ENGLISH 272 (003) (W): Intro to Lit: Literature & Culture—Mystery Fiction
For this course, we will be reading, explicating, and analyzing prose fiction, focusing on the sub-genre mystery. We will give a lot of attention to seminal hard-boiled detective stories, and to books that either play off of this type of storytelling style, or integrate other sub-genres, such as the historical novel and science fiction. No matter what form of mystery story we read and discuss, we will focus on time-tested story elements such as PLOT, POINT OF VIEW, CHARACTER, and SETTING, VOICE, and THEME, as well as the various ways in which NARRATIVE is constructed. We will also explore the popularity and literary value of the hard-boiled style in response to its cinematic equivalent, film noir. Finally, We will also examine what these stories say about contemporary culture.
This is a writing-intensive course, designed to foster critical thinking via essay writing, peer interaction and class discussions.
Course Requirements
• Attendance and Participation
• Response papers for each major work
• Two formal essays (4-5 pages)
• A revision of one of the essays
• Midterm
• Final exam
Required Texts (available through Revolution Books, 2626 S. King Street)
• Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep
• James Ellroy, L.A. Confidential
• E.L. Doctorow, The Waterworks
• Patricia Highsmith, The Talented Mr. Ripley
• Dennis Lehane, Gone, Baby, Gone
There will also be a course reader (available from Professional Image, 3620 Wai‘alae Ave.), featuring short fiction by authors such as Agatha Christie, Louise Erdrich, Michael Chabon, John Sayles, Scott Turow, Dennis Lehane, Michael Connelly, and Joyce Carol Oates.