Elements of Crime Writing

Revision Booklet

In the case of Elements of crime writing, many of the texts pre-date the crime fiction genre that emerged as a recognisable literary genre in the mid-19th century and with academic recognition in the 20th century. However, in all the texts a significant crime drives the narrative and the execution and consequences of the crime are fundamentally important to the way the text is structured.

All set texts are narratives which focus on transgressions against established order and the specific breaking of either national, social, religious or moral laws. The focus in this component must be on ‘Elements’ and students need to consider the elements that exist in each of their texts.

(Specification for English Literature A Level, Specification B, AQA)

On the following pages are the various ‘elements’ of crime writing (taken from the AQA syllabus for Literature spec. B). Use them as the beginnings of your revision. Add your own quotations and discoveries as you continue to deepen and explore your knowledge of the crime genre.

1) The type of the crime text itself, whether it is detective fiction, a post-modern novel, a revenge tragedy, an account of a life lost to crime

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

2) The settings that are created as backdrops for criminal action and for the pursuit of the perpetrators of crime: both places and times will be significant here

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

3) The nature of the crimes and the criminals, the criminals’ motives and actions

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

4) The inclusion of violence, murder, theft, betrayal

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

5) The detection of the criminal and the investigation that leads to his or her capture or punishment

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

6) How far there is a moral purpose and restoration of order

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

7) Guilt and remorse, confession and the desire for forgiveness

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

8) The creation of the criminal and their nemesis, the typical detective hero

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

9) The sense that there will be a resolution and the criminal will be punished

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

10) The victims of crime and the inclusion of suffering

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

11) The central motifs of love, money, danger and death

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

12) Punishment, justice, retribution, injustice, accusation, the legal system, criminal trials and courtroom dramas, imprisonment, death

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

13) The structural patterning of the text as it moves through a series of crises to some sense of order

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

14) The specific focus on plotting

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

15) The way that language is used in the world that is created; there may be use of a criminal register, legal register, police register

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

16) The way that crime writing is used to comment on society, particularly the representation of society at particular historical periods

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

17) Ultimately, how crime stories affect audiences and readers, creating suspense, repugnance, excitement and relief

Literary Criticism Genre as a whole Brighton Rock Atonement Rime of the Ancient Mar.

‘Crime is a genre of many subgenres: detective fiction, a post-modern novel, a revenge tragedy, an account of a life lost to crime...’Explore the significance of subgenre in two crime texts you have studied.

‘ Setting is one of the primary ingredients of crime writing.’ Explore the significance of settings (both time and place) in two crime texts you have studied.

The nature of the crimes and the criminals, the criminals’ motives and actions are what make crime writing so compelling.’ Explore the significance of criminals’ motives and actions in two crime texts you have studied.

‘The inclusion of violence, murder, theft, betrayal is essential to all crime writing.’ Explore the significance of such crimes in two crime texts you have studied.

‘The detection of the criminal and the investigation that leads to his or her capture or punishment is at the heart of all crime writing.’ Explore the significance of detection and investigation in two crime texts you have studied.

‘How far there is a moral purpose and restoration of order varies wildly from text to text.’ Explore the significance of a moral purpose in two crime texts you have studied.

‘Themes of guilt and remorse, confession and the desire for forgiveness are at the heart of crime writing.’ Explore the significance of one or more of these themes in two crime texts you have studied.

‘At the centre of the crime narrative is the creation of the criminal and their nemesis, the typical detective hero.’ Explore the significance of criminals and/or detectives in two crime texts you have studied.

‘Most important to crime writing is the sense that there will be a resolution and the criminal will be punished.’ Explore the significance of resolution in two crime texts you have studied.

‘In crime writing there are always victims’. Explore the significance of victims in two crime texts you have studied.

‘Crime writing functions around central motifs of love, money, danger and death.’ Explore the significance of motifs in two crime texts you have studied.

‘It is the punishment of crime and the successful pursuit of justice, that is the narrative thrust of all crime writing.’ Explore the significance of punishment and the pursuit of justice in two crime texts you have studied.

‘Crime texts tend to be structured from a series of crises to some restoration of order.’ Explore the significance of structure and patterning techniques in two crime texts you have studied.

‘Plotting is the most important ingredient of crime writing.’ Explore the significance of plotting in two crime texts you have studied.

‘The use of register (e.g. legal, crime, etc.) is central to crime writing.’ Explore the significance of register in two crime texts you have studied.

‘Crime writing is a commentary on society, particularly the representation of society at particular historical periods.’Explore the significance of social commentary in two crime texts you have studied.

‘The effects of crime writing are extreme: suspense, repugnance, excitement and relief, for example.’Explore the significance of the effects of crime writing in two crime texts you have studied.