How to use tropes!

Firstly, what are tropes?

Tropes are literary devices used in various works. They are a form of figurative language found in fiction that are generally used for artistic effect, and are commonly recurring literary and rhetorical devices, motifs or clichés in creative works. Unlike cliches, they are usually interesting and may not be overused.

The word "Trope" comes from the Greek τρόπος (tropos), "turn, direction, way", derived from the verb τρέπειν (trepein), "to turn, to direct, to alter, to change". Tropes and their classification were an important field in classical rhetoric.

Speaking about tropes, there are many ways of using them.

• Playing a trope straight would mean adding the trope as per normal in the work.
• Subverting a trope requires that the audience expects a certain trope to occur, but ultimately does not. 
• A Double Subversion on the other hand would mean that a trope is expected to occur, but initially doesn't, then circumstances cause it to happen anyway, playing it straight.
• Averting a trope requires a situation where a trope can occur, but it doesn't- A supermajority of works that have element A will also have trope A, but work W has element A without trope A
• Inverting a trope requires turning the trope on its head. For example, a trope that typically applies to heroes is applied to a villain, or a trope that typically applies to males is applied to a female character, or the other way around.
• Justifying a trope occurs when an explanation is provided for a trope that would otherwise be illogical or cliched in a story.
• Downplaying a trope generally means that the trope is played to a lighter extent than in most fictions.
• Lampshade Hanging requires that the narrator, a character in the work, or the author themselves points out a trope that is happening or would happen in the story. This assures the audience that the author is aware of the implausible plot development that just happened.
• A Deconstructed Trope is when a trope are played for realism. The trope is intentionally used, explored, and examined in great detail, usually to try and show what circumstances would cause the trope to manifest in real life and/or what the real-life consequences of this trope would be.
• A Reconstruction occurs when the lessons learned from Deconstructing a trope are applied to help improve a concept.

There are several other ways of using tropes besides these ways. Head to TvTropes if you want to find out more!