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cognitive narratology/ˌhɜːrməˈnjuːtɪk ɡæp/
The Hermeneutic Gap
Etymology: Greek 'hermēneutikos' (interpretive) + Old Norse 'gap' (chasm/void).
Theorist Origin: Roland Barthes ('S/Z', 1970) / Wolfgang Iser ('The Act of Reading', 1978)
Definition
The deliberate structural withholding of an explanatory causal bridge or answer, opening an enigma that compels the audience to engage in active hypothesis generation.
Mathematical or diagrammatic model:
Gap = Event_Observed - ExplicitCausalExplanation (Resolved at Climax t_c)Example from literature
“The 200-page omission of the physical murder scene in Truman Capote's In Cold Blood while building domestic anticipation.”
Related terms
AnachronyEllipsisSensemaking