christine

3 NEW POSTS: Week 4 Revision, Week 5 First Draft and Extra Credit Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 EXTRA CREDIT

__The Usual Suspects__ is a film that contains action, suspense, and mystery. Understanding the plot requires tremendous observation and cleverness. Its fast-paced plot begins with five conmen who are dragged into the New York police station because of a truck hijacking and they are //the usual suspects//. The story is told by Verbal Kint, one of the five suspects who is crippled, starting from the hijacking leading up to the “big job.” All five men know they are innocent and decide to complete a job together in order to obtain a little revenge on the police. However, they are unaware that someone else is ultimately controlling them; all because each of them crossed the wrong person at one point or another. This person wants payback and has them threatened to do a job for him by an employee. After the “big job”, twenty seven people are dead, and there are only two survivors, one who is able to identify the killers name and what he looks like; Keyser Söze. Ultimately the question remains who is Keyser Söze and is he who we think he is? __The Usual Suspects__ has many great qualities, but its point of view, structure and casting are what make this film a successful mystery.

The story of __The Usual Suspect__ is told from the criminal’s point of view in contrast to many stories where the detective is usually the narrator. Even though in this story, viewers are unaware the narrator is the criminal until the very end making it more suspenseful and unexpected. In most stories the narrator tells his/her story from their perspective, however in this film Verbal tells a completely made up story in order to free himself. He is able to manipulate the police, especially Dave Kujan who interrogates Verbal until he cries fake tears. During the interrogation in the police office, Kujan questions Verbal for hours unaware that everything he is telling Kujan is coming off the bulletin board behind Kujan’s head. It is only after Verbal exits the police station that Kujan realizes what just happened and at this time it is too late. Verbal uses flashbacks to influence Kujan’s belief who at one point even pities Verbal because he is crippled.

The structure of __The Usual Suspects__ resembles that of the short story “A Rose for Emily.” Both in which would not have the same meaning, intensity or level of suspense if their plots were planned differently. The structure is what creates the suspense for viewers in __The Usual Suspects.__ The entire movie was not in sequential order, and although the flashbacks did create confusion, at the end the audience is able to understand everything. All the pieces of the mystery fall together because of the constant flashbacks throughout the movie and Verbal’s entire story of what //really// happens is confirmed because of its structure.

Another element of this movie that aides its success is the casting of actors. The cast was appropriate and did an excellent job playing their each of their roles; especially, Verbal, Keaton and Kujan. Verbal-Kint Spacey portrays himself as an innocent; naïve crippled who is just an eye witness to the explosion on the boat. At times other characters decide he is dumb and even feel sorry for him, including Keaton and Kujan. Keaton played by Gabriel Bryne plays the role of a corrupt ex police officer who is now setting his life straight even though others around him will not believe him. Keaton does a good job as a distracting character because for most of the film the audience believes that he is Keyser Söze when in the end he is not. As for officer Kujan, he plays the ideal interrogating cop who will do anything to get the information he wants. He believes he manipulates Verbal to tell him the truth especially when Verbal breaks down and cries in his office. However, Kujan is outwitted by Verbal and only realizes it once it is too late.

In conclusion, the director Bryan Singer is able to capture the complex storyline written by the intelligent Christopher McQuarrie with the help of great actors: Verbal-Kint Spacey, Keaton-Gabriel Byrne, Dave Kujan-Chazz Palminiter, Kobayashi-Pete Postlethwaite, McManus-Stephen Baldwin, Hockney-Kevin Pollack, and Fester-Benicio Del Toro. At first the movie is a lot to take in due to its fast-paced and twisted plot, however paying close attention I became very intrigued. The criminal point of view, structure and casting are what make this film an incredible success. Even though some parts and twists were confusing, overall I enjoyed this mystery based movie, especially the ending and will recommend it to others. Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 5- First Draft

