Detective Novel Paper for English major.

Option 1:

In our discussion of detective fiction, we have largely focused on the image of the detective. We have seen how this figure emerges in Poe and how it evolves from the Golden Age sleuth to the professional detective of the modern period. In each case, the evolution of the detective involves a modification of the genre—a slight rethinking of its purpose, its structure, and its techniques. Dupin and Wallander are very different characters. They operate differently, and they illustrate different aspects of crime and human temperament. In this paper, I would like you to shift your critical focus and look at the representation of the criminal.

Select three texts that we have read in the course of the semester—they must be by different authors, two of which must come from the second half of the course—and make a claim about how detective fiction utilizes and illustrates the criminal. Are there consistent elements in the representation of crime? Are the criminal characters well-rounded? Are they flat characters? At what stage of the narrative do they enter the story—what (if any) difference does this make? Are they believable? Do we understand their motivations? Do we sympathize with them? Etc. You are free to comment on more than three texts if you wish. Doing so might allow you to make a broader claim. At the same time, however, you want to avoid trying to handle too much material. You need to find the right balance for the paper.

The purpose of this paper is not to list as many differences or similarities as you can find. The purpose is to make an argument about the genre of detective fiction. In so doing, you need to recognize two things: the general trend of detective stories and the individual license that any author or text might take. As we noted in class the other day, the difficulty of genre writing is remaining within the parameters that have been established without simply replicating previous stories. In thinking about this tension, your paper should arrive at a claim about how the genre engages crime. You might take a nuanced approach and argue that there are three or four main approaches—or three or four different types of criminals. Or you might argue that the image of the criminal changes over time. The argument is up to you. My point is simply that the paper must think at two levels: 1) about the precise text you are analyzing and 2) about how all the texts relate to and revise the form of the detective genre.

The paper should be 5-7 double-spaced pages in length. It should be written in twelve-point Times New Roman. It should be written using MLA citation style. Please remember that you are not simply summarizing the plot of the stories and novels. I have read them already. I know what happens. You need to analyze the techniques, conventions, and representational decisions of each text.

Option 2:

For this option, you will construct your own detective story. The story should be roughly 1,500-2,000 words in length. It should have a beginning, and middle, and an end. In grading your story, I will not be evaluating it based on how well it is written or on how believable your scenario is. (You’ll discover quickly that writing convincing detective fiction is not easy.) Instead, I will be grading your story on how well it demonstrates your understanding of the conventions of the genre.

If you choose this option, you will need to append a one-page analysis of your own story. In this page, you will describe how your story fits into the genre that we have been studying. Please indicate what features your detective embodies. Which detective does your character most closely resemble and why? Is she more like a Golden Age detective or one that comes from a modern police procedural? What other conventions are you borrowing or adapting in your story? Details that should be addressed include the following:

Setting Literary style Crime Method of detection Conclusion Deeper thematic interest (such as race, gender, history, consciousness, etc.).

You should briefly analyze your decisions regarding these areas and any others that seem important. Please show how your text relates to, reimagines, copies, parodies, or departs from the models that we have encountered. You don’t have to write a serious detective story. You are free to write something comedic. But you still need to apply the same rigorous analysis to it.

If you are feeling exceptionally creative, you may attempt different forms of detective fiction. You could create a small film. Or you could attempt to make a podcast. The options are as vast as you can imagine. But, no matter what you attempt, you must make sure to compose your analysis of how it fits into the course. Make an argument to me about why I should include your story on the syllabus when I teach this course next time.