Flashcards · 9675 · A Level Topic 3

Unit 3 – Elements of Crime and Mystery (A Level) flashcards

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What elements of crime and mystery writing should you look for?: The crime and how it is revealed; the investigator; suspects; clues and red herrings; setting; narrative method; and the resolution (is order restored and justice complete?).
What is a red herring?: A misleading clue that points suspicion in the wrong direction, keeping the mystery open and the reader guessing.
What are the "two stories" in much crime fiction?: The crime that happened in the past and the investigation in the present. The writer controls the order in which information reaches the reader.
What is delayed revelation, and what is its effect?: Withholding the culprit or a key fact until late. It sustains suspense and can force the reader to re-read earlier scenes differently.
How can the criminal be presented in crime writing?: As monstrous, as a victim of circumstance, or as uncomfortably close to ordinary people, which shapes the reader's sympathy and judgement.
Why ask whether a crime text follows or breaks the genre's conventions?: Conventions can satisfy readers or be broken to surprise or challenge them, so ask what the writer gains either way.
How is OxfordAQA 9675 Unit 3 assessed?: A 2-hour closed-book exam worth 50 marks and 30% of the International A-level: two essays of 25 marks, one on each of two texts chosen from the set list. The specification says two from eight but prints nine texts.