Formula of the Classic Detective Story

1. Formula of the Classic Detective Story Based on the works of Poe Carries through the “Golden Age” and up to “Hard-boiled”

2. Situation • Criminal unknown: find identity and motive • Criminal known: determine means or locate enough evidence to establish guilt • Crime: Poe established TWO main types • Grotesque murder (often with sexual overtones) • Political intrigue • Victim: very little character development! • Keeps humanity out of the mix. This would cloud the detective’s view and hinder his ability

3. Pattern of Action • Introduction to the detective • Crime and clues • Investigation • Announcement of the solution (*this is NOT the apprehension) • Explanation of the solution • Denouement (apprehension)

4. Intro to the Detective • An example of his/her skill • (ie: “Murders at the Rue Morgue”) • This helps the reader’s confidence in the detective’s ability to solve the crime • Break in the calm of detective’s retreat • (ie: library, sitting room, etc.) • Symbolically portrays the crime as an intrusion to the norm • Helps emphasize the personal and moral detachment of the detective from the crime

5. The Crime • This MUST have clues that point to someone or something • Do not need to be linear • MUST appear insolvable

6. Investigation • While formulating a conclusion, the witnesses, suspects should further confuse the reader – this is where the detective emerges • (ie: the red herrings) • The investigation usually threatens 1 or more characters the reader has been made to sympathize with • Therefore, the solution will solve the crime AND rescue the characters the reader wants freed

7. Announcement of Solution • This is the FIRST climax of the story • The reader can finally see through the detective’s eyes • This DOES NOT necessarily include the apprehension of the criminal! • This allows for TWO possible climaxes

8. The Explanation • New angle of vision • The answer has always been there, but the reader must look at the clues in a different way • The detective reveals his true intellect • Clues are initially set out of order, the explanation realigns them • Criminal is usually the least likely person who has NO character relationship with the audience • This allows the criminal to represent the personification of guilt without involving the reader’s feelings

9. The Apprehension • Sometimes this occurs following the solution • Sometimes a trap is set up to answer the mystery AND capture the criminal • This is brief so as not to upstage the detective • The classic detective story is more concerned with identifying the guilty, not the punishment

10. Characters and Relationships • Four main roles: • The detective: Extreme intelligence, far beyond a regular citizen • The criminal: Complex motives/interesting actions. Always defined as BAD to remove question of guilt • The victim: Must hold little sympathy, but much attention • Obscure and ordinary but meet an extraordinary demise. • Those threatened by the crime, but cannot solve it. (ie: the police, the narrator/sidekick, the red herrings) • This represents the middle class disrupted by the crime

11. The Setting • Usually split between and isolated place and a big city • Symbolic relationship between chaos and order • By separating crime from society the writer can remove additional complexities • The classic detective story requires a clear distinction between guilty and innocent – the controlled setting helps to support this