The typology of detective fiction ,”

1. The typology of detective fiction,” Tzvetan Todorov

2. Tzvetan Todorov discusses genre and then uses his discussion of genre to discuss literature and how genre creates literature

3. CLASSICAL PERIOD • PAST- NO GENRES ; NO VALUE • IF SO WITH ONLY A PENALISING TENDENCY • HAD SET CODES

4. ROMANTIC PERIOD ROMANTICIST- • refused totally to accept any genre- so genre was not developed LATER • a Tendency to review using genre • typology meant description of WOA(Work of art) • not satisfactory

5. Difficulties Genre referred to analysis of structure of WOA • First • to explore measurable elements • Second • describes structure [ classical period did not have measurable elements solid but had only abstract logics]

6. Attributing specific character to any aesthetic norm • Every WOA creates two genres • One it transgresses • One it creates Eg. ‘The charter house’- transgresses French novel norms • Bears similarity to Stendhalian novel

7. “Stendhal consistently links various colours to specific themes, attitudes, or moods. Red, associated with passion and revolutionary impulses, and black, suggesting despair and death, are the most important in his rich palette of colours. Green, a kind of lesser black, may signal agitation or disorder.”

8. There is one type of WOA belonging to own genre • That is a detective novel • Has its own norms • To develop norms is to distract it • In other words, development is writing literature

9. Whodunit –detective novel ( who done it) • Conforms rigidly to genre Eg. No orchids for Miss Blandish • Incarnation of genre and not a transcendence[ perfection/superior • [ earlier no genres to describe popular literature- if there had been there would not have been any popular literature-all one and the same]

10. Aesthetic aspects of literature • Now two types • High art & popular art • Elements of measurement are different

11. Todorov presents three kinds of detective fiction: whodunit, thriller, and suspense. • Todorov says “that between two such different forms there has developed a third, which combines their properties” referring to the whodunit and the thriller creating to make the suspense

12. Classic detective fiction-Whodunit novel • Whodunit novel • Originated and attained its peak during world wars • “contains not one but two stories: the story of the crime and the story of the investigation Two Murders First murder Second murder (Criminal) Crime (Detective) investigation First story ----leading to -------------------------------------second story • ‘what really happened how the reader comes to know • Part I Part II

13. A small green index-card on which is typed: Odel, Margaret 184. W. Seventy First Street. Murder: Strangled about 11 p.m. Apartment robbed. Jewels stolen. Body found by Amy Gibson, maid. [S.S.Van Dine, The ‘Canary’ Murder]

14. Part –II-Second story • Has a special status in Whodunit • Has a geometric structure • Characters do not act; they learn • Nothing happens to them • As a rule of the genre, detectives are immune to any danger • Readers learn- a slow apprenticeship -Clue after clue; lead after lead

15. Detective writes his experiences as a book- • His friend informs to others • Detectives states how this book has been written –bears literary nature while the first story bears nothing- just a statement of murder or robbery • author does not disclose the murderer/not even imagines a character[c devoid of literary nature] • In 2nd part the real story of the book lies

16. Examples • Agatha Christie’ Murder on the Orient Express Twelve suspects Twelve chapters Twelve interrogations A prologue [discovery of crime An epilogue [discovery of killer]

18. The two definitions define two aspects also Russian Formalists isolated into fable (story) and subject (plot) [ not satisfying story] ‘Story’ is what has happened in ones life ‘Plot’ is what the author presents the story to us. No two notions but two aspects of one story • A murdered B-story • How it is narrated? What are literary devices used?

19. Possibility of paradox First part- story of an absence • Narrator can not transmit the conversations nor describe the actions of between characters implicitly Second part • Words are heard • actions observed • Status is just an excessive one having no importance in itself • A mediator between reader and the first story of crime

20. First story in absence is significant and real second story much present yet insignificant and unreal • Some publishers suppress details and let the secret in the last page as letter/envelop e.g.. Judge’s verdict • Literary devices employed in first story -that the Author cannot explain • Two types • Temporal inversions (sequential ) • Individual points of view The tenor/sense of it is determined by the person who transmits it No observation exists with out an observer Author cannot be an omniscient [present every where]

21. Second story • All the devices are justified here • Care to be taken 2nd story not be opaque • Not casting useless shadow on the first Style must be neutral and plain and also imperceptible[ not detectable]

22. The Thriller • Fuses both the 1st and 2nd stories • Suppresses the 1st • Vitalizes the second • crime Anterior[first/front] is not disclosed before narrative • Narrative [2nd] coincides with the action • It is not presented as a memoir [account/record] • No point is reached where the narrator comprehends the past • No idea if he achieves any end • Prospection takes the place of retrospection [ • No imagination ; no mystery; no suspense

23. Yet readers are interested in two forms of it • Curiosity- proceeds from effect [corpse and clues]to cause [culprit and his motive] • Suspense- cause [donnes/ gangsters preparing heist] to effect [corpse and clues] Interest is sustained to what would happen to detective- he may be hurt or killed- detective takes risks One story with two stories blended The thriller need not perform specific transformation in order to appear on the scene It did not follow any structure –

24. THRILLER CURIOSITY SUSPENSE proceeds from Effect to Cause Cause to Effect CAUSE- Corpse and Clue EFFECT- Culprit and his motive

25. No method of presentation for thriller of later years • Focused on milieu it represented; specific characters with special behaviour and in its theme • Milieu is violent- violence/immortality is as much as noble feelings[beatings, killings etc. • No mystery even if it did not hold central function unlike whodunit[mystery was the centre in whodeunit] • Earlier thrillers included the element of mystery • Eg. DashielHammet & Raymond chandler

26. Gradually thriller turned to be a genre • encapsulating • Danger • Pursuit • Combat • bearing a tendency towards • Marvelous • Exotic Resembling • Travel narrative • Science fiction Thriller is different from adventurous story Different from even detective novel The difference in the milieu and behaviour are the cause to make thriller a genre

27. Thriller as a genre according to Van Dine • One detective; one criminal; one victim [corpse] • Culprit must not be professional criminal; must not be detective; must kill for personal reasons • No love • Culprit must have certain importance in life; (no chamber maid or a butler] • Everything must be rational- no fantasy • No description • No psychological analysis • Homology of story • ‘author: reader= criminal: detective.’ • Banal (trivial , common place) situations must be avoided

28. suspence • Combination of whodunit & thriller • Originated along with thriller • describes the milieu like thriller Composition is like that of whodunit • Has two sub types

29. Suspence

30. Evolution of these forms are in stages • All three forms exist now unlike other genres • Detective novel tried to disenthrall from old convictions /genre to establish new code • If we trace peculiar detective novel it need not efface the existing one; instead can create new one bearing no semblance to any of the existing form. • It is constituted of complex properties logically not similar to earlier forms