There are many different literary works that have been successfully adapted to the big screen; several that are based on detective or mystery novels. Both film and print have their advantages and disadvantages because of what they offer. Films are easier to follow because the director creates the visual they want for you, while in print the reader is their own director creating a specific image. Films also require editing and sometimes even removal of certain scenes from a novel because of time restraints, often resulting in a loss of the author’s meaning. After reading certain novels and watching movies based upon them in class, I prefer reading detective fiction. Reading detective or mystery stories allows the reader to create their own visual of the characters, plot and setting. In contrast, a director of a film is able to make these images realistic for viewers to better understand the novel. The disadvantage of film at times may be the actors. Actors can enhance or damage the characters of a novel because of their performance. When reading, immediately characters are perceived certain ways and actors may or may not perform a specific part to reader’s standards. For example, when reading __A Devil in a Blue Dress__ __,__ I perceived Daphne Monet as a female fatale and a woman who at times spoke more vulgarly than a man; however, in the film Daphne is portrayed as timid and helpless. After watching this film, the title becomes irrelevant to Walter Mosley’s novel because Daphne Monet is the devil and on film that is lost.

The essence of a character is not the only part of a novel that is capable of being lost in film. The setting depicted in print is not always the same on screen either. For example, in __A Devil in a Blue,__ the novel, Joppy’s bar seemed like a hole in a wall that reeked of meat from the butchers that worked downstairs; in contrast, in film Joppy’s bar looks like a happening place where people wanted to go after work for a drink. Characters, setting, and even plot changes are parts of a novel that on screen can modify the author’s meaning, along with editing or removing certain scenes. For instance, in the novel of __A Devil in a Blue,__ Junior Fornay is a murderer, it contains additional murders and there is a connection between Mr. Carter and Mr. Albright; all which differ from the film. Another essential part of the novel was the sexual connection between Daphne and Easy that was portrayed strongly in the novel however was removed in the film. Removing this scene resulted in the alteration of Daphne’s character as //the devil//. Director’s must edit and remove certain scenes to be appropriate for a particular audience, but by failing to mention these essential parts in the film, Mosley’s story is altered.

Another disadvantage with novel-based films is the lack in high levels of suspense. When reading detective fiction majority of readers do not want to put the book down until they find out what happens next. There are many directors who are capable of creating anticipation and suspense, however there are numerous films where viewers are able to predict what will happen or who the criminal is. While reading, the individual is able to become a part of the scene and feel like the detective, immediately increasing the anticipation. Watching a film is suspenseful, however the audience is simply observing rather than being a part the case. As a reader, being able to create your own scene and visual of characters enhances the level of suspense because the individual is in control; in contrast watching someone else’s creation takes away suspense.

In conclusion, novel-based films have their advantages and disadvantages. Films are shorter and straight to the point, making it easier for an audience to follow; they are also fast-paced and action packed creating adventure and intrigue for viewers. However, for the most part, detective films lack in high levels of suspense because the audience is unable to construct their own visual. Essentially, an author has his/her original intent when writing a novel and films have to condense the story into an allotted amount of time which results in alteration of the author’s inventive meaning. In my opinion, a detective or mystery novel needs suspense and opportunity for interpretation and this is far more intriguing than watching it on film.

Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 4-REVISED Draft

Both classic and hard-boiled detection contain similar elements that create intriguing stories; however, they have different characteristics that differentiate them and contribute to their strengths and weaknesses. Classic detection’s major strengths include high levels of suspense along with its vivid description. Nevertheless, the description found in classic detection becomes a weakness due to the confusion it creates for readers. The greatest strength found in hard-boiled detection is that the majority of its stories are written in the first person. This allows readers to understand the story from the detective's point of view. However, the first person narration can also be considered a weakness as it can result in a lack of suspense for the reader. The most recognizable differences between classic and hard-boiled detection are the detectives, the setting, and the perspectives. Detective fiction clearly requires a detective or an investigator whose function is to obtain information and evidence. Detectives are significantly different in hard-boiled detection compared to classic detection. Aggressive, quick and sharp responses are all traits of a typical hard-boiled detective. Being tough and macho is what helps classify this type of sleuth. In stories such as “The Big Sleep” and “The Maltese Falcon,” Chandler and Hammet use the beatings Marlowe and Spade receive to prove their actual toughness. Whereas in classic detection stories like “A Speckled Band” and “The Final Problem,” a detective being beaten signifies total defeat. For example, in “The Final Problem,” Holmes is defeated as a detective when he is beaten by Mr. Moriarty. Ultimately, a sleuth’s temperament, toughness and cleverness are the traits that differ most between hard-boiled and classic detectives. The next element that differs between the two types of detection is the setting. The setting of hard-boiled fiction is urban, compared to the rural settings usually used in classic detection. Perhaps this is because city life usually involves a dark and dangerous atmosphere. Along with the atmosphere, there is the wrong which takes place in the city, such as corruption, deceit and the violent, gangster filled streets. For example, in __The Big Sleep,__ a pornography business is run through a bookstore. Therefore, its is obvious that most of authors plan a crime that can take place in an urban, city-like environment, where news travels fast amongst the town and then the next event is taking place. The most distinctive difference between classic and hard-boiled detection is the narration. Classic detection is usually told from the perspective of an observer or possibly a partner of the detective. For example in “The Final Problem,” Watson, Holmes’ partner is the telling the story from his point of view. In contrast, hard-boiled stories are usually told in first person by the detective himself. The positive aspects of detective stories being told in first person narrative is that readers are able to connect with the detective, not so much in figuring out a mystery, but in the sense that we can understand his/her motives and reasoning to solve the case. For example a connection between readers and the narrator is made in “The Big Sleep,” when Chandler’s writes, “I was everything the well dressed private detective ought to be. I was calling on four million dollars” (3). Marlowe is explaining just how well kept and sharp he is. He is the ideal detective and that is the image readers, including myself, are able to visualize. First-person narration may take away some suspense in a detective story, but it does not eliminate it all. Readers are still able to experience suspense, not because of who commits the crime, but what and if there is any consequence for committing the crime. In closing, both hard-boiled and classic detection create interesting stories for readers even though each has specific strengths and weaknesses. Hard-boiled detection has a tough, involved detective, an urban setting, and usually in first person narration. In contrast, classic detection has an observer-like detective, a rural setting, and typically a narrator who is the detective’s partner. Each has different strengths and weakness, however both classic and hard-boiled detection posses the elements that classify a high-quality detective fiction. Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 3-REVISED Draft

In many respects, men and women share similar qualities and traits; however the two genders also have many differences. In detective fiction, female and male detectives handle their investigations using different techniques. Women sleuths use their intuition to solve cases, they naturally involve their emotions and they make a connection with a person. On the other hand, male detectives use ratiocination to solve their cases; they do not display emotion nor do they attempt to connect with anyone. Their goal is to understand the reasoning for the crime committed by the criminal. Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers,” Anna Katharine Green’s “Missing Page Thirteen” and Agatha Christie’s “The Blue Geranium” are all stories which feature strong, observant, and clever female sleuths. The differences expressed between both detectives are significant because they justify why the language and structure of the stories are dissimilar.

While male sleuths use their sense of ratiocination to solve crimes, women utilize their intuition to solve theirs. Naturally women obtain the sense of intuition, which allows them to look beneath the surface of any crime and deeper into the reason of why it was done. This sense of intuition also allows female detectives to identify with their victim(s). Female detectives brainstorm through a more expressive thought process, allowing their emotions to guide them during their investigation. For example, in “Jury of Her Peers,” Mrs. Hale is in the kitchen of Mrs. Wright’s’ home when Mr. Henderson says, “What is needed for the case is a motive-something to show anger-or sudden feeling” (166). Mrs. Hale replies “Well-I don’t see any signs of anger here” (166). After she makes this comment she pauses as is she finds something, she looks at the kitchen to find things half prepared. Mrs. Hale’s mind begins to process what may have occurred. She looks over at the stove to find that it was broken; she thinks to herself what it would be like to have to cook on that stove year after year. Meanwhile, unexpectedly, Mrs. Peters startles Mrs. Hale when she states “A person gets discouraged-and loses heart” (167). This small scene represents something larger, both Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters share the same thought when they visualize what occurred in the kitchen just because of its appearance. The broken stove and everything merely half started told these two women that Mrs. Wright had to deal with this many times before and this time she finally had it. During this scene, both women use their intuition and emotion to understand exactly what Mrs. Wright had been feeling.

