Hailey

Hailey Kasprowicz English 3221 Section 16 June 13, 2010


 * RESPONSE ESSAY 3**

Stackng Hard-Boiled Detecion Against Classic Detection: The Strengths and Weaknesses of Each

By around the 1920’s, detective fiction had evolved from puzzle solving crimes to stories of action and drama. This dramatic change in detective fiction became known as hard-boiled, being notable through its question of “What the hell went on?”, its point of view through the detective, and its colorful language. When comparing these notabilities to classic detective fiction, strengths and weaknesses are observed in each.

The first notable way that hard-boiled detection differs from classic detection is the focus of the story being on “what the hell went on?” rather than “who done it?”. In classic detection, a crime is committed and the detective is usually hired to solve the crime. The detective then analyzes the situation by gathering clues and questioning suspects until he/she figures out “who done it?”. Justice is served or there is a restoration of order when the crime is solved. The use of “who done it” lets readers use their ratiocination skills to solve the crime before the detective does, making the story more interactive. This type of formula can become problematic because it may bore the reader with its repetitive steps. The plot is simple and not very complex due to its basic form, usually having just one case to solve, such as murder or location of a stolen article.

In hard-boiled detection, the plot is a tangled web that must be unraveled by the detective because multiple problems arise as the detective un-surfaces information. The incorporation of scandalous issues such as corruption, sex and violence, create even more interesting plotlines that draw the reader in. Rather than having multiple cases that don’t interrelate, each problem adds up to something more menacing then the detective could have imagined. In //The Maltese Falcon// for example, Brigid O’Shaughnessy hires Sam Spade and his partner Miles Archer to find her missing sister. This turns out to be a ruse, resulting in Archer’s death. As Spade digs deeper he finds the real reason for the death of not only his partner, but for others throughout the novel, was because multiple people were trying to find a statue called “The Maltese Falcon”, that is worth millions. The bird has created corruption among the characters of the play, causing them to act out and kill others in order to be in possession of the priceless bird. In order to avoid questioning about the affair, Brigid O’Shaughnessy seduces Sam Spade into sleeping with her. The involvement of corruption, violence and sex in the novel proves a worthwhile read but the downfall of multiple plots is that the reader may become confused as to what is going on in the story.

The second notable way that hard-boiled detection differs from classic detection is the shift in point of view. In classic detection, stories are usually written in third person, with another character, usually a friend of the detective, telling the accounts and cases of the detective from their point of view. In “A Scandal in Bohemia”, Watson is the narrator of the story, relaying his adventures with Sherlock Holmes. His character is portrayed being constantly amazed by Holmes’s deductions.

“Then he stood before the fire and looked me over in his singular introspective fashion. "Wedlock suits you," he remarked. "I think, Watson, that you have put on seven and a half pounds since I saw you." "Seven!" I answered. "Indeed, I should have thought a little more. Just a trifle more, I fancy, Watson. And in practice again, I observe. You did not tell me that you intended to go into harness." "Then, how do you know?" "I see it, I deduce it. How do I know that you have been getting yourself very wet lately, and that you have a most clumsy and careless servant girl?" "My dear Holmes," said I, "this is too much. You would certainly have been burned, had you lived a few centuries ago“(2).

With Watson’s point of view being used, readers are also left in utter amazement as to how Holmes could have known all of these facts about Watson without either of them having spoken a word. Readers are also kept from many facts that would have otherwise been divulged if the point of view had been through Holmes himself. This usage of another character narrating also gives readers a feeling of normalcy among a brilliant and eccentric detective.

In hard-boiled detection, instead of the narrator being a different character, it has instead shifted to the detective telling their own story. This now gives readers a look into the mind of the detective, giving readers a deeper connection with the detective and finding out more about them. In //The Big Sleep//, we are given a glimpse into Detective Philip Marlowe’s thoughts as he observes the Sternwood Estate.

“There was a broad stained-glass panel showing a knight in dark armor rescuing a lady who was tied to a tree and didn’t have any clothes on but some very long and convenient hair. The knight has pushed the visor of his helmet back to be sociable, and he was fiddling with the knots on the ropes that tied the lady to the tree and not getting anywhere. I stood there and thought that if I lived in the house, I would sooner or later have to climb up there and help him. He didn’t seem to be really trying.” (4).

