patti

 Detective and mystery fiction has frequently and quite successfully been adapted to the big screen. Do you prefer detection in print or on film? What can be done (or done better) in one medium that can't be done (or done as well) in the other?
 * WEEK 5 Revision **

(Please paste your response for this week on your own page ABOVE that for the previous week.) Detective and mystery fiction is frequently adapted to the big screen. Such adaptations have both its strengths and weaknesses, in that the movie version can either enhance or completely ruin the plotline of the story. Detective fiction is brought to life through the movies, with accurate depictions of the setting and background, portrayal of the characters, and even the mood appropriate background music. Yet, while the film version can create the visual that the reader has in their mind, it may not be exactly what the reader imagines. For example, I didn’t picture Jennifer Beals as Daphne Monet in //Devil in a Blue Dress//, but I believe the casting of Denzel Washington as Easy was perfect. That being said, I don’t prefer print over film or vice versa. It depends on the book and how it is presented in visual form. In //Devil in a Blue Dress//, I preferred the movie over the book. The movie strayed from the book’s plotline, changing character details and major story plots. Yet, it is understandable because of the time allotted in a movie as opposed to the luxury of reading a book. One of the advantages of this movie was the lighting. The movie casts shadows on the faces of the characters, as well as different settings, to create the perfect mood of suspense and mystery. One particular scene in the movie that is the turning point is when Albright kidnaps Daphne from Easy’s house because of the pictures he believed she possesses. This leads to the big “shoot-em-up” scene, which is important. The lighting is perfect in this scene, with shadows falling on the “bad guys”, and Easy’s inability to see whom he is shooting creates the perfect amount of suspense. Print and film both have their strengths and weaknesses. Film can take shortcuts, cutting scenes out of the movie that are important to the book. This can lead to changing the story completely, which takes away from the success of the movie. Yet, the film can paint the picture on a big screen that the book can not show. Meanwhile, one of the print’s weaknesses (that isn’t a true weakness) is that the reader is not in the same frame of mind as the author and can not paint the mental picture the author intended. Yet, the reader is allowed to let the imagination run wild and visualize the characters, settings, and other important pieces of the story as they want too. Detective fiction is appealing in both print and film. Yet, it depends on the adaptation of the book to the big screen in order to establish which one is the better version. Both the movie and the book have their advantages and their weaknesses, yet in the case of //Devil in a Blue Dress// for example, I preferred the movie over the book. The casting was almost exactly what I pictured in my head, and the setting matched what I expected from the book, right down to Easy’s small, simple house he was so proud of.

In what ways do female sleuths diverge from their male counterparts, and what is significant about the differences between them?
 * Week 3 Revision **

(Please paste your response for this week on your own page ABOVE that for the previous week.)

Female sleuths differ from their male counterparts in a number of ways. Males and females naturally have different thought patterns in their everyday lives, so it is appropriate that their detection methods differ completely. Men have a more methodical, scientific nature, while women possess a more caring, sympathetic nature. Men also tend to approach the crime scenes differently than women, choosing to view the case from the mind of the suspect, while women view the case from the mind of the victim. Overall, the differences are very significant and make a major impact in the emotions created by their individual stories.


 * Poe’s Dupin is a prime example of a stereotypical male detective. Dupin is very analytical, looking at the case as if it were a puzzle that needs to be solved. This is commented on in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” when the narrator begins talking about the whist game. The whist game can be seen as a symbol of the case that is to be solved. “Deprived of ordinary resources, the analyst throws himself into the spirit of his opponent, identifies himself therewith, and not unfrequently sees thus, at a glance, the sole methods (sometimes indeed absurdly simple ones) by which he may seduce into error or hurry into miscalculation.” Dupin sees the case as a competition to solve it first, which is typically a male viewpoint. **


 * The women in Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers” are more emotional. They are more sympathetic and can very easily get in the mindset of Mrs. Wright, whom they view more as a victim than a criminal. Mrs. Hale sees the crimes committed against Mrs. Wright by her husband, and can understand why she murdered him. The women begin to see that Mr. Wright treated Minnie horribly, and that Minnie was not herself anymore. This is obvious by what Mrs. Hale discovers. “Slowly she moved toward the table. One half of it was wiped clean, the other half messy. Her eyes made a slow, almost unwilling turn to the bucket of sugar and the half empty bag beside it. Things begun--and not finished.” **