As for male detectives, they do not allow their emotions to get the best of them as they see it as a sign of weakness. Male detectives conform to the typical macho and aggressive being that does not need help from anyone, especially a woman. Comparably in “A Jury of her Peers” when Mr. Hale uncertainly asks himself, “But would women know a clue if they did come upon it” (164)? As most men, Mr. Hale doubted the ability of the women involved in this case. Another way male detectives differ from female sleuths is because they pay attention to their “code,” which is abstract, judgmental and rigid; whereas women value the importance of their connection with a person, not a code. Women become concerned with how their actions and decisions during a case will affect the other people involved in the case. In contrast, men think solely about how they are going to solve the case and do not focus on anyone else besides themselves and the criminal. Another way women sleuths differ from their male counterparts is the way they approach the scene of the crime. Women want to be familiar with everything thoroughly about whomever or whatever is involved in the crime. This includes all background information about the criminal and the victim as well. Women also like to get into the criminal’s thought process to understand why this person does what he/she does. For example, in Green’s story “Missing Page Thirteen” Violet Strange states, “Sometimes I get in what may seem to you a very odd way. Forgetting myself, I try to assume the individuality of the person who has worked the mystery. If I can think within his thoughts, I possibly may follow him in his actions” (107). This is a prime example of how female sleuths attempt to understand the thought process of the criminal which aids them in solving the crime. In contrast, men get to the scene of the crime and search for cold, hard evidence which will allow them to determine who the criminal is to be to turn them in. Male detectives, like Dupin, strive to get into the criminals mind in order to defeat them, whereas female detectives like Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters, do so to understand and empathize with the criminal. In conclusion, male and female detectives may share similar traits or tendencies, however they too have differences. Female sleuths use their intuition and emotions while men use ratiocination in guiding them to solve the case. Women also tend to picture what the criminal was thinking or what their reasoning may have been to further understand. Female sleuths look for a connection between themselves and the criminal to empathize. In contrast, men attempt to get into the mind of the criminal in order to defeat them and turn them in, but not to sympathize. Lastly, “early years of women as fictional detectives demonstrated that women were intellectually incapable of using ratiocination and rational thinking. Along with their intellectual disability, men viewed women detectives as physically incapable of dealing with the physical aspect of the job. Authors of stories which include female sleuths have come a long way to establishing and representing their detectives as strong, observant and clever individuals, not just as women. Women and men do differ from one another when it comes to being detectives, however both do their job in commendable ways; their own ways” (Klein). __ Works Cited __ Kathleen Gregory Klein, Kathleen. "The Woman Detective." 7 June 2009 http://books.google.com/books?id=LRkEr0qyS-0C&pg=PA235&lpg=PA235&dq=difference+between+man+and+woman+detectives&source=bl&ots=I41MFJoxei&sig=PwGXunL-lMUQnMMiwkwbA6CXzLg&hl=en&ei=oSAvSvPzH-WwtgfprMmLDA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3#PPA251,M1. Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 4-First Draft