This passage shows readers from the beginning that Philip Marlow is a man who strives to do the right thing. The reference of a knight is exhibited with Marlow‘s character, a man who is loyal to his clients, follows a code of behavior and believes in miracles. Hard-boiled detection from this point of view, gives readers a chance to be on more of a personal level with the detective by being in his/her mind. Both classic and hard-boiled detection depict these point of views well and it merely depends on the preference of the reader.

The third notable way that hard-boiled detection differs from classic detection is the language. In stories like //The Maltese Falcon// and //The Big Sleep//, language changed dramatically from that of classic detective fiction. The use of slang and cursing is introduced which is used to be more direct, quick witted and dramatic. In //The Maltese Falcon//, one notable instance of slang is in a confrontation between Sam Spade and Wilmer, Gutman’s lackey. Wilmer begins to get angry at Sam Spade for his arrogance.

“‘Keep on riding me and you’re going to be picking iron out of your navel.’ Spade chuckled. ‘The cheaper the crook, the gaudier the patter…How long have you been off the goose-berry lay son?’”(120).

The term goose-berry lay is a slang term that may not be understood by today’s readers. Its meaning derives from people stealing clothes from a clothesline in order to make money. For the time that //The Maltese Falcon// was written, these slang terms could be understood because they were used often during the 1930‘s. With today‘s readers, these slang terms are not recognizable or, if they are, have become clichéd and out of date. But because the language is so much different than the way writers write today, it has become memorable for its originality. With classic literature, depending on the readers author of preference, the language is more understandable. If a reader reads Poe’s C. Auguste Dupin mysteries, they may find the language more difficult to understand compared to Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes mysteries, that are more reader friendly.

In conclusion, hard-boiled detective fiction is notable for its “what the hell went on” plot, its point of view told through the detective, and its colorful language. These notable differences are a drastic change from classic detection’s “Who done it?” plot line, side-kick point of view, and simple language. The incorporation of multiple scandalous issues has created interesting plot lines but may in fact confuse some readers. The point of view became more personal with the detective telling the story instead of a side-kick, though classic detection gave a sense of normalcy among the superior detective. The slang of hard-boiled detection is memorable, it may be confusing or clichéd to current readers. Though each notability of classic and hard-boiled detection brings out their strengths and weaknesses, they are both equally entertaining. Their only downfall being, in the end, is what the reader prefers from detective fiction.

Hailey Kasprowicz English 3221 Section 16 June 8, 2010


 * RESPONSE ESSAY 2**

Differences of Female Detectives From Their Male Counterparts

Since its inception in the 1840‘s, male detectives have dominated the genre of detective fiction. These male detectives have been depicted as thinkers and analyzers who are impassive when it comes to emotions. But as the Golden Age of detective fiction took off in the 1920‘s, we began to see a different side of detective fiction with the introduction of the female detective. The underestimation of the female detective and their use of emotions, displays the differences of female detectives from their male counterparts, making them unique among other detectives of previous stories.

One significant difference between female and male detectives is that female detectives are underestimated by other characters in the story. When female detectives come in to solve a case they are automatically not taken as seriously as their male counterparts would be. The physical appearance of the female detective insinuates incapability in clients and onlookers. One such scene is depicted in “The Blue Geranium”. While talking about who to invite to dinner, Sir Henry asks Mrs. Bantry if she had ever heard of Mrs. Marple. Mrs. Bantry replies in saying that everyone knows Mrs. Marple, being the “Typical old maid of fiction she was quite a dear but hopelessly behind the times” (1). Sir Henry relates his meeting of Mrs. Marple the year before and goes on to explain the error he and his guests made in judging Mrs. Marple in such a way while playing a detective game. “We had hardly realized that Mrs. Marple was playing, but we were very polite about it--didn’t want to hurt the old dears feelings. And now comes to the cream of the just. The old lady outdid us every time” (1-2).Because Mrs. Marple was considered old, behind the times and because she barely left her town of St. Mary Mead, the people around her underestimated her abilities. She proves everyone wrong with her logic and understanding of human nature, helping her solve the perplexing mysteries around her.

