Skip to main content
M:S4:3 5
Edit position
Edit position

Last set 18 minutes ago. Manual moves override automatic placement until the next shelfie/spine match.

Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot
Diagnose this book
Open in Vernon Browser

Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot

by Vera Tobin

This study examines the relationship between cognitive science and narrative structure in the creation of plot twists. It analyses how authors utilise mental shortcuts and memory biases to produce unexpected endings in both literary and popular fiction.

Accession 13676 ISBN 9780674980204 Publisher Harvard University Press
Book Images
Reference and live side by side Hover to see live images
Reference
Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot spine
Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot cover
Live
Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot live spine
No live
Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot spine Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot live spine
Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot cover
No live
TAGS
Curated Derived
Art Communication Culture Education Entertainment Linguistics Literature Social Sciences Writing
CONNECTIONS
No connections
State
on_shelf
True
position_updated_at
2026-06-10 16:12
orientation
vertical
Details

Physical

binding_type
Hard Back
dimensions
none captured
spine_text
none captured

Metadata

Book form
LOCATION HISTORY
M:S4:3 5 Current vertical
6 days, 3 hours ago
M:S4:3 5 vertical
3 weeks, 1 day ago
Book Location
Updated 18 minutes ago
Vernon snapshot
View live

Frozen copy of Vernon's record from the last sync. Fields tagged → flow back into the Pulse record.

Last synced 2026-05-21 01:02 (2 weeks, 6 days ago)

Identity

name→ title
Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot
vernon_id
21854
accession_no→ accession_number
13676
vernon_slug
elements-of-surprise-our-mental-limits-and-the-satisfactions-of-plot-vera-tobin

Drives Pulse state

curr_loc_status→ on_shelf
On Shelf
location_name
Zone S4/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA
location_reason
On Shelf
isbn_issn→ isbn (when valid)
9780674980204

Descriptive

production_date
2018
object_type
Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication
object_status
Accessioned
brief_description
Writing at the intersection of cognitive science and narrative pleasure, Vera Tobin explains how our brains conspire with stories to produce those revelatory plots that define a well-made surprise.

Subjects & people

authors→ author (initial fill only)
Vera Tobin
tags→ tags
Art, Arts, Literature, Philology, Social sciences, Civilisation, Sociology, Communication, Fiction, Reading, Language arts, Plots (Drama, novel, etc.), Storytelling, Oral interpretation, Oral reading, Narrative art, Art genres
subject_people
—
subject_objects
—

