Dominoes are a fun way to pass the time. The thrill of tipping the first domino ever-so-slightly and watching the rest fall in a cascade is mesmerizing. But the real power of dominoes is that they can knock over things about one-and-a-half times their size. Likewise, when it comes to plotting a novel, the more scene dominoes you have in place, the more likely your story is to develop in a dynamic way that influences the next scene.
To begin, let’s define what a domino is. A domino is a small rectangular block, about the size of a thumb. A domino’s face is divided into halves, each bearing a pattern of dots resembling those on dice (or pips). A complete set of dominoes contains 28 of these small blocks, and they are used to play games in which players try to arrange the pieces in lines or angular patterns.
The word “domino” itself derives from the Latin dominus, meaning lord or master. It appeared in English after 1750, and was probably influenced by an earlier sense of the word, which denoted a long hooded cloak worn with a mask at masquerades or carnival season. This cloak was often made of black dominos contrasting with white surplices.
There are many different ways to use a domino, from simply arranging them in lines or angular patterns to playing games in which players try to match the ends of two adjacent pieces. The most common domino sets are constructed from polymer materials such as plastic or resin, but some also are available in natural woods like ebony; stone (e.g., marble or granite); metals; and ceramic clay. Some sets contain both polymer and natural wooden blocks, allowing the player to choose between different styles and colors.
Traditionally, a domino was made of bone, silver lip ocean pearl oyster shell (mother of pearl), or ivory, with a black surface on one half and a contrasting white on the other. The pips were either inlaid or painted; more recently, dominoes have been produced from other kinds of rigid material, including polymer, as well as from wood-grain composite materials that look more like the traditional wooden versions. A few sets have been crafted from precious metals, and some even have been made of glass or crystal.
As a metaphor, the term “domino effect” means any series of events that are linked by a chain reaction similar to a falling line of dominoes. The phrase can refer to a literal series of actual collisions, or it may be used more broadly to describe any pattern of interconnected events in systems such as global finance or politics. It is often used with a negative connotation, as in the phrase “domino theory,” which suggests that any change to one part of a system will quickly have consequences throughout the entire system. A positive connotation is less common. The concept is closely related to the notion of feedback loops, which are a key element in systems theory and information technology.