Story Structure
Chekhov's Gun
Track significant objects — flag "unfired guns" (introduced but forgotten) and "unloaded guns" (climax objects with no setup).
What It Does
Identifies significant objects in the narrative (emphasized with descriptive adjectives or matching a list of notable nouns) and checks their distribution:
- Unfired guns — objects introduced in the first 25% that never appear again (not in the middle or last 25%)
- Unloaded guns — significant objects that appear in the last 25% (the climax) but were never introduced earlier
Why It Matters
Chekhov's principle: "If in the first act you have hung a pistol on the wall, then in the following one it should be fired." An unfired gun is a broken promise — the reader remembers the "ancient sword" described in detail on page 3 and expects it to matter. An unloaded gun is the reverse problem — a crucial object appearing in the climax with no foreshadowing feels contrived, like a deus ex machina.
What Gets Flagged
Unfired Guns
Severity: Information
Example (flagged):
Chekhov's Gun: "sword" is introduced here but never returns — unfired gun?
Why: The word "sword" (or a phrase like "the ancient sword") appeared in the first quarter but was never mentioned again.
Unloaded Guns
Severity: Information
Example (flagged):
Chekhov's Gun: "dagger" appears in the climax with no earlier setup — unloaded gun?
Why: A significant object appears prominently in the final quarter but was never introduced or foreshadowed.
What Counts as a "Significant Object"
Two detection methods:
- Emphasized objects — nouns preceded by evocative adjectives: "old," "ancient," "strange," "mysterious," "gleaming," "rusty," "ornate," "golden," "cursed," "enchanted," "hidden," "forgotten"
- Named objects — a curated list of nouns that commonly serve as plot objects: sword, knife, gun, key, ring, letter, map, book, diary, locket, pendant, mirror, clock, photograph, painting, chest, bottle, scroll, medallion, compass, dagger, chalice, crown, gem, crystal
Configuration
No configuration options.
Technical Details
- Source:
prose-craft - Scope: Document-level (first 25% vs. last 25%)
- Minimum text: 20 lines
- Method: Regex for emphasized noun phrases and significant object nouns; positional tracking across document quarters