Lauren

 Response Essay 3 Classic vs. Hard-Boiled Detection: Distinct Differences   Classic detection differs greatly from hard-boiled detection in numerous ways. Both genres of detective fiction encompass elements necessary to not only tie the story together, but to have the story make sense. Such elements include the use of language, action, and various ways to solve the crime or puzzle presented in the story. Although both genres put the same components to use, the manner in which they do so sets the tone for the story from the very beginning.   Classic detective fiction’s use of language differs from that of hard -boiled detective fiction in many ways. For instance, in a classic detection story there is seldom use of callous language to get ones point across. Hard-boiled fiction, however, uses harsher language for a racier point of view. Classic fiction uses an “old school” approach that uses more intellect and sophistication. An example of this type of language can be found in Edgar Allan Poe’s, //Murders in the Rue Morgue//. Detective Dupin speaks in a highly refined manner in which he gets his point across in a not so obvious manner. At one point during the introduction to the story he states, "As the strong man exults in his physical ability, delighting in such exercises as call his muscles into action, so glories the analyst in that moral activity which disentangles" (22). This demonstrates Dupin’s ability to explain how the human mind can function in an analytic way. He uses comparative language to make his point clear, yet it still requires some thought. Hard –boiled detective fiction uses a crude, “new school” approach for a more vulgar and in your face point. A perfect example of this type of language can be found in Walter Mosley’s, //Devil in a Blue Dress//. The character, Mr. Albright is portrayed as a “tough guy” who always seems to get what he wants. At one point in the novel, he holds a gun to a young mans eye and says, “Don’t twitch now, I want you to see the bullet coming” (102). This line not only creates a strong image, but shows that the use of violence got Mr. Albright’s point across which was “Get out of here!” (102).   Action in a story is what //makes// the story. There is more use of action in a hard-boiled story than in a classic story. In classic detection, the action takes place prior to the story actually beginning and we simply “hear” about the action through description. For example, in Susan Glaspell’s, //A Jury of her Peers//, the murder of Mr. Wright takes place before the story ever begins. The reader discovers that a crime has been committed when the Mr. and Mrs. Hale and Mr. and Mrs. Peters arrive at the Wright house and ask Mrs. Wright where her husband is to which she replies, “He’s dead.” Once the discovery has been made, the reader is then drawn into the story eager to find out what had taken place for the end result to be murder. On the contrary, in a story such as Dashiell Hammett’s, //The Maltese Falcon//, the action begins when Brigid O’Shaughnessy shows up at Sam Spades office under the false name of “Miss Wonderly” and does not die down until the very end when Spade turns all the crooks into the police. The type of action in hard-boiled detection involves the reader and keeps them on the edge of their seats, eagerly waiting for the next twist of events to take place.   There are many ways to solve a problem such as those presented in detective novels. In a hard-boiled novel the main character always seems to have a gut feeling or big reliance on their instincts, they know someone is guilty and strive to find the proof needed to find the culprit. A prime example of this can be found in Walter Mosley’s, //Devil in a Blue Dress//. The main character in the story, “Easy” Rawlins, is not what many may refer to as the “typical” detective. He is not a police detective, he does not own his own nor work for a detective agency; he was simply hired by a man to “look for someone.” Throughout the course of the story, Easy becomes involved with many different people, primarily a man by the name of Mr. Albright, the one who has hired him. Easy demonstrates the use of “gut feeling” during a scene where Mr. Albright is waiting for Easy at his house. Mr. Albright tells Easy that he wants him to find a man by the name of Frank Green and once he does so, he will be left alone. Easy makes a comment in which he says, “It wasn’t an offer at all. Somehow I knew that Mr. Albright planned to kill me. Either he’d kill me right then or he’d wait until I found Frank Green” (151). This shows that a hard-boiled detective operates off of instinct and intuition to not only solve a problem, but protect himself in the process. A classic detective story stays true to the use of clues, puzzles and a cut and dry type of proof to catch the “evil doer.” A great example of this type of problem solving can be found in Edgar Allan Poe’s, //Murders in the Rue Morgue//. The detective in the story, Dupin, relies on his skill of observation and physical evidence to effectively solve a case. Throughout the story, Dupin is continually pointing out minute details that eventually lead to the shocking conclusion of how the murders took place and who committed the crime. For example, he finds a small spring in the window and a hair ribbon at the crime scene which he uses to piece together the events.   To say that classic detection and hard-boiled detection have strengths and weaknesses would not be a valid point to make. What some readers look for in both of these genres, others may not. How successful a detection story is depends solely on the reader’s preference. The elements used in both genres make the stories and novels unique in their own ways. There is no exact recipe for a suspenseful and intriguing detection story; it is all about the ingredients the author puts in to tell the story.

Response Essay 2


 * The Female Sleuth: Formidable Competition for the Male Detective**

Female sleuths differ greatly from their male counterparts in how they go about solving cases and finding connections between suspects and evidence. Male detectives usually follow a very Holmesian tradition heavily influenced by fact and evidence whereas female sleuths have a more sensible approach that allows them to create unique connections between evidence and characters that usually lead to solving a case. The female sleuth uses various emotional connections, sympathetic tendencies, and genuine intuition, making them formidable and efficient competition for male detectives who generally rely on deductive thought, a concise system of analysis, and factual evidence.

