Answering the Question in the Murder Mystery

1829 Words4 Pages

A murder mystery is a type of closed text or resolved suspense that follows a structure. The characters are following a plot structure, the evidence is following a reveal structure, and that will lead to a resolution. “In closed texts, the murder is found, the mystery resolved, the ghost exposed as a mechanical illusion, or the lovers are able to consummate their love” (Bennett 197). Almost all murder mysteries are considered closed texts because of the structure that the texts tend to follow. The novel has a victim that has been murdered. The victim has many possible murderers for many possible reasons—all equally valid, so it seems. The victim has a person trying to solve the case. Through various means of detection, the murderer is sought and found. So, the question of “Who done it?” is answered by a human character usually—I am sure that animals have played the part of detective before. The murder mystery is closed, the victim has a murderer; the murderer is caught, the world can return to normal. This concept is the typical ideal of a closed text.

As humans, we have a need to understand the world in which we live, which seems to be a common desire. The essential question of “Why am I here?”—the most sought after answer in all of human existence that has yet to be adequately answered has a similar question that typically can be answered—“Who murdered the victim?” Every human wants to know, at some point in time in his or her life, why he or she is here on this planet. Are we here to serve a purpose; are we here with no purpose; or are we here to enjoy what [insert your own deity or belief system] has given. People want to know; they are constantly searching for some answer to the question of “Why…?,” as can ...

... middle of paper ...

...s and Charles Simic.” The American Scholar 74.2 (2005): 49-56.

Kriner, Tiffany Eberle. “Conjuring Hope in a Body: Lucille Clifton’s Eschatology.” Christianity and Literature 54.2 (Winter 2005): 185-208.

Lee, Li-Young. Rose: Poems. Rochester, New York: BOA Editions, Ltd., 1986.

"Romanticism." The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004. 12 Aug. 2008. .

Simic, Charles. Sixty Poems. New York: Harcourt, INC., 2007.

"Surrealism." Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1). Random House, Inc. 12 Aug. 2008. .

"Transcendentalism." The American Heritage® New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005. 12 Aug. 2008. .

Open Document