Narrative Form of The Big Heat

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Narrative Form of The Big Heat

The initial problem of The Big Heat is of the suicide of Tom Duncan, a

police officer, connotes the break down of law and order in world

fuelled by violence. The opening sequence captures the audience's

attention straight away and keeps him/her watching. From that point

onwards, the central point of the narrative is to do with Bannion's

investigation of Duncan's death. The killing of Lucy Chapman and

Katie Bannion and the burning of Debby Marsh's face highlight this

problem as the investigation carries on. Crises accumulate in

intensity, suggesting a world that is not stable or safe. It is

always threatening to change. The involvement of Lucy Chapman with

the married Duncan signifies the declines of morals in society.

Bannion's resignation from the police after his wife was murdered

highlights the corruption and weakness of the justice system.

Bannion's investigation becomes more personal and he turns into the

avenger rather than the investigator. The suggestion here is that in
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a corrupt world the hero must wander from his "perfection" and resort

to the methods of the criminals themselves in order to rid

corruption. The audience's interest is still centred on the

investigation but now s/he is also thinking about how far Bannion will

sink to the level of a criminal.

The disruption introduced at the beginning of the narrative highlights

the instability of social order in The Big Heat. The fact there is no

initial equilibrium also reflects the general mood of uneasiness and

angst in society at the ...

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