essay on mystery genre

The Mystery Genre Essay

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The mystery fiction attracts many readers because of the plot richness and strong emotions evoked while reading mystery stories. The vividness of a mystery story and the effectiveness of unexpected finales depend on the author’s talent. The prominent masters of the American mystery fiction are Dashiell Hammett, Raymond Chandler, and Flannery O’Connor.

Dashiell Hammett is the founder of mystery fiction as a genre. Thus, the writer developed characteristic features of the hard-boiled fiction as well as the principles of developing the mystery story which are followed by many writers even today (Hammett, 2001). Raymond Chandler is also the follower of Hammett.

Chandler is the prominent detective fiction writer who contributed to the further development of a genre while creating a range of crime stories. Philip Marlowe, the protagonist of Chandler’s many stories, is the favourite character of many readers who prefer mystery stories because he embodies the traditional vision of a detective (Chandler, 2001).

It is also important to pay attention to the works by Flannery O’Connor as the famous female author who created the wonderful world of mystery in her short stories. O’Connor’s story “The Comforts of Home” is a good example of the author’s use of the Gothic elements, grotesque, and ethical questions in the mystery story (O’Connor, 2001). These three authors are the real masters of the American mystery fiction who stated the main principles of the genre.

A good mystery story should contain several important elements in order to attract and even grab the readers’ attention. These elements are a perfect mystery which is associated with the crime, a brilliant detective who is able to use his logic and mind in order to resolve the puzzle, a detective’s assistance, many secondary characters which can be the main murderer or stealer, and a lot of specific details which should be carefully analyzed by the detective.

The role of a detective in the story is the main one, but the readers’ focus is on the process of solving the mystery. Thus, a good mystery story can be compared with the pepper sauce with a lot of ingredients which are intricately combined and mixed. This story makes a reader worry and empathize with the detective till the finale when the mystery or a puzzle is solved.

The mystery genre has a lot of similarities with such genres as suspense, thriller, and suspense thriller. It is possible to state that there are more similarities than differences between these genres. The mystery genre is based on depicting the process of the problem’s resolution which is often a crime. Nevertheless, a mystery story can depend on resolving any problem and any crime when thrillers are predominately based on murders.

These three genres are closely connected because their elements can be observed in stories belonging to various genres and categories. Thus, suspense as a literary device and an element of creating the story can be presented in the mystery genre and thrillers because of adding to the emotional depth of the story.

Detectives who are depicted as the main characters in mystery and suspense stories can overcome a lot of difficulties while resolving the key secret or a problem, but the difference between these two genres is in the readers’ knowledge of the hidden information. Thus, reading a mystery story, a person follows the actions of a detective, and the detective’s eyes are the reader’s eyes.

Reading the suspense or thriller story, a person can know more than a detective or main character because of the author’s intentions to use the effect of suspense. The historical development of the mystery genre is associated with the development of civilization because crime stories can be discussed as the part of the people’s life since the Biblical times.

From this point, the first crime story was described in the Bible with references to the personalities of Cain and Abel. During the late part of the 19 th century, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes became the example of the perfect detective in Britain and in the USA.

Focusing on the history of the mystery genre’s development in the USA, it is important to determine such periods as the second part of the 19 th century when Edgar Allan Poe writes his first mystery stories, the period of the 1920s-1940s when the American writers develop a specific genre of the hardboiled mystery stories and unite in a specific organization of the Mystery Writers of America to protect their interests as authors.

The second part of the 20 th century is associated with developing the mystery stories full of the elements of thriller and suspense. Thus, the combination of genres can be observed. From this perspective, the heyday of the American mystery story is the 20 th century when the norms of the hardboiled mystery stories were determined by Dashiell Hammett and Raymond Chandler (Hillerman & Penzler, 2001).

The era of a brilliant detective was changed with the era of an active detective who can operate successfully in the world full of violence, corruption, and lie.

Chandler, R. (2001). Red wind. In T. Hillerman & O. Penzler (Eds.), The best American mystery stories of the century (pp. 235-245). USA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Hammett, D. (2001). The Gutting of Couffignal. In T. Hillerman & O. Penzler (Eds.), The best American mystery stories of the century (pp. 105-120). USA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Hillerman, T., & Penzler, O. (2001). The best American mystery stories of the century . USA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

O’Connor, F. (2001). The comforts of home. In T. Hillerman & O. Penzler (Eds.), The best American mystery stories of the century (pp. 489-500). USA: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

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English Studies

This website is dedicated to English Literature, Literary Criticism, Literary Theory, English Language and its teaching and learning.

