Typically, miscommunication is a big one. Characters misunderstand who someone is because of false information or a hasty judgment. Another element is the resulting chaos or drama. For instance, someone might be wrongly accused of a crime they didn't commit.
The element of surprise and the unfolding mystery usually do the trick. When the characters are caught up in a confusion of identities, it keeps the readers on the edge of their seats.
One common theme is the search for truth. Since there is a mistake in identity, the character has to strive to find out the real truth about who they are and who the real person is that they are being mistaken for. Another theme is justice. Often, the wrongly - identified person is facing some sort of injustice, like false accusations, and they are fighting for justice.
Sure. One great 'a case of mistaken identity fanfic' could be found on FanFiction.net. You can search by the tag and look for the ones with high ratings and lots of reviews. They often have interesting plot twists.
Sure. In a 'case of mistaken identity short story', usually there is a character who is wrongly identified as someone else. This misidentification often leads to various misunderstandings and complications. For example, the wronged character might be accused of a crime they didn't commit, or they might be involved in a situation where people expect them to act in a certain way because of the false identity. This creates a lot of tension and drama in the story as the character tries to clear up the misunderstanding.
The element of surprise and the unexpected plot twists. When identities are mixed up, it keeps the readers on the edge of their seats, eager to know how it'll all be resolved.
There was this time at the airport. A woman saw a man with a similar suitcase to hers. She followed him all the way to the car rental area thinking he was her husband. When he finally turned around, she realized her mistake. She was so embarrassed but it was really funny. The man just laughed it off and helped her find her actual husband.
One of the first such stories might be 'Cinderella'. The stepsisters mistake Cinderella for someone of lesser importance until she shows up at the ball in all her glory.
One story could be about two people at a masquerade party. A woman mistakes a man for her date because they are wearing similar costumes. She approaches him in a flirtatious way at first, but then quickly realizes her mistake when she sees her actual date across the room. It was an embarrassing moment for her, but they all had a laugh about it later.