Elements of Crime Writing Flashcards
(22 cards)
Structure
How does the structure influence the extract?
Typical linear structure?
Where the story is told in the order it happens.
With a linear structure, the reader finds out what happens in the ‘correct’ order, this can lead the reader through events clearly.
Untypical linear structure?
Where events are portrayed, for example, out of chronological order or in other ways where the narrative does not follow the direct causality pattern of the events featured.
Such as parallel distinctive plot lines, dream immersions or narrating another story inside the main plot-line.
Typical linear ending?
A typical ending in literature involves tying up loose ends, resolving the central conflict, and providing a sense of closure for the reader.
Untypical linear ending?
These endings intentionally leave questions unanswered, often creating suspense and prompting the reader to consider future possibilities.
Setting
How does the setting influence the extract?
Time
Morning, evening?
Time of events?
Use of flashbacks, foreshadowing, or time loops
Exploration of memory, history, and temporality
Place
Symbolism of the place?
Where is it?
Impact on mood
Impact on tone
Atmosphere
How does it set the mood?
How does it enhance themes?
Does it build/deny tension?
Does it immerse the reader?
Language
How does the language in the extract link to crime?
Vocabulary/descriptions
How does the vocab impact reader?
How does it enhance emotion?
Symbolism
How does it reveal character?
5 senses
sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch.
Language Devices
Symbolism: E.g., blood, night, shadows → guilt, danger, secrecy.
Setting: Urban (noir), rural (isolated), domestic → creates mood.
Lexical fields: Semantic groups like violence, legal terms, secrecy.
Dialogue: Reveals character and hidden motives.
Tone: Often suspenseful, sinister, ironic, or confessional.
Imagery: Sensory detail evokes crime scene or emotion.
Portrayal of criminal
Bad, good?
Sad, happy?
Cruel, kind?
Calm, stressed?
Impact of this.
Impact on audience
How do they react?
What would they feel?
Link to the era.
Link to external crime text
Hamlet, Atonement, Othello, Inspector Calls etc
Core elements to crime writing
Crime: Central unlawful act – often murder, theft, or moral wrongdoing.
Criminal: Perpetrator of the crime – may be clear, ambiguous, or hidden.
Victim: The person (or group) harmed by the crime. Could be physical or psychological.
Detective: Professional or amateur investigator, often the reader’s surrogate.
Justice: The resolution or consequence – legal or moral – that follows the crime.
Common tropes
Red Herring: Misleads reader to increase suspense.
Foreshadowing: Builds tension or signals danger.
Confession/Reveal: Climactic moment of truth or resolution.
Motive: Psychological or emotional reason behind the crime.
Clue Trail: Series of hints or evidence leading to the criminal.
Alibi: Used to protect or expose characters.
Corruption: Often seen in institutions (police, legal, government).
Narrative techniques
First-person narrator: Offers intimacy or unreliability.
Omniscient narrator: Gives full overview but may limit suspense.
Unreliable narrator: Creates ambiguity and tension.
Multiple perspectives: Adds complexity and reveals conflicting truths.
Non-linear structure: Withholds key information, builds suspense.
Themes in crime writing
Justice vs Injustice: Legal vs moral outcomes. Is the right person punished?
Truth and Deception: Who is lying and why? Can truth be trusted?
Power and Corruption: Abuse of authority; hidden motives in high places.
Guilt and Conscience: Psychological burden of crime.
Gender and Victimhood: Representation of women as victims or avengers.
Class and Law: Bias in legal outcomes, inequality in justice.
Types of crime texts
Detective Fiction: Central mystery, clues, detective, resolution.
Crime Thriller: Fast-paced, high tension, often violent.
Noir / Hardboiled: Cynical tone, morally ambiguous characters.
Psychological Crime: Focus on the mind of the criminal/victim.
Legal Drama: Courtroom setting, focus on justice system.
Exam tips
Identify: Type of crime, roles (criminal, victim, detective), and themes.
Analyse: Language, structure, voice, and how suspense or morality is developed.
Link to Genre: Does it follow or subvert conventions? How does it treat justice, truth, or power?
