A Matter of Perspective.”
Opinions are divided about the MacGuffin,
according to Alfred Hitchcock a “MacGuffin is the object around which the plot
revolves, but, the audience really don’t care as to what
specifically the object is, it can be anything.” George Lucas has a different opinion, “he
believes that the Macguffin should be powerful and that the audience should
care about it as much the fighting heroes and villains on screen.” Two contrary
opinions to add to the chaos.
Taking a magnifying glass, I analyzed
my own story. I think I can detect a
MacGuffin, but, I am not very sure about
it, as I am completely clueless about this literary device.
Have you
ever added a MacGuffin to your story? If yes, how did you do that? Would you be
interested in adding one in future? If you have any MacGuffin tips we all would
love to learn from it.