Cover image

vernon_cover_image_id→ cover_image
21706

Raw Vernon JSON

click to inspect

The source payload behind the snapshot above.
Use ⌘F to search once expanded.
{7 keys}
"slug": "elements-of-surprise-our-mental-limits-and-the-satisfactions-of-plot-vera-tobin"
"opacObjectId": "21854"
"opacCollection": {1 keys}
"opacCollectionId": "1"
"imagesCollection": {2 keys}
"images": [1 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"imageId": "21706"
"cssColors": [4 items]
"[0]": {9 keys}
"hex": "d2b48c"
"hue": 34
"rank": 1
"presence": 75.8
"colorName": "tan"
"lightness": 69
"colorGroup": "brown"
"saturation": 44
"formattedColorName": "tan"
"[1]": {9 keys}
"hex": "808080"
"hue": 0
"rank": 2
"presence": 19.97
"colorName": "gray"
"lightness": 50
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "gray"
"[2]": {9 keys}
"hex": "696969"
"hue": 0
"rank": 3
"presence": 0.7
"colorName": "dimgray"
"lightness": 41
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "dim gray"
"[3]": {9 keys}
"hex": "a9a9a9"
"hue": 0
"rank": 4
"presence": 2.94
"colorName": "darkgray"
"lightness": 66
"colorGroup": "gray"
"saturation": 0
"formattedColorName": "dark gray"
"rawColors": [7 items]
"[0]": {6 keys}
"hex": "dad3c6"
"hue": 39
"rank": 1
"presence": 75.8
"lightness": 81
"saturation": 21
"[1]": {6 keys}
"hex": "958c81"
"hue": 33
"rank": 2
"presence": 19.97
"lightness": 54
"saturation": 8
"[2]": {6 keys}
"hex": "776253"
"hue": 25
"rank": 3
"presence": 0.7
"lightness": 39
"saturation": 17
"[3]": {6 keys}
"hex": "a49b94"
"hue": 26
"rank": 4
"presence": 2.94
"lightness": 61
"saturation": 8
"[4]": {6 keys}
"hex": "7b756c"
"hue": 36
"rank": 5
"presence": 0.3
"lightness": 45
"saturation": 6
"[5]": {6 keys}
"hex": "a4a494"
"hue": 60
"rank": 6
"presence": 0.27
"lightness": 61
"saturation": 8
"[6]": {6 keys}
"hex": "90736c"
"hue": 11
"rank": 7
"presence": 0.03
"lightness": 49
"saturation": 14
"imageLabels": [10 items]
"[0]": {5 keys}
"count": 19411
"score": 82.85
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Font"
"imageLabelId": 12
"[1]": {5 keys}
"count": 1094
"score": 81.71
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Tree"
"imageLabelId": 192
"[2]": {5 keys}
"count": 11006
"score": 80.23
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Art"
"imageLabelId": 4
"[3]": {5 keys}
"count": 15171
"score": 75.26
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Book"
"imageLabelId": 67
"[4]": {5 keys}
"count": 1972
"score": 75.24
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Plant"
"imageLabelId": 165
"[5]": {5 keys}
"count": 11760
"score": 73.91
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Poster"
"imageLabelId": 21
"[6]": {5 keys}
"count": 19018
"score": 71.12
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Publication"
"imageLabelId": 23
"[7]": {5 keys}
"count": 4012
"score": 68.46
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Paper product"
"imageLabelId": 72
"[8]": {5 keys}
"count": 3468
"score": 67.64
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Paper"
"imageLabelId": 54
"[9]": {5 keys}
"count": 5931
"score": 66.72
"status": "auto_verified"
"imageLabel": "Illustration"
"imageLabelId": 25
"imageDerivatives": [6 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/large/7789/e7ee0cf4e3834c5d58a1d63394ad5ba42b5ffe8b.jpg"
"width": "535"
"height": "800"
"identifier": "LARGE"
"[1]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/medium/7789/e7ee0cf4e3834c5d58a1d63394ad5ba42b5ffe8b.jpg"
"width": "268"
"height": "400"
"identifier": "MEDIUM"
"[2]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/nano/7789/e7ee0cf4e3834c5d58a1d63394ad5ba42b5ffe8b.jpg"
"width": "23"
"height": "35"
"identifier": "NANO"
"[3]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/small/7789/e7ee0cf4e3834c5d58a1d63394ad5ba42b5ffe8b.jpg"
"width": "100"
"height": "150"
"identifier": "SMALL"
"[4]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/tiny/7789/e7ee0cf4e3834c5d58a1d63394ad5ba42b5ffe8b.jpg"
"width": "50"
"height": "75"
"identifier": "TINY"
"[5]": {4 keys}
"url": "https://browser.mona.net.au/records/images/xlarge/7789/e7ee0cf4e3834c5d58a1d63394ad5ba42b5ffe8b.jpg"
"width": "803"
"height": "1200"
"identifier": "XLARGE"
"totalImages": 1
"objectSearchScore": 0.31199765
"opacObjectFieldSets": [40 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "accession_no"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "13676"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot / Vera Tobin"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "title"
"value": "Elements of surprise : our mental limits and the satisfactions of plot / Vera Tobin"
"[2]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "other_name"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "artist_last_first"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Tobin, Vera"
"[4]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "2018"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [2 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "earliest_date"
"value": "2018-01-01Z"
"[1]": {2 keys}
"key": "latest_date"
"value": "2018-12-31Z"
"[5]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_date_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[6]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "edition"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[7]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "brief_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Writing at the intersection of cognitive science and narrative pleasure, Vera Tobin explains how our brains conspire with stories to produce those revelatory plots that define a well-made surprise."
"[8]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "measure_desc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[9]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "credit_line"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[10]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "On Shelf"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "curr_loc_status:"On Shelf""
"[11]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "ob_status"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Accessioned"
"[12]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "lender"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[13]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_owner"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[14]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[15]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_start"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[16]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_expiry"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[17]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "copyright_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[18]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "curr_loc"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Zone S4/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA"
"[19]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "object_type"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "object_type:"Books/Document genres/Information forms/Visual and Verbal Communication""
"[20]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "collection"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Main Collection/Library"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "collection:"Main Collection/Library""
"[21]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Cambridge/Massachusetts/United States of America"
"[22]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "prod_pri_publisher"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Harvard University Press"
"[23]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "physical_notes"
"opacObjectFields": [2 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "332 pages ; 22 cm."
"[1]": {1 keys}
"value": "Includes bibliographical references and index."
"[24]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "language"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "English"
"[25]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "isbn_issn"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "9780674980204"
"[26]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_1"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "808.3 TOB"
"[27]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "usual_loc_being"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": "Zone S4/Level 2 (Mezzanine)/Phrontisterion/MONA"
"[28]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_class"
"opacObjectFields": [5 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"value": "Narrative art/Art genres/Art/Arts"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Narrative art/Art genres/Art/Arts""
"[1]": {2 keys}
"value": "Storytelling/Oral interpretation/Oral reading/Reading/Language arts/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Storytelling/Oral interpretation/Oral reading/Reading/Language arts/Communication/Sociology/Social sciences/Civilisation""
"[2]": {2 keys}
"value": "Plots (Drama, novel, etc.)/Literature/Philology"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Plots (Drama, novel, etc.)/Literature/Philology""
"[3]": {2 keys}
"value": "Literature/Philology"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Literature/Philology""
"[4]": {2 keys}
"value": "Fiction/Literature/Philology"
"opacObjectFieldAttributes": [1 items]
"[0]": {2 keys}
"key": "search"
"value": "subject_class:"Fiction/Literature/Philology""
"[29]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_date"
"opacObjectFields": [0 items]
"[30]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[31]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_period"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[32]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[33]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[34]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "subject_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[35]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_person"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[36]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_place"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[37]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_event"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[38]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "assoc_object"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"[39]": {2 keys}
"identifier": "user_sym_9"
"opacObjectFields": [1 items]
"[0]": {1 keys}
"value": ""
"relationshipsCollection": {2 keys}
"relationships": [1 items]
"[0]": {4 keys}
"relatedRecords": [1 items]
"[0]": {3 keys}
"slug": "vera-tobin"
"title": "Vera Tobin"
"relatedRecordId": "26627"
"relationshipId": "object_prod_pri_person"
"relatedRecordType": "person"
"totalRelatedRecords": 1
"totalRelationships": 1
Topics and Themes