Both classic and hard-boiled detection contain similar elements that create intriguing stories, however, they as well have different aspects in which differentiate them from one another. Along with different elements both have strengths and weaknesses. Classic detection’s major strengths include the great levels of suspense along with its descriptive clues and details. Nevertheless, the descriptive details found in classic detection may also be classified as a weakness. At times, too much detail may create confusion to the reader. The greatest strength found in hard-boiled detection is that the majority of its stories are written in first person. This allows readers to understand the story from the detective's mindset and also helps them view the story from a different perspective. However, the first person narration can also be considered a weakness as it creates a lack of suspense to the reader. Although classic and hard-boiled detection have different strengths and weaknesses, the most recognizable differences illustrated by them are the detectives, the urban/city setting, and the perspectives in which the storied are told. Detective fiction clearly requires a detective or an investigator whose function is to obtain information and evidence. Detectives are significantly different in hard-boiled detection compared to those in classic detection. Aggressive, quick witted with sharp responses are all traits of a successful hard-boiled detective. Being tough and macho is what helps classify the sleuth. Although, in stories such as “The Big Sleep” and “The Maltese Falcon,” Chandler and Hammet persuade readers the beatings Marlowe and Spade receive like men are what prove their actual toughness. Whereas in classic detection, stories like “A Speckled Band” and “The Final Problem,” would view a detective being beaten as total defeat. Holmes, in fact, does view himself as defeated when he is beaten by Mr. Moriarty. The sleuth’s temperament, toughness and sharpness are the traits that differ most between hard-boiled and classic detectives. The next element that differs greatly between the two types of detection is the setting. The setting of hard-boiled fiction is mostly urban and city-like, compared to the rural settings usually presented in classic detection. Perhaps it is because city life usually symbolizes or presents a dark and dangerous atmosphere. Along with the atmosphere, there is the wrong which takes place in the city; such as corruption, deceit and the violent, gangster filled streets. For example, in “The Big Sleep,” a pornography business is run through a bookstore. Therefore, its is obvious that most of authors plan a crime that can take place in an urban, city-like environment, where news travels fast amongst the town and then the next event is taking place. The most distinctive difference between hard-boiled and classic detection is the narration. Classic detection is usually told from the perspective of an observer or possibly a wingman of the detective. For example in “The Final Problem” Watson, Holmes’ wingman/partner is the telling the story from his point of view. Whereas in hard-boiled detection the stories are usually told in first person narrative, either by the detective himself or sometimes even the criminal. The positive aspects of detective stories being told in first person narrative is that readers are able to connect with the detective, not so much in figuring out a mystery because it is already being told, but in the sense that we can understand his/her motives and reasoning’s. For example a connection between readers and narrator is made in “The Big Sleep,” when Chandler’s writes, “I was everything the well dressed private detective ought to be. I was calling on four million dollars” (3). Marlowe is explaining just how well kept and sharp he is. He is the ideal detective and that is the visual readers, including myself, are able to picture. First person narrative may take away some suspense in a detective story, but it does not eliminate it all. Readers are still able to feel suspense, just not in the sense of who commits the crime/murder, but in fact what and if there is any consequence of the action that occurs. In closing, both hard-boiled and classic detection create interesting stories for readers even though both do have different strengths and weaknesses. Detection has four major elements: the commission of a crime, a detective figure who willingly or unwillingly solves the crime, a detailed description of the steps taken by the detective to arrive at a solution and lastly some sort of justice or restored order. Classic and Hard-boiled stories have all four of these elements; however they are just introduced differently to readers. Hard-boiled detection has a tough and sharp involved detective, an urban/city-like setting, and is usually told in first person narration. In comparison, classic detection has an observer like detective, rural settings, and is usually told from the viewpoint of a wingman or partner of the detective. Although both present notably different aspects, strengths and weakness, classic and hard-boiled detection fulfill the elements of what classify a high-quality detective fiction. Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 3-First Draft