 * The most important difference is the sexism in “A Jury of Her Peers.” The men treat women like objects, but the women are more observant and aware of what is going on around them than they let on. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters see that Mrs. Wright left things half done, while the men just see that Mrs. Wright must be guilty. They do not look for a motive; they just convict her in their minds without a trial. If the men knew the motive, they would not have let Mrs. Wright go, whereas the women do. **


 * Overall, the differences between men and women detectives are the same differences one can see in everyday life. Women are naturally more in tuned with their emotions, and have a tendency to thoroughly think things through. Men are more analytical, wanting to know just the facts without a reason or emotion behind them. **

Works Cited [] []

    I enjoyed this story. I do think Poe stretched it out a bit, especially in the beginning with the discussion about the various games. It was important because of the implications that chess has towards Dupin’s rationalization methods. Chess is a game of intense thinking and concentration, both of which Dupin present in attempting to solve the murders of Madame L’Espanaye and her daughter. The narrator suggests in the introduction that the games of whist and draughts efficiently reveal the talents of a truly analytical person. Without Dupin’s ratiocination, the “murder “committed by the Ourang-Outang would have gone an unsolved mystery. I don’t think G- would have realized that the hair belonged to the Ourang-Outang, nor would he have realized the window was not nailed shut. Poe has succeeded in creating the incompetent police force that rivals Dupin’s scientific investigation. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Poe is very successful in creating Dupin’s character. Dupin is not a professional detective, but always manages to somehow solve the mystery. Dupin is a brilliant, observant man, yet there is a very human aspect to him as well. I managed to become just as immersed in the mystery as Dupin, and found myself looking forward to how he will solve the mystery. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> While this is not a murder in the traditional sense (as it was committed by an animal), it is a true piece of detective fiction. There is suspense and a mystery that is solved by a competent detective. “Murders” corresponds with exactly what I believe a piece of detective fiction should be, right down to the twist in the true identity of the killer.
 * <span style="font-size: 12pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">WEEK 2 REVISION (2ND REVISION) **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A modern detective story should contain four major elements. These include: the commission of a crime, a professional or amateur detective who attempts (either willingly or unwillingly) to solve a crime, a detailed description of the steps taken to solve the crime, and some form of justice meted out. **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Upon reading Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” it becomes clear to me that Poe has established the first modern detective story. “Murders” contains all of the elements necessary to write a piece of detective fiction, as well as an added suspense that turns the story into a “locked room mystery.” Poe has managed to pave the way for other authors (i.e. Doyle and Hammett) to produce great works of detective fiction by establishing the conventions for the genre. In my opinion, I believe “Murders” was a very interesting detective story that truly defined what a detective story should be. **<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Poe establishes the standard conventions that most pieces of detective fiction utilize. The most obvious in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is the convention of the rivalry between the detective and an incompetent police force. Dupin’s biggest rival is G-, the police prefect. Dupin takes delight in solving the case before anyone else has, seemingly without taking any time. ** <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The most important piece of the whodunit, in my opinion, is the intellectual puzzle. Dupin is constantly thinking and questioning every aspect of the crime in this story. He continually speaks to the unnamed narrator as he searches the Rue Morgue, virtually unaware of his presence. However, when he has finally solved the puzzle, he does not reveal it right away to the narrator or the reader. This allows the reader more time to solve the puzzle, while Dupin gives us a hint that he has solved the case. “ ** <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; msobidifontfamily: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; msoasciifontfamily: Calibri; msohansifontfamily: Calibri;">What the suspicion is, however, I will not say just yet. I merely wish you to bear in mind that, with myself, it was sufficiently forcible to give a definite form—a certain tendency—to my inquiries in the chamber” (pg 23). Dupin is merely the “detached observer,” solving the crime without truly becoming involved. <span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

Works Cited: http://www.poemuseum.org/selected_works/rue_morgue.html

Detective and mystery fiction has frequently and quite successfully been adapted to the big screen. Do you prefer detection in print or on film? What can be done (or done better) in one medium that can't be done (or done as well) in the other?