Mystery: A Literary Genre

In the realm of literature, the mystery genre is characterized by narratives that revolve around the solving of a puzzle, often involving a crime, enigma, or a perplexing event.

Mystery: Etymology

Table of Contents

The term “mystery” has its etymological roots in Middle English, deriving from the Anglo-French word “misterie” and directly from Latin “mysterium,” which means “a secret or hidden thing.” The Latin word itself is a transliteration of the Greek “mysterion,” denoting a religious secret or ritual.

Mystery: Meanings

Mystery: definition as a literary genre.

Literary Genre – Mystery: In the realm of literature, this genre is characterized by narratives that revolve around the solving of a puzzle, often involving a crime, enigma, or a perplexing event. Central to these works is the element of suspense, as characters—typically detectives or amateur sleuths—engage in a systematic process of investigation to uncover hidden truths and solve the central mystery. Clues, red herrings, and unexpected twists are common features, keeping readers in suspense until the resolution is revealed.
Detective Fiction: A significant subset of this genre is detective fiction, where protagonists, often detectives, use their analytical skills to solve crimes. Classic examples include Sherlock Holmes by Arthur Conan Doyle or Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple. These stories often involve intricate plots and a keen focus on logic and deduction.
Whodunit and Howdunit: Mystery novels often fall into the categories of “whodunit” and “howdunit.” In a whodunit, the primary revolves around the identity of the perpetrator, while a howdunit focuses on unraveling the method or means by which a crime was committed. Both sub-genres contribute to the suspenseful atmosphere characteristic of mystery literature.
Noir Mysteries: A darker and more atmospheric offshoot of the mystery genre is noir mystery, where the narrative often involves gritty settings, morally ambiguous characters, and a pervasive sense of cynicism. These stories explore the complexities of human nature while maintaining the central theme of solving a mystery.
Suspense and Tension: The mystery genre relies heavily on building and sustaining suspense. Authors use pacing, plot twists, and careful revelation of information to keep readers engaged and guessing until the final resolution. The tension created within the narrative adds to the overall appeal of mystery literature.
Evolution and Subgenres: Over time, the mystery genre has evolved, giving rise to various subgenres such as cozy mysteries, psychological thrillers, and police procedurals. Each subgenre brings its own unique elements to the overarching theme of uncovering hidden truths, catering to a diverse range of reader preferences.

Mystery: Types

Mystery in common life.

Example: Misplacing keys, a phone, or any everyday item and not remembering where you left it creates a small mystery in your daily life. The challenge is to retrace your steps and solve the mysteries of the missing item.
Example: Hearing an unexplained noise in your house or surroundings can create mysteries. Investigating the source of the sound becomes a mini detective task until its origin is identified.
Example: When plans suddenly change without clear reasons or when something unexpected occurs, it introduces a mystery. Understanding the cause or navigating the new situation becomes a part of everyday mystery-solving.
Example: Finding a note or message with unclear or cryptic content can be a mystery. Deciphering the meaning or figuring out who left it becomes a puzzle to solve.
Example: When a device malfunctions or displays an error message, it creates a technological mystery. Understanding the issue, troubleshooting, and resolving it involve a process of investigation.
Example: Sudden changes in weather, like unexpected rain on a clear day, can be meteorological mysteries. Understanding the atmospheric conditions causing the change adds an element of curiosity to everyday life.
Example: Noticing unusual activity on social media, such as mysterious friend requests or unfamiliar posts, can create digital mysteries. Investigating the source and understanding the context becomes a common online puzzle.
Example: Seeing someone regularly in your neighborhood without knowing who they are can create mysteries. Finding out their identity and understanding their presence adds an element of intrigue to daily life.
Example: Experiencing unexplained symptoms or sudden health issues can be personal mysteries. Seeking a diagnosis and understanding the cause becomes a personal investigation.
Example: Having unanswered questions in daily life, whether about personal relationships, work, or the world, creates ongoing mysteries. Seeking answers and understanding adds a continuous element of curiosity.