In many aspects, men and women share similar qualities and traits; however the two genders also have many differences. In detective fiction, female and male detectives have been identified to handle their investigations using different techniques. Women sleuths use their intuition to solve cases causing their emotions to become involved while also identifying with the victim(s). On the other hand, male detectives use ratiocination to solve their cases; they do not display emotion nor do they attempt to identify with the victims. Female detectives also approach their crime scene differently than their male counterparts. Susan Glaspell’s “A Jury of Her Peers,” Anna Katharine Green’s “Missing Page Thirteen” and Agatha Christie’s “The Blue Geranium” are all stories which represent strong, observant, and clever female sleuths. The differences that these authors express between both female and male detectives are significant because they justify why the language and structure of the stories are dissimilar. While male sleuths use their sense of ratiocination to solve their crimes, women utilize their intuition to solve theirs. Naturally women obtain the sense of intuition, which allows them to look beyond the surface of any crime and deeper into the reason of why it was done. This sense of intuition also allows female detectives to identify with their victim(s). Female detectives brainstorm through a more expressive mind state, allowing their emotions to guide them during their investigation. As for male detectives, they do not allow their emotions to get the best of them as they see it as a sign of weakness. Male detectives usually represent the typical macho and aggressive being that does not need help from anyone, especially a woman. The men also pay attention to their “code”, which is abstract, judgmental and rigid; whereas women value the importance of their connection not code. Women become concerned with how their actions and decisions during a case will affect the other people involved in the case. Dissimilarly, men think solely about how they are going to solve the case and do not focus on anyone else besides themselves and the criminal. Another way women sleuths differ from their male counterparts is the way they approach the scene of the crime. Women want to be familiar with everything in depth about whomever or whatever is involved in the crime. This includes all background information about the criminal and the victim as well. Women also like to get into the criminals’ mind state to understand why this person does what he/she does. For example, in Greens’ story “Missing Page Thirteen” Violet Strange states: “Sometimes I get in what may seem to you a very odd way. Forgetting myself, I try to assume the individuality of the person who has worked the mystery. If I can think within his thoughts, I possibly may follow him in his actions” (107). This is a prime example of how female sleuths attempt to understand the thought process the criminal which aids them in solving the crime. In contrast, men want to get to the scene of the crime and search for cold, hard evidence which will allow them to determine who the criminal is. Male detectives do not really wish to know or understand why the criminal commits his/her crime, but rather to have them found and turned in.

Lastly, “early years of women as fictional detectives demonstrated that women were intellectually incapable of using ratiocination and rational thinking. Along with their intellectual disability, men viewed women detectives as physically incapable of dealing with the physical aspect of the job. Authors of stories which include female sleuths have come a long way to establishing and representing their detectives as strong, observant and clever individuals, not just as women. Women and men do differ from one another when it comes to being detectives, however both do their job in commendable ways; their own ways” (Klein). __ Works Cited __ Kathleen Gregory Klein, Kathleen. "The Woman Detective." 7 June 2009 .

Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 2- Revised Second Draft

In his story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue”, Edgar Allen Poe portrays the idea that it can be considered the first modern detective story. In order to write a good detective story, it must include four different major elements. The requirements are as follows: the commission of a crime, a detective figure who willingly or unwillingly solves the crime, a detailed description of the steps taken by the detective to arrive at a solution (clues) and lastly some sort of justice or restored order. In his story, Poe depicts all four elements throughout the course of the mystery. In addition, Poe also opens up this story with a discourse on analysis and how important it is when solving a mystery, which allows his readers to fully understand the importance of being observant. Finally, what makes Poe’s story a prime example of modern detective fiction is that “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is a “locked-room” mystery. All of these elements illustrate how critics regard “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” as the first modern detective story. I agree that this story sets the standards for what a detective fiction should be and consist of. Poe begins “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by distinguishing the difference between chess and draughts (checkers). At first, I questioned why chess and checkers are relevant to a mystery story, but once explained I understood that it is not the games that are important; it is the observations and methods used to win the games. Poe further discusses how observation are not as critical in chess as it is in checkers due to the fact that the game of chess allows one to make more variations of movement. Meanwhile, in a game of checkers, the variations in movements are more limited. This makes it a necessity for each opponent to observe the others methods, which include facial expressions, hand gestures, comments, etc. Poe describes how his statement, “The necessary knowledge is that of //what// to observe” (4), makes it clear that a detective needs to know what to observe rather than observing randomly. Poe’s discourse on analysis is an intelligent way to lead readers into the actual story. It opens our minds to what observation really is and, after reading the story myself I feel that readers are better able to understand how important observation is in solving a mystery.

