Lesson Plan for Week 6: General Thoughts and Notes

Patrick Mooney, TA
Eng 193, Prof. Newfield
11/12 February 2014  
  1. Thought for the day:

    Necessity is not in that sense a type of content, but rather the inexorable form of events; it is therefore a narrative category in the enlarged sense of some properly narrative political unconscious […]. Conceived in this sense, History is what hurts, it is what refuses desire and sets inexorable limits to individual as well as collective praxis, which its ruses turn into grisly and ironic reversals of their overt intention.

    -Frederic Jameson, The Political Unconscious, p. 102. (See this quote with more context.)

  2. Administrative matters:
  3. Questions for discussion:

Group-generated summary table: conventions and tropes in detective fiction

Detective fiction
(classically, and/or in general)
Noir
(in particular)
Power is transferable between honest functionaries; is connected to intelligence; is honest; and ensures the ultimate triumph of justice.
  • This is true even if the ostensible wielders of power often function as absent causes, radiating benevolence from far off.
Power (at least political power) is inherently linked to corruption.
Most characters in the story are more or less likeable. Most characters in the story are more or less horrible.
Crime-solving is a cooperative enterprise that serves various sociologically functional purposes. Crimes are solved by a lone-wolf detective, in order to achieve justice that society at large doesn't see.
Mystery-solving is an intellectual exercise.
  • The investigation is generally emotionally detached.
  • The detective is enthusiastic about the process of detection.
  • The problem to be solved is a neatly structured problem.
Crime-solving is an action-packed adventure.
  • The investigation is generally emotionally fraught.
  • The detective is reluctant to engage in the investigation.
  • The problem to be solved is messy and complex.
  • The problem to be solved is messy and complex.
Investigation generally proceeds more or less in line with general legal principles. Investigation frequently transgresses legal boundaries.
Ending satisfyingly resolves outstanding issues (and is often a happy ending). Ending is often tragic (in at least some ways) and may leave (at least some) outstanding mysteries unsolved.
  Contains more abrasive content:
  • violence
  • suicide
  • sexual content
  • graphic description of crime scenes
Detective is detached; sees situation as a whole. Detective is emotionally involved; perspective is limited.
More or less clear division between main and secondary characters Secondary characters may become primary characters as the novel progresses
Rule of law Rule of force
Police officers are naïve and/or incompetent, but well-intentioned and honest Police officers are corrupt, resentful of the detective in the story, and/or violent
Romantic love is idealistic and idealized, but not a primary driver of the story's action Romantic love and desire are conflated and confused in the love-loss linkage we have talked about in lecture, and are primary drivers for the story's action
Clues are largely tangible (bullet casings, drops of blood, shotguns) and clear-cut Clues are largely intangible (a glance, a hesitation, an overheard conversation), revealed in the context of social relationships
Plot usually revolves around a single crime Plot often includes multiple crimes or other mysteries
The villain needs to hide his/her tracks The detective needs to hide his/her tracks
violence is an isolated anomaly violence is everywhere
Main characters have more or less integrated, unitary personalities Main characters are noteworthy for having fragmented, fractured, or otherwise very dynamic personalities
The plot's resolution provides the reader with the pleasure of seeing honor and justice restored The plots' resolution provides the reader only with the pleasure of seeing the mystery resolved