Mystery: Suggested Readings

Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Orient Express. HarperCollins, 1934.
Doyle, Arthur Conan. The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Penguin Classics, 1892.
Chandler, Raymond. The Big Sleep. Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 1939.
Atkinson, Kate. Case Histories. Little, Brown and Company, 2004.
Lehane, Dennis. Mystic River. William Morrow, 2001.
Hawkins, Paula. The Girl on the Train. Riverhead Books, 2015.
Larsson, Stieg. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. Vintage Crime/Black Lizard, 2005.
French, Tana. In the Woods. Viking, 2007.
Christie, Agatha. And Then There Were None. HarperCollins, 1939.
Flynn, Gillian. Gone Girl. Crown Publishers, 2012.

Onomatopoeia: A Literary Device

Definition of Mystery

The term mystery literally means something that is a dilemma for the public. It is difficult for people to understand such as the mysteries of the universe or the mystery of some murder. It could be puzzling, dilemmatic, or enigmatic. The roots of the word lie in an archaic term derived from Anglo-French misterie. It was a derivative of the old French term, mistere, which means a secret. Its modern French equivalent is mystere that also means the same thing. However, the Latin equivalent from which it seems to have been derived is mysterium that means a secret object or a sacrament.

Mystery is a fiction genre where a murder or similar crime, remains mysterious until the end of the book. In literature, it is a genre that focuses on something difficult to understand. It often occurs with the word, story . Such stories involve a whodunit scenario where a criminal hides somewhere and the process ensues to uncover him.

Elements of Mystery Story

Generally, a mystery story is like all other simple stories. The only difference lies in the problem, its solution, and the consequences. All other elements such as characters, setting , plot , and dialogs are the same.

Examples of Mystery in Literature

The Murders in the Rue Morgue by Edgar Allen Poe

I soon noticed a special reasoning power he had, an unusual reasoning power. Using it gave him great pleasure. He told me once, with a soft and quiet laugh, that most men have windows over their hearts; through these he could see into their souls. Then, he surprised me by telling what he knew about my own soul; and I found that he knew things about me that I had thought only I could possibly know. His manner at these moments was cold and distant. His eyes looked empty and far away, and his voice became high and nervous. At such times it seemed to me that I saw not just Dupin, but two Dupins — one who coldly put things together, and another who just as coldly took them apart.

This mystery passage occurs in the mystery story of Edgar Allen Poe, “The Murders of the Rue Morgue.” The mystery of this passage lies in that the speaker or the narrator states that the person he is talking about has told him that he knows the secrets of their hearts. He has disclosed it to the speaker by stating his secrets. The way the narrator describes the person and his skills have a somewhat mysterious atmosphere that makes “The Murders in the Ruge Morgue” a mystery story.

The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins

I had first become acquainted with my Italian friend by meeting him at certain great houses where he taught his own language and I taught drawing. All I then knew of the history of his life was, that he once held a situation in the University of Padua; that he had left Italy for political reasons (the nature of which he uniformly declined to mention to any one); and that he had been for many years respectably established in London as a teacher of languages.

Although this passage occurs in the wider context of the novel , The Woman in White, the mere description of the Italian friend here lends credence to the mysteriousness of the story. The mention of his teaching assignment, his situation in the university, and his political views show that the narrator wants to create a mystery about the character in question.

The Hounds of Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle

Mr. Sherlock Holmes, who was usually very late in the mornings, save upon those not infrequent occasions when he was up all night , was seated at the break-fast table. I stood upon the hearth-rug and picked up the stick which our visitor had left behind him the night before. It was a fine, thick piece of wood, bulbous-headed, of the sort which is known as a “Penang lawyer.” Just under the head was a broad silver band nearly an inch across. “To James Mortimer, M.R.C.S., from his friends of the C.C.H.,” was engraved upon it, with the date “1884.” It was just such a stick as the old-fashioned family practitioner used to carry—dignified, solid, and reassuring.

This passage occurs in the popular novel of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, The Hounds of Baskerville. The story revolves around a mansion where a hound seems to have caused panic among the residents and the new inmates. However, Sherlock Holmes, as usual, resolves this mystery by catching the person after sending his deputy to know the circumstances and himself staying in the background. This passage shows the resolution of how Holmes himself creates mystery when entering the story.

