“What is this deuced deus ex machina?” you ask. “It’s all Greek to me,” you say.
Well, actually, it’s Latin. If we wanted to get technical, we could talk about how the phrase literally translates “god from a machine” and was originally a reference to the “god” (played by an actor) who descended (via a “machine”) at the end of Greek and Roman plays to solve the mortal characters’ problems and put everything in order for a happy ending.
However, for our 21st-century English purposes, we’d be just as accurate to say it translates “don’t do this in your story.”
5 Reasons to Avoid Deus Ex Machina
At first glance, deus ex machina—the idea of all the plot problems being fixed in one fell swoop—might seem like a good idea. But the only thing deus ex machina is guaranteed to secure is readers’ low opinion of your book. This plot device might have worked for the ancient Greeks and Romans (although Aristotle might—and did—argue that point), but for modern authors it presents a number of difficulties.
Let’s examine five of the problems deus ex machina can create in your story.
1. Deus Ex Machina Robs…
…cohesiveness by introducing a new element at the eleventh hour. To reach full potential, every piece of your story must be part of a consistent whole.
For Example: If the cavalry has no place in your western, the Climax in which it charges in to save the pioneers won’t seem logical or resonant.
2. Deus Ex Machina Frustrates…
…readers by taking power out of the characters’ hands. Readers want to see characters put under excruciating pressure, so they can then observe the characters’ reactions and, usually, their tenacity, skill, and courage in escaping and triumphing.
For Example: When the damsel tied to the railway tracks is saved at the last minute by a handsome stranger, the heroine herself becomes a non-factor.
3. Deus Ex Machina Endangers…
…suspension of disbelief through unlikely coincidences. Miracles may occasionally happen in real life, but in fiction coincidences tend to make readers scoff.
For Example: When your characters escape their mafia debts by winning the lottery or being adopted by a little old lady millionaire, the result is both unsatisfying and difficult to believe.
4. Deus Ex Machina Cheats…
…readers by eliminating proper foreshadowing. In order to achieve resonance, stories need to provide all the puzzle pieces to readers by the time they reach the Climax. The foreshadowing found in the characters’ previous struggles will lead up to the moment when they use the lessons learned in those struggles to overcome this ultimate challenge.
For Example: When the hero suddenly develops magical powers at the last moment, his escape from danger won’t be satisfying because it’s too different from the one readers expected.
5. Deus Ex Machina Disappoints…
…readers by removing characters from danger too soon. After waiting 300 pages to reach the Climax, readers want to see the characters sweat. They want to see them pushed to the very brink of their physical, mental, and moral endurance—and then rise up from their own ashes to conquer both inner and outer demons.
For Example: When the avenging angel swoops in to save the characters, the result is anticlimactic. Instead of thrilling readers, your ending is more likely to have them heaving your book across the room.
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Deus ex machina comes in many different guises, but once you learn how to look for it, you can squish it on sight and save your readers from wanting to think up uncomplimentary Latin translations.
Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! Have you ever written a story that ended with deus ex machina? Tell me in the comments!
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