Violet Strange encounters a similar problem to Mrs. Marple in which her young fairy-like appearance in “Missing Page Thirteen” creates astonishment among Miss Digby, Mr. Van Broecklyn and his two guests. Because of this realization, she felt that she must prove her worth as a detective by retrieving the missing page “They expect me to tell them now and without further search or parley just where this missing page is. I shall have to balk that expectation without losing their confidence” (9). Being female, Violet Strange and other female detectives must prove themselves, repeatedly at times, in order to gain the trust of their clients and establish themselves in the field. Most male detectives only have to establish themselves once in order to gain the trust of their clients. Even though Violet Strange has established herself by this point to be an excellent sleuth, she still must prove herself worthy in a world of men. She does this by going beyond her requirements as a detective, not only locating the missing page, but heading into the perilous closed off room to retrieve it. Her underestimated appearance is overshadowed by her brilliance and bravery.

Another significant difference between female and male detectives is that female detectives are more emotional and these emotions are sometimes used to help them in their cases. The men in “Jury of Her Peers” have a difficult time finding a motive for Minnie Foster killing Mr. Wright. The women of the story use their knowledge and understanding of women to find the motive behind the murder. They understand Minnie Foster as a woman and were aware her life with Mr. Wright was not pleasant. By analyzing the uneven stitching on her quilt, the dead bird in the box and the broken bird cage, they come to the same conclusion about the motive behind the murder. The women understand Minnie Fosters suffering and anger, believing that the strangulation of the bird, by most likely her husbands hand, had caused her to snap and lash out. Mrs. Hale’s guilt about not seeing Minnie Foster in her times of loneliness, and Mrs. Peters emotional account of a kitten being killed when she was younger and the stillness of a house when something is gone, exhibit the feelings and emotions the women have felt in their lives. They perceive Minnie Foster to have felt loneliness, anger and grief, and in doing so they formulate a motive for the murder of Mr. Wright.

Violet Strange in “Missing Page Thirteen” also exhibits emotions throughout the story that display her character. From the beginning, Violet is conflicted over her job as a detective. She loves her work and does it to help support her sister, but she must hide it from her father or else he will disown her. Violet is afraid of failure due to her underestimation as a woman detective. She becomes excited when she figures out where the missing page must have gone but then becomes frightened of the prospect of crawling into a small dark space since she fears the dark. This fear becomes worse with the discovery of the dead corpses in the hidden room, causing her to cry out and faint. Though corpses have been found, Violet Strange listens to Mr. Van Broecklyn’s story about how the corpses were his parents who had killed each other in a duel in front of his eyes. Violet Strange becomes not just a detective but an understanding person as well. When compared to the male detectives of Poe and Doyle, there is a major difference in the expression of emotions since their male detective characters reserve themselves and are not as emotional as Violet Strange is depicted. Violet Strange’s emotional displays and antics do not destroy her character though, but display its characteristics and the humanistic side of a detectives that is rarely seen.

The significance in these differences shows readers that women can be just as good as men. Though women of detective fiction are underestimated, they can solve cases just as good as any male detective. And though female detectives are emotional and sympathetic toward other people around them, they use these emotions to their advantage, aiding them in solving their cases. These stories that focus on the female sex, break from the typical male detective genre, creating stories that women can understand and relate to.

In Conclusion, female detectives differ from their male counterparts due to their underestimated appearances and their use of emotions which help them to solve their cases. Though famous male detectives such as C. Auguste Dupin and Sherlock Holmes dominate the genre, female detectives like Mrs. Marple and Violet Strange prove themselves just as analytical and brave as the men before them.

Hailey Kasprowicz English 3221 Section 16 June 2, 2010 RESPONSE ESSAY 1** “Murders” Correspondence and Lack Luster in Detective Fiction “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is considered by many critics to be the first modern detective story, initiating to an entire genre of fiction. “Murders in the Rue Morgue” corresponds to what mystery fiction should be, because it possesses the elements and the structure of detective fiction, but it lacks emotion, suspense and reality that other detective fiction stories excel in.
 * REWRITE NUMBER ONE