Murder on the Orient Express by Agatha Christie

It was freezingly cold, and this job of seeing off a distinguished stranger was not one to be envied, but Lieutenant Dubosc performed his part manfully. Graceful phrases fell from his lips in polished French. Not that he knew what it was all about. There had been rumours, of course, as there always were in such cases. The General’s—his General’s—temper had grown worse and worse. And then there had come this Belgian stranger—all the way from England, it seemed. There had been a week—a week of curious tensity. And then certain things had happened. A very distinguished officer had committed suicide, another had suddenly resigned, anxious faces had suddenly lost their anxiety, certain military precautions were relaxed. And the General, Lieutenant Dubosc’s own particular General, had suddenly looked ten years younger.

This passage from Murder on the Orient Express shows how Lieutenant Dubosc is performing his duties mysteriously. The environment, the action of the characters like the General and Lieutenant, and the series of suicides have led credence to the excellence of the story in terms of mysterious circumstances. Even this short passage has almost all the elements of mystery.

Functions of Mystery

A mystery story creates suspense , makes the readers wait for the next incident to happen, and read more. In almost all of these functions, mysteries excel other stories. As the examples show, their main function is to entertain the readers, make the readers aware of the skills of the writer, and also make them release their pent-up emotions by indulging in the passive activity of reading.

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Many Writers, Many Forms: Mystery

American writing comes in many forms and we like to celebrate them all we begin this new blog series with the timeless genre of mystery..

Estimated reading time: 10 minutes

The diversity of America’s writers can only be matched by the number of forms and genres in which they write. Memorable and important writing can come in many ways, lengths, and mediums. A short story can capture the zeitgeist of the moment while a clever advertising tagline can become ingrained in our collective consciousness.

In this new series, we’ll discover and investigate the many forms which writers explore. We’ll look at the history of the form and spotlight a writer who is prolific in it. For each form, we will also highlight instances of the work in our museum as well suggesting contemporary pieces for you to explore. We hope you enjoy Many Writers, Many Forms .

Written by Matthew Masino

The earliest known example of mystery fiction appeared in One Thousand and One Nights in the story “The Three Apple.” In the tale, a fisherman discovers a locked chest in a river and sells it to the Abbasid Caliph, Harun al-Rashid, who, after breaking it open, discovers the dead body of a woman cut into pieces. Harun orders his vizir to solve the crime in three days or be executed.

The mystery genre as we know it today began developing in the early 19 th century. The genre, sometimes also known as crime fiction, detective story, murder mystery novel, or police novel, centers on criminal acts, often murder, and the investigation into who committed the crime and why. The hero is a cop, private eye, or amateur sleuth with a strong sense of justice who faces a clever villain. The author brings the reader along the journey with the detective and asks us to try to figure out the mystery ourselves and appreciate the detective’s craft and cleverness.

A Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Super Mystery by Carolyn Keene

The evolution of mass print media in the United Kingdom and the United States is one of the many forces that led to the popularization of the mystery genre. It’s theorized that the rise of mystery genre may be tied to the rise of institutionalized police forces. Before the Industrial Revolution, many towns would have constables and, maybe, a night watchman. Naturally, they would know everyone in town and crimes committed were either solved very quickly or not at all. As people moved to cities, populations grew and the need for detectives and police forces were realized.

British author Arthur Conan Doyle is credited with being one of the major forces in the mystery genre with his master detective Sherlock Holmes who became wildly popular on both sides of the Atlantic. Pulp magazines and dime novels in the 1930s and 40s helped grow interest as did the creation of the juvenile mystery developed by American publisher Edward Stratemeyer, who created the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew mystery series. (Mildred Benson, under the pen name Carolyn Keene, wrote the bulk of Nancy Drew and you can learn more about her typewriter as part of our Tools of the Trade virtual exhibit). The mystery genre continues to maintain its popularity today with television shows, graphic novels, and films.

Writer Highlight: Sue Grafton

Sue Grafton was a New York Times bestselling mystery writer best known for her series about the resilient, private detective Kinsey Millhone. Grafton was inspired to write mystery novels while going through a “bitter divorce and custody battle that lasted six long years.” During this period, she imagined ways to kill or maim her ex-husband with such vivid detail that she decided to write them down. In 1982, she published “A” is for Alibi , the first in her alphabet series. In 1985, she published the second work in the series “B” is for Burglar and then “C” is for Corpse a year later. The series often examined social issues such as wrongful conviction, kidnapping, physical and sexual abuse, vigilante justice, and homelessness.