(Please paste your response for this week on your own page ABOVE that for the previous week.) Detective and mystery fiction is frequently adapted to the big screen. This genre has both its strengths and weaknesses in its adaptation, in that the movie version can either enhance or completely ruin the plotline of the story. Detective fiction is brought to life through the movies, with accurate depictions of the setting and background, portrayal of the characters, and even the mood appropriate background music. Yet, while the film version can create the visual that the reader has in their mind, it may not be the appropriate visualization. For example, I didn’t picture Jennifer Beals as Daphne Monet in //Devil in a Blue Dress//, but I believe the casting of Denzel Washington as Easy was perfect. That being said, I don’t prefer print over film or vice versa. It depends on the book and how it is presented in visual form.

In //Devil in a Blue Dress//, I preferred the movie over the book. The movie strayed from the book’s plotline, changing character details and major story plots. Yet, it is understandable because of the time allotted in a movie as opposed to the luxury of reading a book. One of the advantages of this movie was the lighting. The movie casts shadows on the faces of the characters, as well as different settings, to create the perfect mood of suspense and mystery. One particular scene in the movie that is the turning point is when Albright kidnaps Daphne from Easy’s house because of the pictures he believed she possessed. This leads into the big ‘shoot-em-up’ scene, which is important. The lighting is perfect in this scene, with shadows falling on the ‘bad guys’, and Easy’s inability to see whom he is shooting creates the perfect amount of suspense.

Print and film both have their strengths and weaknesses. Film can take shortcuts, in which they cut scenes out of the movie that were important to the book. This can lead to changing the story completely, which takes away from the success of the movie. Yet, the film can paint the picture on a big screen that the book can not show. Meanwhile, one of the print’s weaknesses (that isn’t a true weakness) is that the reader is not in the same frame of mind as the author and can not paint the mental picture the author intended. Yet, the reader is allowed to let their imagination run wild and visualize the characters, settings, and other important pieces of the story as they want too.

Detective fiction is appealing in both print and film. Yet, it depends on the adaptation of the book to the big screen in order to establish which one is the better version. Both the movie and the book have their advantages and their weaknesses, yet in the case of //Devil in a Blue Dress// for example, I preferred the movie over the book. The casting was exactly what I pictured in my head, and the setting matched what I expected in the book, right down to Easy’s small, simple house he was so proud of.

In what notable ways does hard-boiled detection differ from classic detection and what are the strengths and weaknesses of each? **
 * Week 4 Revision

Classic and hard-boiled detective fiction share many of the same qualities. Yet, there are two distinct types of detection that are very different. There are many significant ways that hard-boiled detection differs from classic detection. Major differences include the language and dialogue, the involvement of the detective in the story, the emphasis on plot over character or vice versa, and the differences in class distinction (i.e. “aristocracy” in classic vs. working class in hard-boiled).

In classic, or whodunit, detective fiction, there are quite a few specific characteristics. Such stories include an intellectual puzzle, involve the aristocracy, regard the plot as being more important then the character, use ratiocination, show the detective as a detached observer, involve the use of scientific investigation or a psychological study, are placed in an urban or rural setting, and are sexless. These characteristics are common to all classic detection stories, including those written by Poe and Doyle.

Poe’s stories truly encompass the qualities mentioned above. “Murders in the Rue Morgue,” for example, involves the majority of these characteristics. Dupin is merely the detached observer, attempting to solve the puzzle of the murder in a locked room. Dupin observes the mystery from a scientific standpoint, trying to piece together the mystery using ratiocination and his own wits. The plot is more important than the character of Dupin, whom we don’t know much about. This story, however, does not involve the aristocracy, which is atypical of a piece of classic detective fiction.

“A Scandal in Bohemia” is another example of classic fiction. Holmes once again uses scientific reasoning and relies on ratiocination to retrieve a stolen article. Holmes is not truly involved in the case, which elevates the importance of the plot. Holmes’ scientific methods are fully explained at the end of the short story as well.

In contrast, hard boiled or what-the-hell-is-going-on fiction involve its own characteristics. These stories involve a moral dilemma, are democratic or classless, value the character over the plot, involve a very active detective, are set in an urban environment, and place an emphasis on sex and masculinity, as well as misogyny. These characteristics are found in many of the later novels we have read, including Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon and Chandler’s The Big Sleep.

An example of hard boiled fiction is Hammett’s The Maltese Falcon. The detective, Sam Spade, is not a passive observer. He is actively engaged in the story, going against the authorities, even if it means trouble for himself. He risks his life throughout the story, meeting with the criminals and withholding information from the police. There is no sense of aristocracy in this story – the characters all seem to be working class citizens in an urban setting.

