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{{Short description|Crucial point of divergence to two outcomes}}
In [[science-fiction]] criticism, a '''Jonbar hinge''' or '''Jonbar point<!--redirected here-->'''<ref name=SFE-JP/> is the fictional [[concept]] of a crucial [[point of divergence]] between two outcomes, especially in [[time-travel]] stories. It is sometimes referred to as a '''Jon Bar hinge''' or '''change-point'''.<ref name=CF1993/>
==Origin==
The phrase is derived from the [[Jack Williamson]] novel ''[[The Legion of Time]]'' (serialized 1938, collected 1952). It refers to one action from its character John Barr, in whichwhose picking up of one of two objects (a magnet andor a pebble) is a major turning point in history: choosing one will lead to a [[utopia]]n civilization named [[Jonbar]], while the other to the tyranny of the state of [[Gyronchi]].
This crucial moment (about which other characters are forewarned and must act), is thus a "Jonbar point" in the novel's timeline, a forking-place upon which hinges the rest of its history.
==Background==
Jonbar hinges often refer to small non-descriptnondescript events that had an important effect on history, but because of [[time travel]] caused the outcome of the choice or event wasto be changed leadingand to lead to a different future or to an [[alternate history]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ask.metafilter.com/85629/The-weak-things-of-the-world-shall-confound-the-mighty |title=The weak things of the world shall confound the mighty |accessdate=6 December 2008 |author= |date=March 8, 2008 |work= |publisher=[[MetaFilter]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2005/nz9645.php |title=Century Rain by Alastair Reynolds |accessdate=6 December 2008 |author=Pauline Morgan |date=November 28, 2005 |work= |publisher=SF Crowsnest (via [[archive.org]]) |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080516135819/http://www.sfcrowsnest.com/articles/books/2005/nz9645.php |archivedate=May 16, 2008 }}</ref> It can, however, refer to any kind of change in history without having to deal with time travel, as [[Paul Di Filippo]] used the term when reviewinghe reviewed [[S. M. Stirling]]'s ''[[In the Courts of the Crimson Kings]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/books/sfw18538.html |title=Review:In the Courts of the Crimson Kings |accessdate=6 December 2008 |author=[[Paul Di Filippo]] |date=March 17, 2008 |work= |publisher=[[Sci Fi Weekly]] |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080621081010/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/books/sfw18538.html |archivedate=21 June 2008 |deadurl=yes |dfurl-status=dead }}</ref> In [[Michael Chabon]]'s ''[[The Yiddish Policemen's Union]]'' the jonbar hinge was the death of the main opponent to the passing of the [[Slattery Report|King-Havenner Bill]], which, if passed, would have allowed [[Jewish]] refugees to settle in [[Alaska]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=49751 |title=''Yiddish'' Inspired By Phrasebook |accessdate=31 July 2014 |author=[[John Joseph Adams]] |date=March 5, 2008 |work= |publisher=[[Sci Fi Wire]] (via [[archive.org]]) |deadurlurl-status=yesdead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080306181718/http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/index.php?category=0&id=49751 |archivedate=March 6, 2008 }}</ref> The jonbar hinge in ''[[Bring the Jubilee]],'' [[Ward Moore]]'s 1953 novel of [[American Civil War]] alternate history, is the Confederate occupation of Little Round Top minutes before the Union's attempt, which leads to [[Robert E. Lee|Lee]]'s victory at the 1863 [[Battle of Gettysburg]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue23/books.html|title=Book Review: Ward Moore's 'Bring the Jubilee'|first=Don|last=Webb|website=www.bewilderingstories.com|accessdate=4 July 2017}}</ref>
The term is also used whenin describing an important upcoming event or decision, that humanity will haveneed to make in the future.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.groundzeromedia.org/invest/7day/7day.html |title=The Martian Chronicle for the 21st Century Apocalypse |accessdate=7 December 2008 |author=[[Clyde Lewis]] |datepublisher=Ground Zero |workurl-status=dead |publisherarchiveurl=Groundhttps://web.archive.org/web/20090107231539/http://www.groundzeromedia.org/invest/7day/7day.html |archivedate=7 January 2009 Zero}}</ref>
==See also==
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* [[Counterfactual history]]
* [[For Want of a Nail]]
* [[Alternate history#Paratime themes|Point of divergence]] in [[alternate history]]
==References==
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{{Reflist|refs=
<ref name=CF1993>{{cite web |url=http://www.fanac.org/worldcon/ConFrancisco/w93-rpt.html |title=ConFrancisco 1993 |accessdate=7 December 2008 |author=[[Evelyn C. Leeper]] and [[Mark R. Leeper]] |year=1993 |work= |publisher=}}</ref>
<ref name=SFE-JP>{{cite web |url=http://www.sf-encyclopedia.com/entry/jonbar_point |title=Jonbar Point |last=Langford |first=David |author-link=David Langford |date=August 21, 2012 |website=[[The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction]] |location=London |publisher=[[Victor Gollancz Ltd|Gollancz]] }}</ref>
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[[Category:Alternate history]]
[[Category:LiteraryNarrative techniques]]
[[Category:Science fiction terminology]]
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