Grafton had always said her series would end up “Z” is for Zero but died before she had begun writing the novel. In a Facebook post, her daughter wrote that Grafton would never allow a ghostwriter to write in her name, and so, “as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.” Speaking of her alter ego Kinsey Millhone, Grafton wrote, “It amused me that I invented someone who has gone on to support me. It amuses her, I’m sure, that she will live in this world long after I’m gone.”

In 2009, Grafton was named a Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America and is often credited with upending the chauvinism which had been a defining quality of hard-boiled detective fiction where women were painted as powerless victims or vicious femme fatales. Grafton was a writer who truly believed in the genre she had chosen to write, saying, “The mystery novel offers a world in which justice is served. Maybe not in a court off law, but people do get their just desserts.”

Museum Connections

“The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by Edgar Allan Poe

First published in 1841, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” is credited as the first modern detective story. After the brutal murder of two women at their home in Rue Morgue (a fictional street in Paris), C. Auguste Dupin and the story’s narrator work to solve the case by interviewing suspects and investigating the crime scene. Poe biographer Jeffery Meyer summarized the impact of “The Murders in the Rue Morgue” by saying the short story “changed the history of world literature.” As the first fictional detective, Dupin displays many traits which would be staples in the mystery genre and would influence characters like Sherlock Holmes and Hercule Poirot. The story also introduced the concept of the genius detective and the personal friend who serves as narrator of the story. Dupin would appear again in two more of Poe’s works, “Mystery of Marie Rogêt” and “The Purloined Letter.”

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote

Detailing the real-life quadruple homicide of the Clutter family in Holcomb, Kansas, In Cold Blood is considered one of the best true crimes novels in the canon and is the second-best-selling true crime book in history. Capote first learned of the murder in The New York Times and travelled to Kansas with his good friend and future Pulitzer-Prize winning author Harper Lee. There, he conducted interviews and researched everyone involved in the case. Eventually, he would compile more than 8,000 pages of notes. When the killers were caught, Capote also conducted interviews with them though the book would not be published until after their execution. Truman Capote’s typewriter , a 1961 Smith-Corona Electra 110, can be seen in our Tools of the Trade virtual exhibit, available now.

The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain

Frank Chambers is a drifter, a bum, a man who, when life gets too heavy, hitches the next ride out of town. That all changes when Frank stops at a roadside diner for a sandwich and meets the beautiful Cora. Their ensuing affair, full of lust and violence, leads Frank and Cora down a dangerous path. The Postman Always Rings Twice established James M. Cain as a major novelist while the novels mix of sexuality and violence caused it to be banned temporarily in Boston. The title itself is a “red herring” (a staple of the mystery genre) in that no postman appears or is ever alluded to in the novel. The Postman Always Rings Twice has been adapted as an opera, a radio drama, twice as a play, and seven times for the silver screen. The novel can also be found in the museum’s “Surprise Bookshelf” exhibit.

Past programs to watch and listen to.

Walter Mosley : One of America’s most versatile and admired writers, Mosley is the author of more than 60 books, many of them in the mystery genre. In October 2018 he visited the AWM to discuss his recently published novel John Woman . Watch here on YouTube or listen here on the AWM Author Talks podcast.

Edgar Allan Poe : As stated earlier, Poe is credited with writing the first modern detective story, and for our first episode of the Nation of Writers podcast we chatted with two Poe scholars about his life, legacy, and writing habits. Listen to the episode here or wherever you listen to podcasts!

1 thoughts on “ Many Writers, Many Forms: Mystery ”

Very interesting blog post! I’ll add some of these classics to my reading list. I’ve always wanted to try Sue Grafton and will start with”A.”

Investigating Genre: The Case of the Classic Detective Story

Resources & Preparation
Instructional Plan
Related Resources

The mystery genre is in some ways the most stable and recognizable of the genres of fiction, but its popularity has lead to updating, altering, and critiquing its conventions. In this lesson, students examine a somewhat controversial list of conventions for the mystery genre before analyzing The Hound of the Baskervilles for these traits. They then write an original mystery and, after peer feedback, compose a reflective essay that explains their choices within and against the genre conventions.

This lesson was adapted from The Hound of the Baskervilles Teacher's Guide , written by Katherine Shulten and published by WGBH Educational Foundation, (c)2003. A Sherlock Holmes series, set in modern-day London, is available through PBS's MASTERPIECE. Go here for more information.