There is a huge emphasis placed on sexuality and misogyny in Hammett’s novel. Spade has or has had a sexual affair with at least two of the women in the story. He falls for Brigid O’Shaughnessy, who is his client turned suspect. The sexual attraction between the two of them becomes obvious, with Sam even stating his obvious attraction. “ You won't need much of anybody's help. You're good. Chiefly your eyes, I think, and that throb you get in your voice when you say things like 'Be generous, Mr. Spade.' “(pg 35) He had an affair with Iva, his (dead) partner Archer’s wife. Finally, it is implied that there is some type of relationship with his secretary Effie. While it is not stated if it is a sexual or flirtatious relationship, there is some type of chemistry there. Yet, he does not love any of these women. It is mainly a physical attraction.

In the end, both hard boiled and classic detection fiction have their strengths and weaknesses. Hard boiled fiction paints the men of that time as misogynist and sexist, and the women as either femme fatales or helpless victims. There are stereotypes that are highlighted in this type of fiction; that is a weakness. A strength I found, however, is the lingo. The dialogue used in these stories can be hard to understand, but makes the stories more interesting. A strength of classic fiction can also be considered a weakness. Classic fiction takes a long time to explain the solution that the detective usually has known all along. It gives the readers a chance to try to figure out the story, but at the same time, it may be too detailed. A good thing about both types of detective fiction is that it leaves the reader wanting more.

Week Four

In what notable ways does hard-boiled detection differ from classic detection and what are the strengths and weaknesses of each?

(Please paste your response for this week on your own page ABOVE that for the previous week.)

Detective fiction shares many of the same qualities. Yet, there are two distinct types of detection that are very different. There are many significant ways that hard-boiled detection differs from classic detection. Major differences include the lingo and vocabulary, the involvement of the detective in the story, the emphasis on plot over character or vice versa, and the class system involved in the story.

In classic, or whodunit, detective fiction, there are quite a few specific characteristics. They include an intellectual puzzle, involve the aristocracy, regard the plot as being more important then the character, use ratiocination, shows the detective as a detached observer, involve the use of scientific investigation or a psychological study, are placed in an urban or rural setting, and are sexless. These characteristics are common to all classic detection stories, including those written by Poe and Doyle.

In contrast, hard boiled, or what the hell is going on, fiction involve its own characteristics. These characteristics involve a moral dilemma, are democratic or classless, value the character over the plot, involve a very active detective, are placed in an urban setting, and place an emphasis on sex and masculinity, as well as misogyny. These characteristics are found in many of the later novels we read, including Hammett’s //The Maltese Falcon// and Chandler’s //The Big Sleep//.

Poe’s stories truly encompass these qualities. //Murders in the Rue Morgue//, for example, involves the majority of these characteristics. Dupin is merely the detached observer, attempting to solve the puzzle of the murder in a locked room. Dupin observes the mystery from a scientific standpoint, trying to piece together the mystery using ratiocination and his own wits. The plot is more important then the character of Dupin, whom we don’t know much about. This story, however, does not involve the aristocracy, which is one difference.

//A Scandal in Bohemia// is another example of classic fiction. Dupin once again uses scientific reasoning and relies on ratiocination to retrieve a stolen article. Dupin is not truly involved in the case, which elevates the importance of the plot. Dupin’s scientific methods are fully explained at the end of the short story as well.

An example of hard boiled fiction is Hammett’s //The Maltese Falcon//. The detective, Sam Spade, is not a passive observer. He is actively engaged in the story, going against what the authorities, even if it means trouble for himself. He risks his life throughout the story, meeting with the criminals and withholding information from the police. There is no sense of aristocracy in this story – the characters all seem to be working class citizens in an urban setting.

There is a huge emphasis placed on sexuality and misogyny. Spade has or has had a sexual affair with at least two of the women in the story. He falls for Brigid O’Shaughnessy, who was his client turned suspect. He had an affair with Iva, his (dead) partner Archer’s wife. Finally, it is implied that there is some type of relationship with his secretary Effie. While it is not stated if it is a sexual or flirtatious relationship, there is some type of chemistry there. Yet, he does not love any of these women. It is mainly physical.