Though “Murders in the Rue Morgue” was the first detective fiction story, its elements and structure still survive today in detective fiction. The first element is that a crime is usually committed, and the second is that a professional or amateur detective attempts to solve the crime. In “Murders in the Rue Morgue” two women are brutally murdered and the amateur detective C. August Dupin, using ratiocination, attempts to solve the murder. The third element is that after the crime is solved there is a detailed description of the steps taken by the detective to solve the crime, leading into the fourth element; order being restored or justice being served. In “Murders in the Rue Morgue” Dupin reveals to the narrator how he solved the crime just before he reveals the culprit, explaining the locked room was not truly locked because the window was not really nailed shut, that the voice that was unrecognizable by witnesses was made from something inhuman and the brutal way the women were murdered could only be accomplished by something inhuman. Even though justice was not seen for the murdered women, since the murderer was an orangutan, order is restored in Dupin’s world with the release of the wrongly accused man. There is sometimes a rivalry with the police, Dupin competing with the Prefect of Police, G- and his incompetent police force.

Poe presented an effective and inventive plot, especially for the first detective fiction story. The deaths of the women are gory compared to later detective fiction stories, how the women died in a locked room created more of a mystery for readers, and the shocking conclusion, an animal being the murderer, is unusual since murder usually indicates a person and not an animal. These qualities allow for the story to be remembered, but other more important qualities are lacking in the story. These other missing qualities would later be used in other stories in detective fiction.

The major defect of “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is poor character development, producing merely two dimensional characters. Dupin is a man who lives in Paris, France with his friend, who is not named, whom he met while both were searching for the same book of obscure literature. Dupin came from a wealthy family but has lost his wealth in some unfortunate way. This profile of Dupin is barely sufficient compared to a profile of Sherlock Holmes, whose character nearly mirrors Dupin’s. Holmes though is described in detail as a unique, eccentric, cold and calculating person who can be arrogant, but he is a champion of the people and does not seek fame for his work in cases. In order to help his clients, his is willing to justifiably break the law and lie, even if it means going against the police. He also makes vivid deductions, and is a master of disguise. In contrast to Poe’s unnamed narrator in “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” Holmes’s companion is given a name and characteristics in Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, becoming Dr. John Watson. This change greatly enhances the story and instead of knowing absolutely nothing about the narrator, readers get an entire profile. “A fully rounded character…bluff, sentimental, studiously conventional in his tastes and opinions…[Watson is] the very opposite of Holmes himself. The comedy and manners resulting from the contrast between the two men is, in no small degree, responsible for the enduring charm of the stories” (Ousby). The roundness of the characters creates a more enticing read because not only are readers solving the mystery, they also get a better understanding of the authors characters. Readers grow to love them and they dive into the adventure along with the characters because they seem so real.

Another defect is the lack of emotion and suspense in “Murders in the Rue Morgue”. Dupin only investigates the murder of the two women in order to amuse himself and also to show up the police force for having botched the case by sending the wrong man to jail. Holmes, though an arrogant character who likes to test his keen abilities like Dupin, goes further and does it more to help his clients and society as a whole. He goes above and beyond for justice and his clients benefit. In most of Doyle’s stories, he creates a sense of urgency for Holmes to solve the case. If Holmes does not complete the assignment by a certain time there will be dire consequences. For Dupin, however, in “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” there isn’t a sense of urgency at all, only the desire to solve the mystery for Dupin’s own satisfaction. The language is complicated and drags the story and the suspense of the mystery down, forcing readers to look up every other word for the first two pages. Doyle’s stories are more reader friendly, cutting back on explanations without leaving anything out, creating clear and concise plots.

In conclusion, “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is a good starting point for detective fiction due to its style, structure and elements, creating a genre that has impacted the world. Its direct correspondence to detective fiction is what makes it memorable but nothing more than that. It lacks the qualities that make fiction great.

Works Cited Ousby, Ian. “Detective Fiction Before 1945.” Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature. (2003): 255-257. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 23 May 2010.

Hailey Kasprowicz

English 3221 Section 16

May 28, 2010


 * Response Essay 1**

“Murders” Correspondence and Lack Luster in Detective Fiction

“Murders in the Rue Morgue” is considered by many critics to be the first modern detective story, giving way to an entire genre of fiction. “Murders in the Rue Morgue” corresponds to what mystery fiction should be, because it produces the elements and the structure of detective fiction, but lacks emotion, suspense and reality that other detective fiction stories excelled in.