Once the story actually begins, one may be able to identify the four major elements that are required in a detective fiction. The first element is the commission of crime (or the threat thereof). In “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” the crime is the killing of two women by an unknown murderer. The second element is a detective figure that solves the crime. In this story, the figure is the wise and observant C. Auguste Dupin. The third element is a detailed description of the steps taken by the detective, which Poe does provide in much detail. In my opinion, critics may even argue that he uses too much detail, that his concise descriptions are unnecessary to solving the crime. An example of detailed evidence described by Poe is, “On a chair lay a razor, besmeared with blood. On the hearth were two or three long and thick tresses of grey human hair” (Poe 9). This explains the murder weapon that is found which provides evidence in finding out who the murderer is. Another example is when the witnesses (neighbors) are asked to explain the sounds that they reported to have heard. Each of the witnesses described similar observations. Similarly, they all heard two voices: one a gruff voice, the other a much shriller, very strange voice and they all believed the shrill voice was speaking a different language. The biggest clue Dupin is able to use to resolve the mystery of who the criminal much quicker is when each witness reported the voice to be speaking a language they were unfamiliar with. The evidence like Poe explained in his discourse of analysis are of //what// to observe. Dupin observes that they all did not recognize the language spoken when most of them each spoke different languages themselves. Meanwhile readers, like myself, are reading into the fact that the voice was speaking a different language leading us to ponder what language it may be. The last element is some sort of justice or restored order. Justice is achieved when Dupin solved the mystery of who the killer is. Dupin is able to figure out by an item he found at the murder scene, which led him to believe that the orangutan belonged to a sailor. When he figures this out, he places an ad in the paper to see if he is correct which would be determined when and if the sailor responds to the ad. Surely enough, the sailor does so and Dupin does nothing but scare the sailor a bit by saying he knows the sailor is not the murderer. However, in some way he is responsible for the orangutan’s crazed actions. Again, Dupin is correct and the sailor immediately tells him everything that had occurred.

What also makes critics regard “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” as the first modern detective fiction is the fact that it is a “locked-room” mystery. This means the murder took place in a locked-room, which means that the mystery of how the murderer entered the room has to be solved by the detective along with who actually committed the crime. After reading the story, one may learn that the killings were not intentional and not committed by a person, but by an escaped orangutan. It was essentially a freak accident, but without Poe’s specific explanation of Dupin’s keen sense of observation one would not be able to understand this. Poe is able to create certain images through the use of suspense in the mind of readers without giving away too much, especially his ending. The clues he gives to readers are excellent in providing enough information, yet it does not give away anything away just as with the title of the story. “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” persuades readers to believe that what occurred was an //intentional// murder done by //someone//, when we come to realize it was neither of the two. Through the use of the four basic elements of a satisfying detective fiction and his own unique elements, Poe is able to set high standards for subsequent authors who write a detective fiction. In closing, I must agree with critics who regard “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” as the first modern detective story.  Christine Correia Eng 3221 Sec 16 Week 2-First Draft

Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is considered to be the first modern detective story. There are requirements to writing a good detective story because detective fiction has four major elements. They are as followed: the commission of a crime, a detective figure who willingly or unwillingly solves the crime, a detailed description of the steps taken by the detective to arrive at a solution (clues) and lastly some sort of justice or restored order. In his story, Poe uses all four elements throughout the course of the mystery. In addition, Poe also opens up this story with a discourse on analysis and how important it is when solving a mystery; which allows his readers to fully understand the importance of being observant. The last aspect of what makes Poe’s story a prime example of modern detective fiction is that “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is a “locked-room” mystery. All these elements are what allow critics to regard Poe’s “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” as the first modern detective story. I agree that this story sets high expectations for what a detective fiction should require and consist of. Poe begins “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” with an in depth analysis on the difference between observations amongst a game of chess and draughts (checkers). At first I questioned why chess and checkers is relevant to a mystery story, but once explained I understood it’s not the games that are important; it is the observations and methods used to win the games. Poe discusses how observation is not as critical as in chess as it is in checkers because of the fact that in chess there are more variations of movement allowed. Meanwhile in a game of checkers, variation in movements is limited making it a necessity for each opponent to observe the others methods including facial expressions, hand gestures, comments and etc. “The necessary knowledge is that of //what// to observe” (Poe 4). This quote makes it clear that you need to know what to observe rather then to just observe anything. Poe’s discourse on analysis was an intelligent way to lead readers into the actual story because it opened our minds to what observation really is and after reading the story, readers are able to understand how important observation is in solving a mystery. Once the story actually begins, readers are able to identify the four major elements that are required in a detective fiction. The first element is the commission of crime (threat). In “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” the threat is the unknown murderer of the murders of two women, which also becomes a threat to the rest of the society. The second element is a detective figure that solves the crime, in this story it is the wise and observant C. Auguste Dupin. The third element is a detailed description of steps taken by the detective (clues), which Poe does provide in much detail. Some may even argue that he uses too much detail, that some are unnecessary to solving the crime. An example of a detailed clue described by Dupin is, “On a chair lay a razor, besmeared with blood. On the hearth were two or three long and thick tresses of grey human hair” (Poe 9). Here he explains the weapon of murder that is found which is assists in finding out who the murderer is. Another example is when witnesses such as neighbors were asked to explain the sounds they reported to have heard. Each of them said similar yet very different things. They all heard two voices: one a gruff voice, the other much shriller-a very strange voice. They all believed the shrill voice to speaking a different language. The biggest clue Dupin was able to feed off of was when each witness reported the voice to be speaking a language they were unfamiliar with. The clues like Poe explained in his discourse of analysis are of //what// to observe. Dupin observed that they all did not recognize the language spoken when most of them each spoke different languages themselves. Meanwhile readers, like myself, were reading into the fact that the voice was speaking a different language leading us to think of what language it may be. The last element is some sort of justice or restored order. Justice was achieved when Dupin solved the mystery of who the murderer was. Dupin was able to figure out by an rod he found at the murder scene that the orangutan belonged to a sailor. When he figured this out, he placed an ad in the paper to see if he was correct which would be determined when and if the sailor arrived where Dupin asked him to. Sure enough the sailor did so and Dupin did nothing but scare the sailor a bit by saying he knew the sailor was not the murderer, however in some way he was responsible for the orangutan’s crazed actions. Again Dupin was correct and the sailor immediately told him everything that happened. What also makes critics regard “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” as the first modern detective fiction is the fact that it is a “locked-room” mystery. Basically that means the murder scene took place in a locked-room, which then meant that how the murder entered the room had to be solved by the detective as well as who did it. After reading the story, we learn that the murder was not intentional and not committed by a person, but by an escaped zoo orangutan. It was essentially a freak accident, but without Poe’s specific explanation of Dupin’s keen sense of observation we would not be able to understand that. Poe is able to create certain images through the use of suspense in the mind of readers without giving away too much, especially his ending. The clues he gives to readers are excellent in providing enough information, but without giving anything away just as with the title of the story. “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” persuades readers to believe what occurred was an //intentional// murder done by //someone//, when we come to realize it was neither of the two. Through the use of the four basic elements of a satisfying detective fiction and his own unique elements, Poe is able to set high standards for authors to come when writing a detective fiction. In closing, I must agree with critics regarding “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is the first modern detective story.