In the end, both hard boiled and classic detection fiction have their strengths and weaknesses. Hard boiled fiction paints the men of that time as misogynist and sexist, and the women as either femme fatales or helpless victims. There are stereotypes that are highlighted in this type of fiction that is a weakness. A strength I found, however, is the lingo. The dialogue used in these stories can be hard to understand, but make the stories more interesting. A strength of classic fiction can also be considered a weakness. Classic fiction takes a long time to explain the solution that the detective usually has known all along. It gives the readers a chance to try to figure out the story, but at the same time, it may be too detailed. A good thing about both types of detective fiction is that it leaves the reader wanting more.

Week Three Essay - In what ways do female sleuths diverge from their male counterparts, and what is significant about the differences between them?

(Please paste your response for this week on your own page ABOVE that for the previous week.)

The female sleuths differ from their male counterparts in a number of ways. Males and females naturally have different thought patterns in their everyday lives, so it is appropriate that their detection methods differ completely. Men have a more methodical, scientific nature, while women possess a more caring, sympathetic nature. Men also tend to approach the crime scenes differently then women, choosing to view the case from the mind of the suspect, while women view the case from the mind of the victim. Overall, the differences are very significant and make a major impact in the emotions created by their individual stories.


 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Poe’s Dupin is a prime example of a stereotypical male detective. Dupin is very analytical, looking at the case as if it were a puzzle that needs to be solved. This is commented on in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” when the narrator begins talking about the chess game. The chess game can be seen as a symbol of the case that is to be solved. “Deprived of ordinary resources, the analyst throws himself into the spirit of his opponent, identifies himself therewith, and not unfrequently sees thus, at a glance, the sole methods (sometimes indeed absurdly simple ones) by which he may seduce into error or hurry into miscalculation.” Dupin sees the case as a competition to solve it first, which is typically a male view point. **


 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The women from Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers” are more emotional. They are more sympathetic and can very easily get in the mindset of Mrs. Wright, whom they view more as a victim then a criminal. Mrs. Hale sees the crimes committed toward Mrs. Wright by her husband, and can understand why she murdered him. They begin to see that Mr. Wright treated Minnie horribly, and that Minnie was not herself anymore. This is obvious by what Mrs. Hale discovers. “Slowly she moved toward the table. One half of it was wiped clean, the other half messy. Her eyes made a slow, almost unwilling turn to the bucket of sugar and the half empty bag beside it. Things begun--and not finished.” **


 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The most important difference is the sexism in the stories. The men treat women like objects, but the women are more observant and aware of what is going on around them then they let on. Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters see that Mrs. Wright left things half done, while the men just see that Mrs. Wright must be guilty. They do not look for a motive, they just convict her in their minds without a trial. **

<span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Overall, the differences between men and women detectives are the same differences one can see in everyday life. Women are naturally more in tuned with their emotions, and have a tendency to rationalize and thoroughly think things through. Men are more analytical, wanting to know just the facts without a reason or emotion behind them. **

Works Cited [] []

Week Two Essay Revision-

<span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> <span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> I enjoyed this story. I do think Poe stretched it out a bit, especially in the beginning with the anecdote about the chess game. It was important because of the implications that chess has towards Dupin’s rationalization methods. Chess is a game of intense thinking and concentration, both of which Dupin present in attempting to solve the murders of Madame L’Espanaye and her daughter. The narrator suggests in the introduction that the game of chess efficiently reveals the talents of a truly analytical person. Without Dupin’s ratiocination, the “murder “committed by the Ourang-Outang would have gone an unsolved mystery. I don’t think G- would have realized that the hair belonged to the Ourang-Outang, nor would he have realized the window was not nailed shut. Poe has succeeded in creating the incompetent police force that rivals Dupin’s scientific investigation. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> Poe is very successful in creating Dupin’s character. Dupin is not a professional detective, but always manages to somehow solve the mystery. Dupin is a brilliant, observant man, yet there is a very human aspect to him as well. I managed to become just as immersed in the mystery as Dupin, and found myself looking forward to how he will solve the mystery. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;"> While this is not a murder in the traditional sense (as it was committed by an animal), it is a true piece of detective fiction. There is suspense and a mystery that is solved by a competent detective. “Murders” corresponds with exactly what I believe a piece of detective fiction should be, right down to the twist in the true identity of the killer.
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A modern detective story should contain four #|major elements. These include: the commission of a crime, a professional or amateur detective who attempts (either willingly or unwillingly) to solve a crime, a detailed description of the steps taken to solve the crime, and some form of justice meted out. **
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Upon reading Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” it becomes clear to me that Poe has established the first modern detective story. “Murders” contains all of the elements necessary to write a piece of detective fiction, as well as an added suspense that turns the story into a “locked room mystery.” Poe has managed to pave the way for other authors (i.e. Doyle and Hammett) to produce great works of detective fiction by establishing the conventions for the genre. In my opinion, I believe “Murders” was a very interesting detective story that truly defined what a detective story should be. **<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Poe establishes the standard conventions that most pieces of detective fiction utilize. The most obvious in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is the convention of the rivalry between the detective and an incompetent police force. Dupin’s biggest rival is G-, the police prefect. Dupin takes delight in solving the case before anyone else has, seemingly without taking any time. ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">The most important piece of the whodunit, in my opinion, is the intellectual puzzle. Dupin is constantly thinking and questioning every aspect of the crime in this story. He continually speaks to the unnamed narrator as he searches the Rue Morgue, virtually unaware of his presence. However, when he has finally solved the puzzle, he does not reveal it right away to the narrator or the reader. It allows the reader more time to solve the puzzle, while Dupin gives us a hint that he has solved the case. “ ** <span style="color: black; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri;">What the suspicion is, however, I will not say just yet. I merely wish you to bear in mind that, with myself, it was sufficiently forcible to give a definite form—a certain tendency—to my inquiries in the chamber.” Dupin is merely the “detached observer,” solving the crime without truly becoming involved. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">

