A "red herring" is a wild goose chase or smoke screen used to divert the attention of readers. Its sole objective is to confuse the reader, increasing suspicion, intrigue, and surprise. It is typically used in detective fiction, although it may be used anyplace the author wants to avoid suspicion. The term comes from fishing: When fishermen use red herrings to entice wild geese away from their nets, they are following an old tradition. Geese were often caught by hunters who would then release them, assuming they had other fish to feed their families. If however, the hunters wanted to hide the fact that they were hunting geese, they would throw some red herrings into the net - objects that look like geese but that don't act or smell like one. This would cause the birds to fly toward the real geese, which would be captured instead. In literature, red herrings are devices used by authors to direct readers' attention away from certain topics or characters while still leaving room for speculation. The aim is usually to increase suspense or the sense of mystery surrounding those topics or characters. Some examples include suggesting that someone else is responsible for a crime, even though this person was not actually involved; mentioning an object or place only to reveal later that it has no connection to the story; and making assumptions about characters' thoughts or feelings when the story requires us to deal with reality rather than fantasy.