Featured Resources

From theory to practice.

"Because genres are responses to social situations (and situations are always changing)," Deborah Dean asserts in Genre Theory: Teaching, Writing, and Being, "genres cannot be fixed" (10). In this lesson, students interact with a genre that is so predictable as to become formulaic: the classic detective story. Although "a certain amount of stability is essential for genres to carry out action," students can be encouraged experiment with and push the boundaries of a familiar genre since different examples of a genre "are never exactly the same since no two situations are exactly the same" (10).

Common Core Standards

This resource has been aligned to the Common Core State Standards for states in which they have been adopted. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, CCSS alignments are forthcoming.

State Standards

This lesson has been aligned to standards in the following states. If a state does not appear in the drop-down, standard alignments are not currently available for that state.

NCTE/IRA National Standards for the English Language Arts

1. Students read a wide range of print and nonprint texts to build an understanding of texts, of themselves, and of the cultures of the United States and the world; to acquire new information; to respond to the needs and demands of society and the workplace; and for personal fulfillment. Among these texts are fiction and nonfiction, classic and contemporary works.
2. Students read a wide range of literature from many periods in many genres to build an understanding of the many dimensions (e.g., philosophical, ethical, aesthetic) of human experience.
3. Students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experience, their interactions with other readers and writers, their knowledge of word meaning and of other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features (e.g., sound-letter correspondence, sentence structure, context, graphics).
4. Students adjust their use of spoken, written, and visual language (e.g., conventions, style, vocabulary) to communicate effectively with a variety of audiences and for different purposes.
5. Students employ a wide range of strategies as they write and use different writing process elements appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
11. Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
12. Students use spoken, written, and visual language to accomplish their own purposes (e.g., for learning, enjoyment, persuasion, and the exchange of information).

Materials and Technology

The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, or another traditional mystery/detective story of your choice, in print, audio, or video form
Genre-Defining Sentences
Original Mystery Peer Feedback Guide

This site provides some background on Ronald Knox and lists the “commandments” he made for the genre of detective fiction.

This guide provides ideas and resources related to the mystery genre, Sherlock Holmes, and the reading and viewing The Hound of the Baskervilles , which originally aired on PBS's Masterpiece in 2003.

Containing a biography, fimography, and section dedicated to the character of Sherlock Holmes, this site offers a wealth of resources related to Doyle and his works.

Preparation

Consider the degree to which your students are already familiar with the rhetorical concept of genre. This lesson assumes students have a basic grasp of genre; if you feel students need additional support or clarification, consider providing information or instruction adapted from the ReadWriteThink resources What is a Genre? , Genre List , Genre Study: A Collaborative Approach , and from the Guide to the Study of Literature .
Have students view, listen to, or read The Hound of the Baskervilles or another Sherlock Holmes story or traditional mystery. Consider using ReadWriteThink resources such as Recording Readers Theatre: Developing Comprehension and Fluency With Audio Texts , Everyone Loves a Mystery , or the Joan Lowry Nixon calendar entry to facilitate student response to and comprehension of the mystery.

Student Objectives

Students will

explore the concept of genre and generate a list of conventions for a given genre.
critique a list of genre conventions to reveal the social norms behind them.
generate a list of genre conventions with awareness of the social norms that inform them.
compose a text that responds to a list of genre conventions.
reflect on their text and the ways in which it adheres to and deviates from genre conventions for effect.

Session One

After reading, viewing, or listening to a mystery such as The Hound of the Baskervilles , ask students to write down all the ways they knew the story was a mystery.
Have students share some of the features or characteristics they listed. Record the examples on the board, a projector, or a piece of chart paper.
Review with students the concept of genre, making sure that that students have an acceptable grasp—both in terms of its rigidity (guidelines that examples within a genre tend to follow or characteristics that they tend to share) and flexibility (rarely does an example follow all guidelines).
Share with students some background on the subgenre of traditional detective fiction , the genre they have been describing, and the essay "The Mystery Genre" which is part of the Masterpiece Teacher's guide before projecting the “Ten Commandments of Detective Fiction” from Ronald Knox, a British mystery writer active in the 1920s.
Read over the commandments with students, clarifying any unfamiliar words or concepts. Ask them to share their responses regarding the validity or applicability of Knox’s rules. Students will inevitably, and rightly, be surprised and offended at the fifth commandment. Use his racist comment to begin a conversation about genre as a construction of a certain period and set of beliefs, not something that is rigid and unchangeable.
Elicit from students ways in which The Hound of the Baskervilles follows and does not follow the guidelines Knox suggested, reinforcing the understanding that genre conventions are not completely rigid.
Then, using Knox’s Genre Commandments as an example, work with students to generate an updated list of rules for a “traditional mystery” that suits the realities of the present day. For example, students might think about ways technology and social networking should and should not be allowed to function in a mystery.
Record students’ ideas on the board, a projector, or a piece of chart paper. Ask students to think about this list—including anything they would want to change or add—for the next session.

