Red Herring Character

The Art of Misdirection

The Red Herring is a fundamental tool in the arsenal of any mystery or thriller writer. The term originates from the 19th-century practice of using the pungent scent of a smoked herring (a kipper) to train hunting dogs to follow a trail without getting distracted. In storytelling, a Red Herring character serves the same function: to be a compelling but false trail for the audience to follow. The writer intentionally loads the character with suspicious traits, a plausible motive, and opportunities to have committed the crime, all in an effort to make the audience suspect them and overlook the real villain.

The effective use of a Red Herring is a key component of a satisfying mystery. It adds layers of complexity to the plot, encourages the audience to play detective, and makes the final reveal of the true antagonist all the more surprising and rewarding.

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How to Spot a Red Herring

While a well-written Red Herring is designed to be deceptive, they often exhibit a common set of characteristics that make them the prime, but incorrect, suspect:

• They Act Suspiciously: The character is often secretive, evasive, or is caught telling lies. However, the reason for their suspicious behavior is eventually revealed to be unrelated to the central crime (e.g., they were hiding an affair, not a murder).
• They Have a Strong Motive: They often have the most obvious reason to want the victim dead, such as a financial dispute, a romantic rivalry, or a past grudge.
• They Are a Convenient Scapegoat: The character is often an outsider, a person with a criminal past, or is generally disliked, making them an easy target for suspicion both for the other characters and for the audience.
• The Spotlight is on Them: The narrative often focuses an inordinate amount of attention on this character’s actions and whereabouts, a classic case of misdirection.

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Narrative Purpose

The Red Herring character is not just a cheap trick; when used effectively, they serve several important narrative purposes:

1. To Increase Suspense: By creating a plausible but false suspect, the story maintains its tension and keeps the audience guessing.
2. To Deepen the Theme: The reason for the Red Herring’s suspicious behavior can introduce a secondary theme or subplot that enriches the story’s world.
3. To Challenge Audience Assumptions: By tricking the audience, the writer can play with and subvert common genre tropes or even challenge the audience’s own biases and prejudices.

A famous literary and cinematic example is Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. For most of the story, he is presented as a primary antagonist and a clear suspect for any wrongdoing, only for it to be revealed that he was a deeply complex character working to protect Harry all along. His entire character arc is a masterclass in the use of the Red Herring.