Works Cited: http://www.poemuseum.org/selected_works/rue_morgue.html

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 should be? Poe begins to establish the standard conventions that most pieces of detective fiction follow. The most obvious in “Murders in the Rue Morgue” is the convention of the rivalry between the detective and an incompetent police force. Dupin’s biggest rival is G-, the police prefect. He takes delight in solving the motive and case before anyone else has, without seemingly taking any time. ** The most important piece of the whodunit, in my opinion, is the intellectual puzzle. Dupin is constantly thinking and questioning every aspect of the crime in this story. He continually speaks to the unnamed narrator as he searches the Rue Morgue, virtually unaware of his presence. However, when he has finally solved the puzzle, he does not reveal it right away to the narrator. “ ** What the suspicion is, however, I will not say just yet. I merely wish you to bear in mind that, with myself, it was sufficiently forcible to give a definite form—a certain tendency—to my inquiries in the chamber.” Dupin is merely the ‘detached observer,’ solving the crime without truly becoming involved.
 * <span style="font-weight: normal; color: black; font-family: 'Calibri','sans-serif'; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">A modern detective story should contain four major elements. These include: the commission of a crime, a professional or amateur detective who attempts (either willingly or unwillingly) to solve a crime, a detailed description of the steps taken to solve the crime, and some form of justice meted out. Upon reading Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” it becomes clear to the reader that Poe has established the first modern detective story. “Murders” contains all of the elements necessary to write a piece of detective fiction, as well as an added suspense that makes the story a locked room mystery. Poe has managed to pave the way for other authors (i.e. Doyle and Hammond) to produce great works of detective fiction by establishing known conventions for their characters. **
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I enjoyed this story. I do think Poe stretched it out a bit, especially in the beginning with the anecdote about the chess game. It was important because of the implications that chess has towards Dupin’s rationalization methods. Chess is a game of intense thinking and concentration, both of which Dupin present in attempting to solve the murders of Madame L’Espanaye and her daughter. Without Dupin’s ratiocination, the ‘murder ‘committed by the Ourang-Outang would have gone an unsolved mystery. I don’t think G- would have realized that the hair belonged to the Ourang-Outang, nor would he have realized the window was not nailed shut. Poe has succeeded in creating the ‘incompetent’ police force that rivals Dupin’s scientific investigation.

Poe is very successful in creating Dupin’s character. Dupin is not a professional detective, but always manages to somehow solve the mystery. Dupin is a brilliant, observant man, yet there is a very human aspect to him as well. The reader is just as immersed in the mystery as Dupin, and you find yourself looking forward to how he will solve the mystery.

While this was not a ‘murder’ in the traditional sense (as it was committed by an animal), it was a true piece of detective fiction. There was suspense and a mystery that was solved by a competent detective. “Murders” corresponded with exactly what I believed a piece of detective fiction would have been, right down to the twist in the true identity of the murderer.