Snow Falling on Cedars

Guterson's novel is an example of "good crime fiction" because his murder mystery, far from curtailing its potential, explores and comments on the moral responsibility of the world he is depicting whilst simultaneously presenting a stimulating puzzle to solve. Guterson strays from the convention of a murdered victim in order to explore a society that has betrayed its moral responsibility - the real crime is begotten of people's minds, their emotions and ignorance. Guterson comments on these values through his detective figure Ishmael, who parallels the lone, reluctant hero common in hardboiled crime fiction. By adding an element of romance to a genre that normally frowns upon this, Guterson portrays the break up of the interracial affair between Ishmael and the defendant's wife as having caused Ishmael to compromise his moral responsibility. In defiance of postmodern thought, Guterson then makes a positive comment on the ability of people in his world to live up to Arthur Chambers' "exacting regard for the truth" and fulfill their moral obligations. This section is better than what you did in the other practice response but this is still very general.

Howard Hawkes' film The Big Sleep is another example of "good crime fiction"; not only does it present a myriad of murders to solve, it also explores the underground world of corruption spawned by the prohibition of alcohol as well as commenting on the euphoria of American immediate post WWII society. The narrative of The Big Sleep features the film noir convention of wealth as a corrupting factor as this allows the composer to explore the mercenary values associated with the underworld of America. The responder is exposed to a bleak world when Harry Jones loses his life protecting a woman who was using him for money. Hawkes further explores this aspect of the world he is depicting with powerful symbolism: when Canino curls up his fst to hit the detective Marlowe, the roll of nickels in his hand breaks and the responder is postioned to appreciate the shiny coins as they fall into Canino's open palm. Thus Hawkes is able to explore the extent to which his world, represented by Canino, is willing to go to for the sake of money.

However, Hawkes also uses the conventions of film noir, as well as subverting from them, to comment on the optimism of the world he is depicting. Whilst Marlowe typifies the conventional film noir detective in some respects - "I was fired for insubordination" - the close relationship he enjoys with Bernie Ohls the policeman is clearly a subversion from the sub genre and is used by Hawkes to comment on society's expectations that the authorities work together to achieve justice. A mid shot allows responders to appreciate their familiarity as they share information about the Sternwoods. While film noir traditionally ends with more questions than it begins with, Hawkes ensures that his text is "good crime fiction" by commenting on the positive atmosphere of hispost World War II 1940s audience by incorporating romance and a happy ending. In the final scene, an establishing shot shows Vivian and Marlowe standing close to each other. "You've forgotten one thing," Vivien reminds him as he draws together the solutions of the complex plot, "me." The responder is then positioned to appreciate their expectant faces as Marlowe asks "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing you can't fix" is the answer as romantic music overrides the reality of a police siren. Through these subversions of film noir, Hawkes is able to produce "good crime fiction" by commenting on both the bleakness and the optimism of the world he is depicting.Do more with the conflict within Marlowe. Discuss more how the sleuth is both corrupted by his environment and how he rises above it.

Similarly, Agatha Christie in her novel And then There Were None whilst primarily presenting a puzzle to be solved, explores and comments on the class structures and expectations of her world, middle class 1920s Britain. By conforming to the subscribed formula of characters of a cozy, Christie takes the opportunity to explore and condone the class structures of her world. As Narracott rows the guests to Indian Island, he thinks to himself "That bluff, cheery gent - He wasn't a real gentleman. Retired tradesman, that's what he was." Indeed, General Macarthur's speech is typically peppered with "deuced" and "damned" to justify Narracott's inference. Miss Emily Brent is then observed by Narracott as being "an old maid - the sour king" - an inferior and poor woman who had replaced the emotional sterility of her life with religious fanaticism. Christie also comments on the fascination of her middle class reaingwhat does this mean?audience with the activities taken up by the aristocracy, such as drug taking. Consequntly the "young hero God a out of some Northern saga" Marston is depicted as being "mixed up in the dope business."

Christie also comments on and explores the sheltered world of her middle class audience by her portrayal of criminal activity and murder. In line with the conventions odf a cozy, Christie depicts these murders in a very gentle and clean manner. Miss Brent, Marston and Mrs Rogers are all neatly poisoned. Rogers is found "with a dent in his head that corresponded with the axe leaning against the house". Dr Armstrong simply disappears and is later found "lodged between two rocks." The responder is spared any graphic description of the deaths as Christie produces a text of "good crime fiction" through its ability to explore and comment on the rigid structures and shelterd nature of the world she is depicting.Do more with the closure and what this achieves.

Through conforming and subverting the police procedural sub genre, Anthony Zulitch's Pledging Mr Johnson episode of CSI manages to set up a series of puzzles to be solved, and also to explore and comment on modern America's crime-ridden world and their expectations that the authorities do something about it. The composer adheres to the convenmtion of teamwork amongst the authorities to explore society's continuing need for security and faith in the authorities. When Gil Grissom and Catherine Willows attempt to find a boat, climatic music is playing in the background while they are carrying out different methods of investigation. The responder is positioned to appreciate the wide scope of investigation being covered as the well lit scenes of Gil working inside are juxtaposed with Catherine's hands-on approach. The composer explores the expectations of the world he is depicting as Gil explains " When you have a partner, you each take a road and that's how you find a missing boat."

Zulitch also comments on his modern world's expectations of security through his subversion from the typical portrayal of investigation, which has expanded to include forensic investigation. Television historian Eric Barok believes that as the police procedural was born from the McCarthy era, it tends to support the status quo in its depiction of the world. In acknowledgement of the modern context and society's expectations that technological developments result in benefit, Zulitch abandons the standard gritty realism of the police procedural camera work. The scenes that unfold in the forensic laboratory in Pledging Mr Johnson have the camera zooming into the victim's eye in an extreme close up. Post production animation allows the responder to appreciate the intricacies and therefore the accuracies of the forensic investigation process. The composer of CSI explores and comments on modern america's world of crme and insecurity rather then just presenting a puzzle; it is this ability to deliver relevant commentary about the world he is depictingthat makes Zulitch's CSI an example of "good crime fiction". Very general - you need more quotes and specific reference. What concerns of society are raised in the chosen episode. You are dealing far more with appeal of the series than the issues raised in the particular show.

Through conforming and subverting the crime fiction genre, composers are able to create texts of "good crime fiction" by not restricting themselves to setting up a puzzle to be solved; they also explore and comment on the world they depict. Guterson's Snow Falling on Cedars, I adapting the courtroom drama, is able to explore racial prejudice and comment on the contradictions of its manifestation in today's society as well as our values of moral responsibility. In Hawkes' The Big Sleep, the exploration and commentary provided on the violence yet optimism of post WWII America makes it a good crime fiction text. Similarly, Christie's abi;lity, not only to present a puzzle but also to explore the values of her world - middle class 1920s Britain, as well as Zulitch's abilty to explore and comment on modern America's expectations, make them good crime fiction.

You have to source the texts of your own choosing fully. This is better than the first one I marked but it still can be better.