The Conventions of Crime Fiction
Conventions are the criteria we use to judge which genre a text falls into.
They are the features that we'd expect of texts in a particular genre.
In each genre, we expect certain
- characters
- settings
- events
- themes
A mystery to be solved, preferably by us along with the detective.
We expect there to be
- foreshadowing of danger
- a crime, or crimes.
- detectives attempting to solve the crime
- clues
- red herrings (fake clues)
- a solution to the crime, restoration of order and justice to be served.
Reader involved in solving the crime
Detective's Notes -Events
- mystery
- foreshadowing of danger
- crime
- investigation
- clues
- solution
- reader involvement
Conventions
You'll need to be able to
- identify the conventions of crime fiction
- discuss examples of these conventions in a range of texts, including the crime fiction novel you've chosen for our genre study next term.
- Apply these conventions in your own writing.
Events
Setting
- Traditional crime fiction used stereotypically creepy or "dodgy" locations.
- Modern crime fiction uses everyday locations - why?
- Location is often accompanied by storm/rain and/or night when the crime is committed.
- Settings are depicted or described in detail to establish atmosphere.
Language
- First person OR third person limited narration following the detective's point of view.
- mainly action and dialogue rather than description.
Themes
What are the conventions?
- Danger
- Justice
- Good vs evil
- Corruption
- Power
- Morality
- Vulnerability of human life
- Fallibility (making mistakes)
Character
Crime fiction texts typically include:
- a victim
- suspect/s, criminal, villain
- detective
- traditional male detective
- "armchair detectives" who have no formal qualifications, but are very observant.
- police procedural (e.g. CSI)
- other professionals (e.g. anthropologists)
- minor villain/femme fatale: someone who hampers the investigation.
- Minor characters are often stereotypical.