basic plot structure and literary conventions of detective fiction

BASIC PLOTSTRUCTURES

Literary Conventions of the Detective Story

domingo 8 de abril de 12

ROMANTIC COMEDY

Boy meets girl

Boy falls in love

Boy loses girl

Boy gets girl back

Variations on this theme- girl meets boy- girl meets girl


TRAGEDY

Hero with a tragic flaw

Faces internal/external conflict

Ultimately defeated,but wiser.


JOURNEY (TRADITIONAL ROAD MOVIE)

A

BJourney from point A to point B- usually with a companion

- protagonist learns


JOURNEY

Home

Protagonist must go on a

quest

Series of adventures

/tests

Returns home victorious/

changed


SLICE OF LIFE

Ordinary life of a

seemingly conventional character or group of charactersNarr

ative

Usually shows that there is no such thing

as an ordinary/conventional person.

Everyone is unique (and potentially

interesting).


COMING OF AGE

Young/Immature

Protagonist

Major life crisis (tests of character)

Overcomes adversity toemerge intoadulthood


MYSTERY

Crime/mystery to be solved

Series of clues/red herrings

Mysterysolved

Reader findsout how


Problem Solution

Conflict Peace

Danger Safety

Confusion Order

Dilemma Decision

Question Answer

Ignorance Knowledge

Mystery Solution

Mystery can fit into any of these basic

structures/patterns


The mystery is presented (almost) at the beginning of the narrative.

If someone dies, it has to be at the beginning (so that the reader hasn’t had time to form an emotional attachment to the victim).

The mystery must unfold gradually.

The narrative shouldn’t be presented from the perspective of the perpetrator of the crime (or there would be no mystery).

Narrative is often told by another character (Watson being the most famous example) who serves as a sidekick to the main investigator (and a stand-in for the reader).

The scene is extremely important.

CONVENTIONS OF THE DETECTIVE STORY


SCENEWhere the clues are

Often there is an/several incongruent clue(s)

The number of characters who conceivably could have been in the space limits the number of possible suspects.

Locked Room Mystery

Space in which the crime took place makes the crime seemingly impossible.

The text becomes a puzzle that the reader, along with the detective, tries to put together.


The mystery must be intriguing enough that the reader will not be easily able to resolve it.

The reader is given only enough information to keep him/her interested in trying to solve it.

There has to be more than one person who conceivably could have committed the crime.

There should be some clues pointing to all the possible suspects.

Some clues are intended to point the detective/reader in the wrong direction. [Red Herrings]

The “detective” is always a unique individual (eccentric, unusual, unique, off-putting, etc.).

Even when s/he is a cop, the “detective” somehow stands apart from the rest (not trusted, unconventional, or simply not in a profession where s/he would be expected to be a good investigator).



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_herring

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_herring

ADRIAN MONK

Former (disgraced) cop

Extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Smarter/More astute than all the other cops put together.

martes 3 de abril de 12

ADRIAN MONK

Former (disgraced) cop

Extreme case of obsessive-compulsive disorder

Smarter/More astute than all the other cops put together


BRENDA LEE JOHNSON (THE CLOSER)

Head of the Major Crimes Division

Only woman on the team

Others find her abrasive/offensive

Addicted to sweets

More intelligent and insightful than everyone else put together.


BRENDA LEE JOHNSON (THE CLOSER)

Head of the Major Crimes Division

Only woman on the team

Southerner in L.A.

Others find her abrasive/ offensive

Addicted to sweets

More intelligent and insightful than everyone else put together


SHAUN SPENCER (PSYCHE)

Freelance consultant to the police who pretends to be a psychic

He’s annoying to others because he’s always joking and refuses to take anything seriously

Exceptional powers of perception


SHAUN SPENCER (PSYCH)

Freelance consultant to the police who pretends to be a psychic

He’s annoying/obnoxious to others because he’s always joking and refuses to take anything seriously

Exceptional powers of perception


COLUMBO

Member of the police force, but works alone and is extremely unconventional

Appears sloppy, absent-minded, clumsy

He’s really very astute and knowledgeable


COLUMBO

Member of the police force, but works alone and is extremely unconventional

Appears sloppy, absent- minded, clumsy

He’s really very astute and knowledgeable

On the show, the mystery is usually not who committed the crime (viewer already knows), but how Columbo is going to catch the person


MISS MARPLE

Sweet old lady

Nobody expects her to be able to solve crimes

Always solves the crime before the police do

Has to inform the police about the mistakes they’re making in their investigation

Her distinguishing characteristic as a detective is her keen knowledge of human psychology


MISS MARPLE

Sweet old lady

Nobody expects her to be able to solve crimes

Always solves the crime before the police do

Has to inform the police about the mistakes they’re making in their investigation

Her distinguishing characteristic as a detective is her keen knowledge of human psychology

Model for Jessica Fletcher (Murder She Wrote)


The characters reveal themselves through dialogue, mannerisms, behavior (things that can be observed by the detective).

Something always occurs during the course of the investigation that makes it more difficult for the detective to solve the mystery.

There may be numerous subplots, and these may somehow in the end tie into the central mystery.

The characters who at first seemed unlikely suspects are often in the end the actual culprits.

The detective always solves the mystery before the reader.

There is a suspenseful pause between solving the mystery and the revelation to the reader of how it was solved.

Resolution takes the reader through the entire deductive process.

The mystery must have a rational explanation. (Paranormal or supernatural explanations are not allowed.)



TERROR/HORROR/

GHOST STORY

Has a supernatural explanation for the

mystery


SUSPENSEThe bad guy/gal is already known.The question is whether or not s/he will catch the good guy/gal.


basic plot structure and literary conventions of detective fiction

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