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Is there a word for the (event / affect / situation) (where / when) a character uses a door that leads back into the same room that they are leaving?

This is better described in the post. https://movies.stackexchange.com/questions/26820/when-was-the-horror-film-technique-where-a-character-opens-a-door-to-the-same-ro

There are two links to names of this on TV tropes (Alien Geometries and Going in circle). I find that Alien Geometries is much to broad and could be used to describe many different situations (ie. Mario 64 - Infinite stairs) and I think that Going in circle implies that there is a journey before returning to the same spot.

An example of this event can be seen in the Star Trek: TNG episode "Where Silence Has Lease" when Work and Riker are on the bridge of the second Enterprise. 

Sample sentence: "I don't realy have any options, I'm stuck in a [...]. Staying here or using the door doesn't matter at all. In both cases I've changed nothing." - Door and location are metaphors for a persons choice not impacting the enviorment they are in.

Using the example from Star Trek TNG: Worf and Riker were stuck in a [...]. Even if worf went through the door he would still be on the same bridge as Riker who had never moved.

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  • I see it used often in movies but its not limited to movies. There are games that use this as a mechanic. (ie: Portal)
    – Tolure
    Jul 18, 2021 at 19:25
  • mechanism, not mechanic. That's a person who fixes cars.
    – Lambie
    Jul 18, 2021 at 20:03
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    This frustrating deja vu was the subject of the film Ground Hog Day.
    – Yosef Baskin
    Jul 18, 2021 at 20:12
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    There are words for nonexistent things in English, like unicorn. But there is isn't a word in English for every possible nonexistent thing. That would be very large lexicon, probably uncountably large. Hard to look things up.
    – John Lawler
    Jul 18, 2021 at 21:37
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    @Lambie The way something works works or is done is more often referred as the mechanics plural, but it is often used in the singular to refer to one element of the way a game or system works. "To understand what a game mechanic is, first it’s important to be familiar with another term important to video games: gameplay."
    – GArthurBrown
    Jul 18, 2021 at 21:48

1 Answer 1

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paradox

It is a type of reflexivity: I have always heard it called an

Escher paradox

enter image description here

"I don't realy have any options, I'm stuck in an [Esher paradox]. Staying here or using the door doesn't matter at all. In both cases I've changed nothing."

I think Euler comes into play here somewhere.

Based on comments from the OP, a more updated alternative could be :

"endless loop"

"I don't really have any options, I'm stuck in an [endless loop]. Staying here or using the door doesn't matter at all. In both cases I've changed nothing."

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  • Would you say that the person experienced an Escher paradox or that they used a room and or door that was an Escher paradox
    – Tolure
    Jul 18, 2021 at 19:27
  • "I don't realy have any options, I'm stuck in [...]. Staying here or using the door doesn't matter at all. In both cases I've changed nothing." - Door and location are metaphors for a persons choice not impacting the enviorment they are in.
    – Tolure
    Jul 18, 2021 at 19:33
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    Revolving door.
    – Xanne
    Jul 18, 2021 at 20:38
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    This is bringing up dim memories of non-orientable surfaces. It seems like there are two doors exiting the room, but they're the same door...
    – user888379
    Jul 19, 2021 at 0:34
  • Ah! Nightmare memories of the "Pirates of Penzance"
    – Stu W
    Jul 19, 2021 at 1:20

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