classification notes mystery & suspense detectives most mystery and suspense novels contain some...
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Classification NotesMystery & Suspense
DetectivesMost mystery and suspense novels contain some sort of detective. Some are for-hire private detectives or police detectives, and some are amateurs.
The following types of mysteries all include a detective…
Cozy Mysteries•Agatha Christie created the cozy mystery.•Two of her most famouscharacters are Miss Marple & Hercule Poirot(YouTube - Poirot Murder on the Orient Express 2009).
•A modern television version of a cozy mystery is Murder She Wrote.
Characteristics of The Cozy:
a. English (setting and characters)
b. Detective is an amateur c. Charming courteous peopled. Violence is off-stagee. Set in the mansions or playgrounds of the wealthy
Hard-Boiled Detective Story•Dashel Hammet created
one of the most famous of the hard-boiled detectives: Sam Spade
the central character in the novel The Maltese Falcon. •The film version of this novel is a classic example of Film Noir.
Characteristics of Hard-Boileda. American setting &
charactersb. Private eye is the main character or narrator
c. Many characters are tough, cynical, even rude and don’t trust anyone.
d. Violence is graphic
More Characteristics:
e.The setting is on the mean streets of large citiesf. Lots of actiong. Detective might break the law in order to solve the crime or save a victim
Modern Hard-Boiled
•Other modern examples of the Hard-boiled Mystery on film (Neo-Film Noir) are…L.A. Confidential & The Man Who Wasn’t There
Police ProceduralThe police
detective story is one of the most popular genres of television programs today. Some examples are:CSI, Law & Order, Bones, & NCIS
Characteristics of the Police Procedural:a. Ordinary police are the
main charactersb. They rely on scientific method, observation and intuition
c. They examine evidence carefully & analyze facts
d. They follow police procedures (The Miranda Rights, etc.)
The Original Detective Stories
•Early Arabic detective fiction:–The earliest known detective fiction originates from the story “The Three Apples” in the collection One Thousand and One Nights
•Chinese Detective fiction:–From the Ming Dynasty Chinese detective fiction – The hero is a traditional judge or similar official
Poe’s Classic Detective
•Edgar Allan Poe created a detective story that sparked interest for detective fiction. His detective was named August Dupin, and the first story was called “Murders in the Rue Morgue” written in 1841
Characteristics of the Classic Detective:
a. The main character is a very smart detective
b. He has an assistant of lesser intelligence(a sidekick who often narrates the stories)
c. A policeman who is always way behind the master detective
More Classic Detective
d. A variety of misleading clues
e. A gathering of all the suspects where the detective will reveal the clues and “who done it”
f. At least one unjustly accused suspect
g. A locked room
More Classic Detective…
•Sir Arthur Conan Doyle based his character Sherlock Holmes upon Poe’s character
Other forms of Suspense•Horror
Another very popular form of both film and literature, the horrorstory is especially popular with the teen audience.Stephen King is one of the most prolific of the horror writers.
Characteristics of Horror:a. Knowledge of the future
b. Theme: Winning freedom from oppression
c. Selling one’s soul to the devil (evil)
d. Fascination with deathe. Main characters are victims f. Antagonist(s) are monstrous,
bizarre, weirdg. Fates worse than death
(some kind of half life)
Gothic Horror Romance
•Some 19th century literature inspired this genre. Daphne Du Maurier wrote Rebecca an example of the gothic horror romance.
Characteristics of Gothic Horrors
a. Set in a large isolated old house
b. Moody heroc. A heroine without friends or family, but well educated
More Gothic Horror…d. Elements of the
supernatural (a ghost)e. Usually includes a love storyf. Always includes a deep dark secret
Note: Misery (reversed roles of a gothic horror)
Modern Gothic Horror…
•Modern examples of the gothic horror romance are The Others & What Lies Beneath
Social Issue Suspense•Many of John
Grisham’s novels are social issues. He bases many of his stories on real-life law experiences. Some modern examples of the social issue are: Erin Brockovich, The Constant Gardener, Blood Diamond
Characteristics of The Social
Issue Suspense:a. The main character is an ordinary person with no power (a young law student, a journalist, a politician’s wife).
b. There is always a social issue involved (Insurance rip-off, medical fraud, scientific cover-ups,
government conspiracies)
More Social Issue…
c. They can also be psychological thrillers which solve the crime by looking into the mind of the criminal. (Catch Me if You Can, The Silence of The Lambs, Flight Plan)
Other Important Elements of the
Mystery:Rules of the Gamea. All clues must be shared with the readerb. Outcome must be logicalc. Can’t use chance or coincidence to solve crimes
More Elements of Mysteries…Methods of Detection
a. Suspects must have: means, motive & opportunity
b. Detectives will use deductive
reasoningc. Sometimes a criminal will incorporate a red herring to confuse the detective
And More…d. Every mystery will include these four elements:
1. Crime2. Villain 3. Victim 4. Detective
The End…