SUSPENSE

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SUSPENSE

• Not all suspense stories contain a mystery
• But
• all mystery stories must contain suspense

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SUSPENSE

• Is a feeling of CURIOSITY, ANXIETY or
  UNCERTAINTY about the outcome of events

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SUSPENSE IS CREATED

• Through the PLOT
• dramatic irony (the reader wonders if the
  character will discover the truth before its too
  late), unexplained occurrences, intensifying
  conflict
• Through the SETTING
• Through the CHARACTERS
  words, actions, in risky/tense situations

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A MYSTERY

• Is a story of SUSPENSE that USUALLY contains a
  CRIME, a CRIME-SOLVER, a CRIMINAL, SUSPECTS, and
  KEY DETAILS such as CLUES, alibis, and motive

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SIX ELEMENTS OF A MYSTERY
SUSPENSE plot setting characters
SUSPECTS motives alibis
CRIME what happened to whom
CRIME SOLVER specific traits
CRIMINAL motive how crime committed
CLUES TO RESOLUTION key details
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PLOT

• In a mystery the SEQUENCE OF EVENTS (PLOT) may be
  given out of order as clues are discovered.
• So, you MUST keep track of events on a timeline
  in the order they occur - NOT necessarily in the
  order told in the story.

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SETTING

• In a mystery, the SETTING (where,
• when, conditions, etc) is VERY IMPORTANT
• It will often include CLUES to solving the
  mystery.

8
IN LITERATURE, CHARACTERS ARE

• Revealed using
• DIRECT CHARACTERIZATION (the reader is told
  what the character is like) or INDIRECT
  CHARACTERIZATION (the reader must infer what the
  character is like)
• Either ROUND (having many identifiable traits) or
  FLAT (having few identifiable traits)
• Either DYNAMIC (changes as a result of the
  conflict) or STATIC (does not change)

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CHARACTERS

• In a mystery the reader MUST keep track of the
  characters traits, actions, words because all of
  these things can be clues to explaining MOTIVE
  and ALIBI (in a crime situation), and to solving
  the mystery.

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SUSPECTS

• ANYONE can be a SUSPECT.
• You need to analyze each character as a good
  suspect or unlikely suspect based on their
• MOTIVE (reason for committing the crime)
• ALIBI (excuse as to why they couldnt possibly
  have committed the crime)

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CRIME

• The CRIME is the what happened to whom part of
  the mystery.
• Remember - a crime is NOT always a murder or
  other gory act of violence.
• In some mysteries, the CRIME may be replaced by
  an unexplained occurrence.

12
THE CRIME- SOLVER

• The CRIME-SOLVER is the person in the story
  responsible for figuring out what happened to
  whom and why.
• The CRIME-SOLVER generally has very specific,
  unique character traits that set him or her apart
  from the rest of the characters.
• The CRIME-SOLVER is usually ROUND and DYNAMIC.

13
A GOOD DETECTIVE

• Is logical
• Keeps track of EVERY detail
• Makes charts, graphs, notes
• Uses the charts, graphs, notes to organize
  thinking in order to solve the mystery

14
CRIMINAL

• The CRIMINAL is the person responsible for the
  crime.
• Usually the CRIMINAL is on the list of suspects
  but has a weak alibi coupled with a strong
  motive.
• In the end, it must be clear to the reader how
  and why the CRIMINAL acted as he did.

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CLUES TO THE RESOLUTION

• NOTHING in a mystery is too small to ignore.
• EVERYTHING is a potential CLUE to the resolution.
  
• It is IMPORTANT for you to keep track of EVERY
  DETAIL in order to decide what are KEY DETAILS
  that will help you come to a logical conclusion
  at the end of the mystery.

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SIX ELEMENTS OF A MYSTERY
SUSPENSE plot setting characters
SUSPECTS motives alibis
CRIME what happened to whom
CRIME SOLVER specific traits
CRIMINAL motive how crime committed
CLUES TO RESOLUTION key details