{"id":29430,"date":"2025-04-18T03:00:46","date_gmt":"2025-04-18T10:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/?p=29430"},"modified":"2025-04-17T04:23:41","modified_gmt":"2025-04-17T11:23:41","slug":"literary-tropes-are-like-french-fries-by-laurel-osterkamp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/writersfunzone.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/18\/literary-tropes-are-like-french-fries-by-laurel-osterkamp\/","title":{"rendered":"Literary Tropes Are Like French Fries by Laurel Osterkamp"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"Literary<\/a>Let\u2019s welcome back Laurel Osterkamp<\/a> as she shares with us \u201cLiterary Tropes Are Like French Fries.\u201d Enjoy!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

Literary tropes.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We know they are recurring patterns or themes in literature, serving as a shorthand for certain ideas or emotions.<\/p>\n

But how do we use them to our advantage?<\/p>\n

Think of it like this:<\/strong> literary tropes are like eating at McDonald\u2019s.<\/p>\n

You know exactly what you\u2019re going to get.<\/p>\n

Should you eat there everyday? Hell, no!<\/p>\n

But sometimes it\u2019s alright<\/strong>, especially if you\u2019re in the mood for greasy, salty french fries.<\/p>\n

Literary tropes are like McDonald\u2019s french fries.<\/p>\n

Readers will look at your novel and decide, \u201cYes, I know what I\u2019m getting here and it\u2019s exactly what I want.\u201d<\/p>\n

But,<\/strong> it\u2019s easy to eat too many french fries and feel disgusting.<\/p>\n

Am I right?<\/p>\n

The trick is to use tropes as a vehicle to enhance your story.<\/p>\n

Just make sure the tropes aren\u2019t the story itself.<\/p>\n

And if that\u2019s unclear<\/strong>, here are some examples\u2026<\/p>\n

1. Use Tropes to Create Dynamic Characters
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tropes such as “the hero’s journey” or “the chosen one” can give readers a sense of familiarity and help them connect with the protagonist on a deeper level.<\/p>\n

For example<\/strong>, I\u2019m in the middle of Sunshine on the Reaping<\/i>, so I\u2019ve got the Hunger Games<\/i> books on my mind.<\/p>\n

Suzanne Collins uses the hero\u2019s journey and the idea of a \u201cchosen one\u201d with Katniss, and again in the prequel with Haymitch.<\/p>\n

We know ahead of time that he\u2019ll prevail in the games, that it\u2019s his destiny to play a major part in the revolution.<\/p>\n

Thus, his heroic character arc<\/strong> becomes more about the journey and less about the destination.<\/p>\n

This adds complexity to his character, creating a sense of destiny and purpose for the reader to root for.<\/p>\n

Similarly, the “anti-hero” trope, where the protagonist has questionable morals or motivations, can add depth and intrigue to a character.<\/p>\n

In Patricia Highsmith\u2019s Ripley<\/i> series<\/strong>, Tom Ripley is a smooth, easy-going psychopath.<\/p>\n

Nothing, not even murder, will stop Tom from getting what he wants.<\/p>\n

And yet, there\u2019s something likeable about Tom.<\/p>\n

He has an underdog quality that causes the reader to root for him.<\/p>\n

By using the anti-hero trope<\/strong>, Highsmith allows readers to see Tom’s journey from a different perspective, making him layered and complex.<\/p>\n

2. Use Tropes to Add Twists<\/b><\/h2>\n

While tropes can be used to create familiarity and engage readers, they can also be subverted to add surprises and twists to the story.<\/p>\n

Subverting tropes means<\/strong> taking a familiar pattern or theme and turning it on its head.<\/p>\n

For example, many argue that Jane Austen\u2019s classic, Pride and Prejudice<\/i>, invented the \u201cenemies to lovers\u201d trope and established the model for a perfect Regency romance.<\/p>\n

But those tropes are subverted in Seth Grahame Smith\u2019s Pride, Prejudice, and Zombies<\/i>, when he combines a rom-com of manners with a blood-soaked zombie tale.<\/p>\n

The result was a fresh<\/strong> and unique twist to a familiar story.<\/p>\n

3. <\/b>Use Tropes for World-Building<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tropes can also be used to enhance the setting and world-building in a novel.<\/p>\n

The \u201cdystopian society\u201d<\/strong> trope has been used in many popular books.<\/p>\n

One not-so-recent example is Margaret Atwood\u2019s The Handmaid\u2019s Tale<\/i>.<\/p>\n

Atwood\u2019s dystopian novel takes place in the Republic of Gilead, formerly the U.S.<\/p>\n

There, a woman’s worth<\/strong> is determined by her baby-making abilities.<\/p>\n

Atwood\u2019s dystopia is set in the near-future, contrasting present-day with a horrific future nightmare.<\/p>\n

4. Adding Humor and Satire
\n<\/b><\/h2>\n

Tropes can also be used to add humor and satire to a novel. The “fish out of water” trope, where a character is placed in a situation or setting they are unfamiliar with, can create comical situations and add levity to a story.<\/p>\n

In Allison Espach\u2019s The Wedding People<\/i><\/strong>, the protagonist, Phoebe Stone shows up at a classy hotel intending to kill herself.<\/p>\n

However, when it turns out that she\u2019s the only guest who isn\u2019t part of a week-long wedding, Phoebe is sucked into the events and bonds with the bride.<\/p>\n

Her unfamiliarity turns what would be a depressing story into something both funny and uplifting.<\/p>\n

Literary tropes<\/strong> can be powerful writing tools if you use them correctly.<\/p>\n

Whether used to create dynamic characters, subvert expectations, build a world, or add humor, tropes can elevate a story and engage readers on a deeper level.<\/p>\n

Just use them sparingly, and with intention.<\/p>\n

Like a box of french fries from McDonald\u2019s<\/strong>, tropes can be an incredibly appetizing treat.<\/p>\n

As long as they\u2019re not your main nutrition source, you\u2019re doing great!<\/p>\n

***<\/p>\n

About the Author\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n

\"Laurel<\/a><\/span>Laurel Osterkamp is from Minneapolis, where she teaches and writes like it\u2019s going out of style. Her short fiction has been featured in Abandon Journal, Idle Ink, Tangled Locks Literary Journal, Bright Flash Literary Journal, and The Metawoker, among other places. Her new novel, The Side Project, was released on November 13th by The Wild Rose Press.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Follow her on Social Media:<\/h3>\n

Website – https:\/\/laurellit.com<\/a>
\n<\/span>Facebook – https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/authorlaurelosterkamp<\/a>
\n<\/span>BookBub – <\/span>https:\/\/www.bookbub.com\/profile\/laurel-osterkamp<\/span><\/a>
\nInstagram: Laurel Osterkamp (@laurel_osterkamp) \u2022 Instagram photos and videos<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Laurel Osterkamp wants you to know that literary tropes are like french fries, a good treat that can be used to add flavor to a story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":29431,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[6141,74,2201,483,2414,6142,2623,2341,408,5124,6001,4109,2176],"class_list":["post-29430","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-writing-tips","tag-dystopian-society","tag-genre","tag-genre-fiction","tag-humor","tag-jane-austen","tag-laurel","tag-literature","tag-margaret-atwood","tag-patricia-highsmith","tag-suzanne-collins","tag-the-chosen-one","tag-tropes","tag-world-building"],"yoast_head":"\nLiterary Tropes Are Like French Fries by Laurel Osterkamp · 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