StephanieR

Stephanie Romano Gruesser Essay #3  **Hardboiled vs. Classic Detective Fiction: Same Concept, Different in Approach**  Hardboiled detective fiction differs from the classic detective fiction in several significant ways. The types of plots and the type of detectives differ significantly. The types of detective fiction are different but one is not superior to the other, they are both great in their own ways.  One of the biggest differences is in the way that the story is told. In classic detective fiction the story is told from the third person. Hard-boiled detective fiction is told from the first person point of view. This brought a whole new type of detective fiction to literature. The reader now had a personal look into the mind of the detective rather than just assuming how the detective solves the mystery. In a way the detective takes the reader on the adventure of solving the mystery. The reader is able to solve the mystery at the same time as the detective rather than having the detective solve the case and then explain how he/she did so, the reader finds out at the same exact time as the detective which allows the reader to be “sucked” into the story easier.  Additionally the setting of the plots between classic and hard-boiled detective fiction differ. In classic detective fiction the setting in usually a “locked-room” mystery, and takes place in the United Kingdom countryside. Hard-boiled detection for the most part is set in a urban setting. So many stories take place in New York, Los Angeles, and a lot take place in New Orleans.  In classic detective fiction the detective has a very distinct character. For example in classic detective fiction such as Arthur Conan Doyle’s detective fiction, Dupin relies heavily on his skills of observation and analysis to solve the crimes. In hard-boiled detective fiction, the detectives use their surroundings in addition to their own observations. They investigate by interviewing people, and using every clue to lead them to the solution of the mystery. Sam Spade is a good example of this. In //Maltese Falcon// he speaks to several people to solve the mystery, and does not keep all of his observations to himself. Additionally he catches the murderer by probing her for answers with specific questions, and when her answers don’t add up she breaks down and admits her wrong doing.  Hard-boiled and classic detective fiction differ in many ways. The difference is notable in the plots, and the detectives. Hard-boiled detectives are newer, and use more than just their senses and analytical abilities to find out the answer to the problem. Cracking the case is done in very different ways between the two different types of detective fiction.

Essay #2


 * Female Sleuths vs. Male Sleuths - Intellect vs. Intuition**

Men are from Mars, Women are from venus. Males and females are different in so many ways, and therefore there are differences in the way a male and a female goes about solving a mystery. Besides being detectives, they do not have much in common at all. Their approaches are different, and their attitudes towards the profession differ. When there is a male detective in a story, factual evidence and analysis are the keys to solving the mystery; when a female detective is present intuition and emotional connections help solve the mystery.

Male detectives often follow the “Holmesian” ways. The male detective uses his logic and intellect only to solve the mystery. For example, in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” Detective Dupin is exceptionally smart, cunning, and pompous. He knows that he is the best at what he does, and he knows that with his wit he will be able to solve the mystery. Dupin solely uses his observation and knowledge to solve the mystery of who the murderer was. In no way does he use his instincts, intuition, or feelings to lead him to the solution. In order to solve the “locked-room” mystery he searches for clues within the room only, does not speak to anyone. He goes within the head of the murderer on an intellectual level and reenacts the murder in his head, even using the nail in the window as evidence of a getaway. If Dupin was a female detective the mystery may have been solved a different way. He may have dealt with the people around him more, gotten connected to them emotionally, and used his instincts. Instead he solely used his intellect and what he found to solve the mystery. There were no "hunches" or "gut feelings" because that is not how a male detective works.

Females by nature are emotional beings. In detective fiction women being so sympathetic towards others, and understanding other humans emotions helps them solve the mystery at hand. Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of her Peers” is a great example of females being different as detectives. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters are up against the motives for Mrs. Wright killing her husband. Instead of reenacting the murder, or looking for clues the women look within Mrs. Wrights head, into her emotions, and try and connect to her on a personal level to find out the reason for the murder. It is their keen observation of the way Mrs. Wright feels that allows them to put together the reason for her displeasure in the marriage and put together the puzzle of the empty cage and strangled bird. Instead of looking for evidence, they use their intuition to piece together the answer to the mystery. Males would have wanted factual evidence that proves their theory, but they didn’t need any of that. They were able to connect on a deeper level.

The significance of the different styles of male and female detective is it impacts the way the story unravels. With a male detective the reader can follow along as each piece of evidence is discovered. With a female detective the reader needs to connect to the story emotionally and empathize with the characters in order to piece the puzzle together. The difference between male and female detectives is how the audience must read the story. Men and women are very different human beings, and the evidence is clear within how each goes about solving the problem at hand.

Stephanie Romano Gruesser Detective Fiction

Most critics regard Edgar Allan Poe's "The Murders in the Rue Morgue" as the first modern detective story. What is your assessment of it? Does it correspond to, fall short of, or exceed your notion of what detective and mystery fiction is or should be?

Murders inthe Rue Morgue Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” corresponds to my notion of detective fiction. The first thing that matches my expectations is the detective himself and his character. Additionally the formula for the story matches my expectations of what a detective story should be, it grabs the reader and keeps them guessing. Being considered the first modern detective story, Poe does a wonderful job to mislead the reader and leaves them stumped so that the conclusion of the story is intriguing and often times shocking. Detective fiction appeals to readers because it offers a challenge of “whodunit”, “wherewuzit”, “whydidit” or “whatwasit”. The challenge of the author is to keep the reader guessing throughout the story, sometimes throw the reader off, and sometimes lead the reader directly to the answer to the mystery. “Murders in the Rue Morgue” keeps the reader constantly searching for an answer to who committed the murder. This story is a “locked room” mystery where the reader and the police are looking within the room for clues, but Dupin must go into the mind of the criminal and looks for the escape route that the murder took. It is Dupin who uses his keen senses to observe the nail and uses that with the clue of the odd noises heard to come to the conclusion that it is not a human who committed this gory horrific crime. The first few pages of the story is an in depth analysis of the mind of a brilliant man, and is compared to a wonderful checkers player. In order to win at checkers, or cards the player must go into the mind of the opposition and predict every move. This is how Dupin works. He enters the mind of the criminal and then solves the mystery. Dupin is a pompous, self-involved detective. Rather than solve the mystery for the good of the community, he is more interested in solving it for his own pleasure. In regards to detective fiction “Murders in the Rue Morgue” matches my notion of what detective fiction should be, but does not exceed it. The detective is the typical character, one who is self involved, gains personal pleasure from solving the mystery, and is immensely intelligent. Poe keeps the reader guessing, and in this case looking for the wrong type of criminal. The reader is looking for a human to accuse of the murder, yet it ends up being an animal. Poe did a wonderful job with this story, and the shock that the reader feels at the end when the solution to the mystery comes out of left field is proof. If this was a poorly written story the reader would be able to figure out almost immediately who committed the crime, and that would be no fun for the reader. "Murders in the Rue Morgue" meets all of the expectations of what a detective story should be.