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Basic Plot Structure and Literary Conventions of Detective Fiction

The document outlines several common plot structures and conventions for different genres: - Romantic comedies typically involve a boy meeting or losing a girl. Tragedies feature a hero with a flaw who faces conflict and is ultimately defeated. Journey stories involve protagonists learning on a quest from point A to B. - Mystery stories present a crime or mystery in the beginning and clues are gradually revealed as the detective solves the case. Detective characters are often eccentric and stand out. - Horror and ghost stories differ in that they provide supernatural explanations for mysteries rather than rational ones. Suspense keeps readers wondering if the villain will catch the hero.

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Marilo Costa
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3K views

Basic Plot Structure and Literary Conventions of Detective Fiction

The document outlines several common plot structures and conventions for different genres: - Romantic comedies typically involve a boy meeting or losing a girl. Tragedies feature a hero with a flaw who faces conflict and is ultimately defeated. Journey stories involve protagonists learning on a quest from point A to B. - Mystery stories present a crime or mystery in the beginning and clues are gradually revealed as the detective solves the case. Detective characters are often eccentric and stand out. - Horror and ghost stories differ in that they provide supernatural explanations for mysteries rather than rational ones. Suspense keeps readers wondering if the villain will catch the hero.

Uploaded by

Marilo Costa
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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BASIC PLOT STRUCTURES

Literary Conventions of the Detective Story

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ROMANTIC COMEDY
Boy gets girl back Boy falls in love Boy meets girl
Variations on this theme - girl meets boy - girl meets girl

Boy loses girl

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TRAGEDY
Hero with a tragic aw

Faces internal/ external conict Ultimately defeated, but wiser.


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JOURNEY (TRADITIONAL ROAD MOVIE)


Journey from point A to point B - usually with a companion - protagonist learns

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JOURNEY
Returns home victorious/ changed Home Protagonist must go on a quest Series of adventures /tests

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SLICE OF LIFE
Ordinary life of a seemingly conventional character or group of characters

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Na rra tiv e

Usually shows that there is no such thing as an ordinary/ conventional person. Everyone is unique (and potentially interesting).

COMING OF AGE
Overcomes adversity to emerge into adulthood

Young/Immature Protagonist Major life crisis (tests of character)

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MYSTERY
Reader nds out how Mystery solved Series of clues/ red herrings Crime/mystery to be solved
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Problem Conict Danger Confusion Dilemma Question Ignorance Mystery


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Solution Peace Safety Order Decision Answer Knowledge Solution


Mystery can fit into any of these basic structures/patterns

CONVENTIONS OF THE DETECTIVE STORY

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 hasnt had time to form an emotional attachment to the victim). The mystery must unfold gradually.

The narrative shouldnt 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.

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SCENE
Where 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.
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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.

CONVENTIONS OF THE DETECTIVE STORY

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).

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ADRIAN MONK
Former (disgraced) Former (disgraced) cop cop
Extreme case of Extreme case of obsessive-compulsive obsessive-compulsive disorder

disorder

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

cops put together

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BRENDA BRENDA LEE LEE JOHNSON (THE CLOSER) CLOSER)


Head of of the the Major Major Head Crimes Division Division Crimes Only woman on the team Only woman on the team Southerner in L.A. Others nd her abrasive/ Others nd her abrasive/ offensive offensive Addicted to sweets Addicted to sweets More More intelligent intelligent and and insightful insightful than than everyone everyone else else put put together. together

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SHAUN SHAUNSPENCER SPENCER(PSYCHE) (PSYCH)


Freelance consultant to Freelance consultant to the police policewho whopretends pretends the to be be a a psychic psychic to Hes annoying/ Hes annoying to others obnoxious to others because hes always because hes always joking and refuses to joking and refuses to take anything seriously take anything seriously Exceptional powers of Exceptional powers of perception perception

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COLUMBO
Member of the police force, but works alone and is Member of the police extremely force, butunconventional works alone Appears sloppy, absentand is extremely minded, clumsy unconventional

Hes really very astute and Appears sloppy, absentknowledgeable

minded, clumsy On the show, the mystery is

usually not who committed Hes really veryalready astute the crime (viewer and knowledgeable knows), but how Columbo is going to catch the person

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MISS MARPLE
Sweet old old lady lady Sweet Nobody expects expects her her to Nobody to be be able able to solve crimes to solve crimes Always solves the crime before Always solves the police do the crime before the police do Has to inform the police about Has to inform the police about the mistakes theyre making in the mistakes theyre making in their investigation their investigation Her distinguishing characteristic as a distinguishing detective is her keen Her knowledge of as human psychology characteristic a detective is her keen knowledge of human Model for Jessica Fletcher psychology (Murder She Wrote)

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CONVENTIONS OF THE DETECTIVE STORY

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 difcult 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 rst 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.)

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TERROR/ HORROR/ GHOST STORY


Has a supernatural explanation for the mystery

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

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