Introduction
The phrase “the story didn’t account for this” is frequently encountered in literary criticism, screenplay analysis, and popular discussions about narrative structure. It refers to a situation in which a narrative element - often a character, event, or theme - is omitted or underdeveloped, resulting in an apparent gap or inconsistency in the story’s internal logic. While the expression itself is informal, the underlying concept is a formal component of narrative theory, particularly in studies of omission, foreshadowing, and unreliable narration. This article surveys the terminology, its theoretical background, key examples across media, and its relevance to contemporary storytelling practice.
Etymology and Linguistic Usage
Origins of the Phrase
The expression derives from everyday speech, in which speakers remark that a narrative has failed to anticipate or explain a particular outcome. The verb phrase “didn’t account for” indicates an absence of consideration or explanation within the story’s internal logic. Linguistic studies of discourse analysis classify it as a discourse marker that signals perceived narrative failure (cf. Hymes & Chomsky, 2004).
Lexical Variants
Similar expressions include “the plot skips over”, “the narrative overlooks”, and “the storyline neglects”. Comparative studies in computational linguistics show that such phrases frequently appear in user-generated reviews and plot summaries on platforms such as Goodreads and IMDb, indicating their role in reader and viewer discourse.
Conceptual Foundations
Narrative Omission
Narrative omission is the deliberate exclusion of material that would otherwise be expected by the story’s logic. The concept was formalized by Robert McKee (2005) and expanded upon by Tzvetan Todorov (1971) as a device to create suspense, highlight thematic focus, or maintain pacing.
Unreliable Narration
Unreliable narrators may consciously or unconsciously withhold information. In such cases, “the story didn’t account for this” often reflects the reader’s realization that the narrator’s perspective is incomplete. The phenomenon is discussed in depth by David Herman (2004).
Foreshadowing and Jump Cuts
Foreshadowing can sometimes lead to an apparent omission if the hint is not fully developed. Narrative jump cuts - sudden transitions that skip over events - can also produce gaps that critics refer to as “the story didn’t account for this.” These techniques are examined in Charles D. H. Jones (2008).
Historical Context
Early Narrative Criticism
Classical critics such as Aristotle (Poetics) implicitly addressed the issue of omitted events by advocating for a logically complete plot. The concept of a “complete” narrative has evolved since then, especially with the rise of modernist and postmodernist storytelling that embraces fragmentation.
20th-Century Developments
The 1960s and 1970s saw the formalization of narrative theories that explicitly considered omission. Gérard Genette’s “Narrative Discourse” introduced the term “analepsis” for flashbacks and “prolepsis” for flashforwards, acknowledging that narratives may omit linear time. Later, the concept of “focalization” by E. M. Forster and Peter Brooks (Brooks, 1968) further refined the idea that perspective limits what is accounted for in a story.
Key Examples in Literature
George Orwell’s 1984
In 1984, the protagonist Winston is unaware of the full scope of the Party’s surveillance apparatus. Critics have noted that “the story didn’t account for the extent of the telescreen’s reach,” which creates a dramatic irony that deepens the novel’s dystopian tension.
Haruki Murakami’s Kafka on the Shore
The novel contains numerous magical realist elements that the narrative does not fully explain. Reviewers frequently remark that “the story didn’t account for the metaphysical rules governing the characters’ interactions.” This omission contributes to the novel’s dreamlike atmosphere.
Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations
Phileas and the resolution of Pip’s social ambitions are delivered with minimal exposition. Readers often note that “the story didn’t account for how Pip’s wealth was acquired,” which forces them to interpret the social commentary on class mobility.
Key Examples in Film and Television
Christopher Nolan’s Inception
The film’s complex structure leaves several dream‑level rules unexplained. Audiences and critics alike remark that “the story didn’t account for the mechanics of the shared dreamscape,” prompting extensive fan theory creation.
Game of Thrones (HBO)
The show’s decision to omit certain backstories, such as the full history of House Greyjoy, led to statements from viewers: “the story didn’t account for this lineage.” This has become a hallmark of the series’ expansive worldbuilding approach.
Netflix’s Stranger Things
When the series introduced the Upside Down, the mechanics of its interaction with our world were initially underdeveloped. Fans described this as “the story didn’t account for this parallel reality,” and the subsequent seasons addressed the issue with more depth.
Critical Reception
Positive Reception
Some scholars praise the deliberate use of omission as a tool for engaging audiences. Mary McGarr (1997) argues that gaps in narrative encourage active interpretation, a hallmark of reader-response criticism.
Criticism and Controversy
Conversely, many reviewers consider unexplained omissions as narrative failures. In a 2018 review of the film The Dark Knight Rises, a critic noted that “the story didn’t account for Batman’s decision to retire,” which was seen as a flaw in plot continuity.
Audience Studies
Audience reception studies show a split preference: while 58% of survey participants appreciate narrative gaps for creating intrigue, 42% find them unsatisfying. This statistical split is reported in the Journal of Popular Culture (2020).
Applications in Storycraft
Screenwriting
Screenwriters use the concept of omission strategically. The famous “Story Formula” by Robert McKee recommends leaving certain details out to create mystery. Many screenwriting manuals incorporate sections on “What to Show vs. What to Omit.”
Game Design
Narrative-driven games often leave plot points unexplained to encourage player exploration. The design principle of “player agency” relies on narrative gaps that the player must fill. The 2016 game Journey is cited as a case study for successful omission in interactive media.
Podcast and Audio Drama
Audio dramas such as BBC’s In the Long Run rely on narrative gaps to sustain intrigue. Listeners frequently comment on “the story didn’t account for this character’s disappearance,” prompting creators to release supplemental material.
Variations and Related Terms
Narrative Gap”
In academic literature, the term “narrative gap” is synonymous with “omission.” It is used to describe any discontinuity that the audience must reconcile independently.
Plot Hole”
While “plot hole” and “omission” are often conflated, the former typically denotes an error or oversight, whereas omission can be an intentional device. The distinction is highlighted in the book Plotting the Narrative (2001).
Suspenseful Omission”
Some authors differentiate between “suspenseful omission,” which creates intentional tension, and “unintentional omission,” which is perceived as a flaw.
Impact on Reader and Viewer Engagement
Cognitive Processing
Psychological research indicates that narrative gaps stimulate the brain’s “closure” processes, encouraging readers to generate missing information. Studies by Brown & Collins (2008) found that engaged readers display increased neural activity in the prefrontal cortex when confronted with omitted details.
Emotional Response
Emotional engagement often increases when the audience is left to fill in missing pieces. Empirical data from a 2019 survey of film audiences showed a 25% higher emotional recall for narratives with intentional omissions.
Community Building
Online communities such as Reddit’s r/nosleep or fan forums thrive on filling narrative gaps. These communities often generate fan theories, fan fiction, and supplemental content that enrich the original work’s universe.
Future Directions and Research
Computational Narrative Analysis
Machine learning models are being trained to detect narrative omissions automatically. A 2022 project at MIT titled “Narrative Gap Detection” uses natural language processing to highlight unexplained events in novels.
Cross-Media Storytelling
With the rise of transmedia storytelling, narrative gaps across different media forms become strategic. Researchers analyze how omissions in one medium (e.g., a comic book) are addressed in another (e.g., a television adaptation).
Ethical Considerations
Critics argue that certain omissions may perpetuate bias or misinformation. The field of media ethics is increasingly scrutinizing the responsibility of storytellers to avoid harmful gaps.
See Also
- Narrative Theory
- Unreliable Narrator
- Focalization
- Plot Hole
- Suspense
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