Understanding the Intricacies of Suspense and Mystery in Literature
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Suspense and mystery are intertwined elements that drive narrative tension. While all mystery stories contain suspense, not all suspense stories revolve around a mystery. Suspense evokes feelings of curiosity, anxiety, or uncertainty, crafted through plot developments, dramatic irony, and character actions in tense situations. In mysteries, the storyline typically involves a crime, a crime-solver, suspects, and key details—where the setting is crucial for uncovering clues. Recognizing character traits and their potential motives enhances the reader's journey in deciphering the truth of the narrative.
Understanding the Intricacies of Suspense and Mystery in Literature
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Presentation Transcript
SUSPENSE • Not all suspense stories contain a mystery But • all mystery stories must contain suspense
SUSPENSE • Is a feeling of CURIOSITY, ANXIETY or UNCERTAINTY about the outcome of events
SUSPENSE IS CREATED • Through the PLOT dramatic irony (the reader wonders if the character will discover the truth before it’s too late), unexplained occurrences, intensifying conflict • Through the SETTING • Through the CHARACTERS words, actions, in risky/tense situations
A MYSTERY • Is a story of SUSPENSE that USUALLY contains a CRIME, a CRIME-SOLVER, a CRIMINAL, SUSPECTS, and KEY DETAILS such as CLUES, alibis, and motive
PLOT • In a mystery the SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (PLOT) may be given out of order as clues are discovered. • So, you MUST keep track of events on a timeline in the order they occur - NOT necessarily in the order told in the story.
SETTING • In a mystery, the SETTING (where, when, conditions, etc) is VERY IMPORTANT • It will often include CLUES to solving the mystery.
IN LITERATURE, CHARACTERS ARE: • Revealed using DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION (the reader is told what the character is like) or INDIRECTCHARACTERIZATION (the reader must infer what the character is like) • Either ROUND (having many identifiable traits) or FLAT (having few identifiable traits) • Either DYNAMIC (changes as a result of the conflict) or STATIC (does not change)
CHARACTERS • In a mystery the reader MUST keep track of the characters’ traits, actions, words because all of these things can be clues to explaining MOTIVE and ALIBI(in a crime situation), and to solving the mystery.
SUSPECTS • ANYONE can be a SUSPECT. • You need to analyze each character as a good suspect or unlikely suspect based on their: • MOTIVE (reason for committing the crime) • ALIBI(excuse as to why they couldn’t possibly have committed the crime)
CRIME • The CRIME is the “what happened to whom” part of the mystery. • Remember - a crime is NOT always a murder or other gory act of violence. • In some mysteries, the CRIME may be replaced by an unexplained occurrence.
THE CRIME-SOLVER • The CRIME-SOLVER is the person in the story responsible for figuring out what happened to whom and why. • The CRIME-SOLVER generally has very specific, unique character traits that set him or her apart from the rest of the characters. • The CRIME-SOLVER is usually ROUND and DYNAMIC.
A GOOD DETECTIVE • Is logical • Keeps track of EVERY detail • Makes charts, graphs, notes • Uses the charts, graphs, notes to organize thinking in order to solve the mystery
CRIMINAL • The CRIMINAL is the person responsible for the crime. • Usually the CRIMINAL is on the list of suspects but has a weak alibi coupled with a strong motive. • In the end, it must be clear to the reader how and why the CRIMINAL acted as he did.
CLUES TO THE RESOLUTION • NOTHING in a mystery is too small to ignore. • EVERYTHING is a potential CLUE to the resolution. • It is IMPORTANT for you to keep track of EVERY DETAIL in order to decide what are KEYDETAILS that will help you come to a logical conclusion at the end of the mystery.