Session Two

Begin the session by reviewing the list of genre conventions for a contemporary mystery that the class generated in the previous session. Ask if students have any additional ideas they want to share.
Facilitate a vote to select ten genre conventions that will be the focus for the creative writing portion of the lesson.
Have students copy down the ten agreed-upon conventions so they can refer to them as they work. Assure students that they do not need to agree with every characteristic, since the notion of genre is flexible and they will have the opportunity to bend and play with characteristics in their own original writing.
Share with students that they will be getting the opportunity to write their own mystery, using the conventions as a guide.
If you wish, provide students with the list of Genre-Defining Sentences from a recent film adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles that they can use as story starters or incorporate throughout their story.
Challenge students to be aware of when they are purposefully using a genre convention (from the list of conventions the class generated, Traditional Detective Fiction “Commandments” , or the Genre-Defining Sentences handout ) to make their story function as a mystery—or when they are breaking, altering, or bending a convention to make their story fresh and new.
Consider letting students use the Mystery Cube or provide the Mystery Cube planning sheet to help students as they plan and write their mystery.
Determine with students a date for a future session when students will share their mysteries with a small group of peers. On the determined date, students should bring three copies of their completed mystery.

Session Three

After students have had time to write their mysteries, select—or have students select—groups of three for sharing their writing.
Distribute the Original Mystery Peer Feedback Guide and explain to students that they will use this handout to record some comments that they will eventually share with their peers. Each student will give copies of his or her mystery to the others in the group. The author will read his or her mystery as peers follow along, stopping occasionally to record comments they wish to offer.
After all three group members have read, students should take turns offering their comments. They should use the space a the bottom of the guide to record ideas they have for their own writing now that they have listened to and commented on two other mysteries.
Ask students to make any revisions or additions they feel are appropriate based on the comments from their peers.
Have students write a reflective piece that highlights the intentions behind their mystery’s adherence to and deviation from the expectations for the genre.
After students write and share their updated mysteries, have students view the newest interpretation of Sherlock Holmes set in modern London and utilizing tools such as the Internet and cell phones ( PBS Masterpiece , fall 2010).
After investigating the subgenre of classic detective fiction, allow students to choose another subgenre within mystery—or another genre entirely—to explore.
Students can record their mysteries, add music and sound effects, and publish them as podcasts on a school website.
Investigate the iconic character of Sherlock Holmes, as well as the mystery genre, in this excerpt from M ASTERPIECE’s 2002 version of The Hound of the Baskervilles . As students are introduced to Holmes, they use their own analytical skills to understand the methods and characteristics of the famous detective, the history of the mystery genre, and why Sherlock Holmes, in particular, has continued to fascinate and engage audiences.

Student Assessment / Reflections

Focusing more on students’ reflective writing that the mystery itself, look for evidence of students’ blind adherence to genre standards or capricious or ineffective deviation from them and provide appropriate corrective feedback on their drafts. Also look for evidence of thoughtful use of the conventions to make the story identifiable as and function as a mystery and justifiable deviations that enhance the effectiveness of their story.
Lesson Plans
Professional Library
Student Interactives
Calendar Activities

Students track the elements of mystery stories through Directed Learning-Thinking Activities, story maps, and puzzles. Then they offer clues for other readers as they plan and write original mystery stories.

The interactive Cube Creator helps students identify and summarize key elements. It can be used as a prewriting or postreading activity.

The Mystery Cube helps students identify and summarize story elements in this popular genre. It can be used as a postreading or prewriting activity.

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Home / Essay Samples / Life / Mystery / Analysis Of The Literary Genre Of Mystery Fiction

Analysis Of The Literary Genre Of Mystery Fiction

Category: Literature , Life
Topic: Fiction , Mystery

Pages: 2 (813 words)

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