Though “Murders in the Rue Morgue” was the first detective fiction story, its elements and structure still survive today in detective fiction. The first element is that a crime is usually committed, and the second is that a professional or amateur detective attempts to solve the crime. In “Murders in the Rue Morgue” two women are brutally murdered and the amateur detective C. August Dupin, using ratiocination, attempts to solve the murder. The third element is that after the crime is solved there is a detailed description of the steps taken by the detective to solve the crime, leading into the fourth element; restoration of order or justice being served. In “Murders in the Rue Morgue” Dupin reveals to the narrator how he solved the crime just before he revealed the culprit, explaining the locked room was not truly locked because the window was not really nailed shut, that the voice that was unrecognizable by witnesses was made from something inhuman and the brutal way the women were murdered could only be accomplished by something inhuman. And while justice is not seen for the women since the murderer was an orangutan, order becomes restored in Dupin’s world with the release of the wrongly accused man. There is sometimes a rivalry with the police and references to previous crimes solved by the detective that readers had read previously. Dupin rivals with the Prefect of Police, G- and his incompetent police force. Although not seen in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” since it is Poe’s first instance with Dupin, reference to other works is seen in the beginning of the “Purloined Letter,” “Murders in the Rue Morgue” and “The Murder of Marie Roget” mentioned as previous cases solved by the illustrious Dupin.

Poe presented an effective and inventive plot, especially for being the first detective fiction story. The deaths of the women were very gory compared to other detective fiction stories that would later be written and the inventive idea of how the women died in a locked room created more of a mystery for readers. The shocking conclusion as to how the women were murdered was different, an animal not usually seen as being a murderer. These qualities allow for the story to be remembered, but other more important qualities lacked in the story that would later be reprimanded in other stories in detective fiction.

The lacking qualities of “Murders in the Rue Morgue” appeal mainly to its poor character development, producing merely two dimensional characters. Dupin is a man who lives in Paris, France with his friend, who is not named, whom he met while both were searching for the same book of obscure literature. Dupin came from a wealthy family but has lost his wealth in some unfortunate way. This profile of Dupin is barely sufficient compared to a profile of Sherlock Holmes, who’s character nearly mirrors Dupin’s. Holmes though is described in detail as being a unique, eccentric, cold and calculating person who can be arrogant, but he is a champion of the people and does not seek fame for his work in cases. He is willing to break the law or disdain from the truth in order to help his clients. He also makes vivid deductions, and is a master of disguise. Even Poe’s unnamed narrator in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is given a name and characteristics in Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes stories, becoming Dr. John Watson: “ A fully rounded character…is bluff, sentimental, studiously conventional in his tastes and opinions…the very opposite of Holmes himself. The comedy and manners resulting from the contrast between the two men is, in no small degree, responsible for the enduring charm of the stories.” (Ousby) The roundness of the characters creates a more enticing read because not only are you solving the mystery, you also get a better understanding of your characters. You grow to love them and you dive into the adventure along with them because they seem so real. Emotion and suspense lacks in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” which would have enticed Poe’s story even more. Dupin only investigates the murder of the two women in order to amuse himself and also to show up the police force for having botched the case by sending the wrong man to jail. Holmes, though an arrogant character who likes to test his keen abilities like Dupin, goes further and does it more to help his clients and society as a whole. He goes above and beyond for justice and his clients wishes. In most of Doyles’s stories, he creates a sense of urgency for Holmes to solve the case. If Holmes does not complete the assignment by a certain time there will be dire consequences. For Dupin though in “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” there isn’t a sense of urgency at all, only the wanting to solve the mystery for Dupin’s own satisfaction. The language even is complicated and drags the story and the suspense of the mystery down, having to define every other word for the first two pages. Doyle’s stories are more reader friendly, cutting back on explanations without leaving anything out, creating clear and concise plots.

In conclusion, “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is a good starting point for most detective fiction due to its style, structure and elements, its invention by Poe creating a genre that has impacted the world. It’s direct correspondence to detective fiction is what makes it memorable but nothing more then that. It lacks qualities that make fiction great; emotion, suspense and reality.

Works Cited Ousby, Ian. “Detective Fiction Before 1945.” Continuum Encyclopedia of British Literature. (2003): 255-257. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Web. 23 May 2010.