The Gun on The Wall

The term Chekhov's Gun comes from a quote from writer Anton Chekhov, "If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off". Most people have interpreted that to refer to foreshadowing. While that is what the example is, that's not really what Chekhov is referring to. Anton Chekhov wrote short stories which by its very nature is restrictive in the actual size of the story. As such, every space counts. That is really what Chekhov is referring to. If something is not an important detail, then it should not be in the story. IF you take the time to write something, it should add something. This can take a lot of forms, not just the plot focus. It can relate to the theme of the story or add insight into a character of setting. It just needs to relate.

So, what does it mean and how can we use this?

I went into this post for two reasons: to try to clear up a common misconception, and to help frame people's thoughts as they read a story. A great question to ask yourself as you read a story is, "Why is this here?" In great works everything matters for some reason. In short stories and poems, it is important to look at every single aspect of a work to derive meaning. Longer pieces also fall under this. "What is this scene trying to say?"

And that's all I have. As with anything, this is just my own take on the subject, and you can and should read more into it. Well, until next time.