The female sleuth tends to be a character that forms and emotional connection with another character in a story. In “Jury of Her Peers” by Susan Glaspell the characters Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters form an emotional bond with the suspect Mrs. Wright during the events of the story, after realizing the changes that Minnie Foster went through while becoming Mrs. Wright. Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale recall how Mrs. Wright used to be before marriage, when Mrs. Hale states, “I heard she used to wear pretty clothes and be lively, when she was Minnie Foster, one of the town girls singing in the choir.” Mrs. Hale’s recollection of Minnie Foster and the changes in her vibrant personality influence the direction of the women’s investigation leading them to look at the smaller less obvious details such as the crooked stitching on the quilt, the messy kitchen, and the dead bird. The women identify with Mrs. Wright’s unhappiness and begin to sympathize with her situation.

Mrs. Hale and Mrs Peters start making connections between the “minor” details and the causes of unhappiness in Mrs. Wright’s marriage as they began to put themselves in her position. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters imply that at that time when the story takes place women were expected to be the “typical” housewife who looked after their husband and the house. The women begin to sympathize with Mrs. Wright as they imagine what it would be like to be in an oppressive and emotionally abusive relationship. The women begin to deduce that as Mrs. Wright became less and less happy her stitching was not straight, when her bird was killed she stopped singing, and as the relationship progressed the kitchen became messier. While intuition took over and determined Mrs. Wright’s motives the women’s sympathy drove Mrs. Peters and Mrs. Hale to tamper with the evidence and conceal their findings.

While Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters were trying to be sensible and look for clues that would reveal a motive based on behavior, their male counterparts spent more time analyzing the murder scene to find Mrs. Wright’s motive. The men were upstairs in the bedroom searching for hard evidence that would provide an answer to the murder. The women were able to make a connection between the snapped neck of the bird and the rope around Mr. Wright’s neck whereas the men overlooked smaller details in the process of looking for a clear answer. Male detectives tend to overlook smaller details because they are less affected by softer emotions and are less knowledgeable about women’s lives and behavior.

The differences between a female sleuth and her male counterpart are significant because they mirror real life. Women are more apt to pay attention to smaller details that incur emotional and sympathetic responses whereas men are more likely to focus on facts and obvious details. Women rely more on intuition and comparison to their own behavior. Men are more likely to try to figure out a problem rather than to step back and view it from a different perspective. The differences in these traits are apparent after reading “Jury of Her Peers,” however, both female and male detectives can effectively solve mysteries with their particular methods. “Jury of Her Peers” relieves women of the “helpless” image and provides and example of a formidable foil for the male detective.


 * 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?**

As readers of detective fiction, we all have different perceptions abut the traits and characteristics the detective in the story must possess. In “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” Poe introduces a detective whom many seem to view as pompous and arrogant. However, after reading and reflecting on the story, I believe the character encompasses all necessary attributes of the modern detective. Detective Dupin puts to use his keen observational skills, logical thinking, and creativity to solve the mystery at hand.

When beginning to solve a mystery, clues are of the utmost importance and the detective must have a keen eye for detail. Often, many detectives start with the end result, the crime itself, and work their way backwards to find clues that led up to the action. Detective Dupin, on the other hand, begins by breaking down each piece and carefully examining every inch of the crime scene. In doing so, he is able to talk his way through the actions he believes to have taken place. This skill allows him to look for the clues he needs to find before they present themselves. For example, throughout the investigation, Dupin continually highlights pieces of evidence that have been overlooked by the police. “A concealed spring must, I now know, exist; and this corroboration of my idea convinced me that my premises, at least, were correct, however mysterious still appeared the circumstances attending the nails. A careful search soon brought to light the hidden spring” (19). His eye for such detail opens up many other possibilities to what truly happened and leaves not only the other characters, but the reader, as well, questioning how such a minute piece of evidence can turn a whole case around.

Logical thinking is a must have detective character trait. Many may feel that in order to solve a mystery, the detective must become extremely involved in all aspects of the case. Dupin’s character differs greatly in this sense, and I believe it to be for the better. He removes himself from any and all personal connection towards the case by stating, “an inquiry will afford us amusement” (14). This allows him to take a step back and use his logical thinking skills to figure out the events that had occurred. If not for logic, the entangled mess of clues would have remained just that. Dupin broke down each part of the case and was able to piece the puzzle together in his mind coming to the conclusion that a “whatwuzit” Ourang-Outang was the “murderer” in question.

In order to capture the criminal, the detective must get into the mind of the perpetrator. Once Detective Dupin comes to a solution regarding the mystery, he uses a great sense of his imagination and creativity to lure the owner of the Ourang-Outang to his office. He places a cleverly worded ad in the newspaper stating that the animal was found all the while knowing that the sailor would come forward and claim the Ourang-Outang because it was “of great value” (25). His plan was a success and the sailor came forward and confirmed that Dupin’s result was accurate. By placing himself in the mind of a party involved in the crime, Dupin was able to take necessary steps and gain superiority over the sailor. The skill of creativity is an essential trait because every case is unique and will require the detective to think outside the box.

I found that “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” met all of my expectations for what a detective and mystery story should be. It is of my opinion that the most important element in a story of mystery is the detective himself. It is the personality of the detective that initially grabs and holds the attention of the reader. Prior to Detective Dupin’s introduction, the story seemed to lack structure. Even as confusing as Dupin could be in his rants, his involvement in the story brought everything to light. His character truly possess all of the qualities necessary to create a gripping and evolving story that entertains the reader and drives the underlying feeling of suspense.