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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 characters’ possible reasons for committing a crime. SIX ELEMENTS OF A MYSTERY. PLOT.
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A MYSTERY • Is a story of SUSPENSE that USUALLY contains a CRIME, a CRIME-SOLVER, a CRIMINAL, SUSPECTS, and KEYDETAILS such as clues, alibis, and characters’ possible reasons for committing a crime.
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.
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. • Information about a character can be revealed DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY. • Often a mystery will have FLAT (minor) characters as well as ROUND (major) characters.
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.
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 KEY DETAILS that will help you come to a logical conclusion at the end of the mystery.
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