In his book In Search of Wonder, Damon Knight says that the term may have originated from a fellow science fiction writer, James Blish. Sometimes it includes characters who are supposed to be idiots though, but the majority are just characters who are portrayed to be intelligent and competent yet seem to frequently make the most obvious mistakes. A true idiot plot consists of a string of stupid decisions, mistakes, and unnecessary secrecy from almost every principal character involved. It isn’t enough for just one mistake or stupid decision from one or two characters too. This allows the narrative to advance in places where a single, intelligent decision would have ended the story. In this regard, they are idiots-too obtuse to end the problem swiftly.

Sometimes, they even fail to realize what the conflict is. They either self-sabotage or take roundabout ways to resolve the conflict.

The idiot plot happens when, for the sake of the story, characters don’t ask obvious questions, exchange valuable information, or make intelligent decisions.

If they weren’t, the plot would be resolved in five minutes or less. Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and found yourself thinking, “What are they doing?” If you repeat this question frequently throughout one story, then you’re probably looking at an idiot plot.Īs said by famed film critic Roger Ebert, the idiot plot is any narrative that works only because everyone in it is an idiot.

Phantom of the opera plot