Hysteron+Proteron


 * Hysteron proteron**: the first key word of the idea refers to something that happens temporally later than the second key word. The goal is to call attention to the more important idea by placing it first.

Source: Wikipedia

Example from text: The Tale of Orpheus

In the beginning of The Tale of Orpheus it throws you into the thick of things right off the bat. Instead of first going into detail on what is going on, Apollo Dorus basically puts you in the middle of the rising action. Basically Orpheus seeks out Proteus and asks him for his wife back from the dead. Orpheus's wife was bitten by a poisonous snake and died soon after their wedding. In his sorrow Orpheus went to Proteus to make a deal with him to get his wife back. Proteus agreed but on one condition, Orpheus could not look at her until they had left the gates of his domain. When Orpheus was nearing the end he looked back at his wife and she was taken again from him. Filled with dread Orpheus sat for a while weeping and singing a song, until a hoard of crazed women tore him apart.

Example from the text: Braid. The game Braid does not start in the beginning where most other traditional games do. In order to understand the full effect of the storyline, the creators start you at the second level. By playing through the entire game, and then playing the first level it shows you how the main character Tim has let the princess be taken by the Knight. The interesting thing is that with the reversal of time, it looks as if the princess wanted to be taken by the Knight.

(J.M.)