Chekhov's gun

The principle is recorded in letters by Anton Chekhov several times, with some variation; it was advice for young playwrights.

[5][6] This meaning is separate from Chekhov's original intention with the principle, which relates to narrative conservation and necessity, rather than plot significance.

The principle is carried out somewhat literally in many of the James Bond films, in which the spy is presented with new gadgets at the beginning of a mission – such as a concealed, wrist-activated dart gun in Moonraker[7] – and typically each device serves a vital role in the story.

Hemingway valued inconsequential details, but conceded that readers will inevitably seek symbolism and significance in them.

[17] Writer Andrea Phillips noted that assigning a single role for every detail makes a story predictable and leaves it "colorless".