100% satisfaction guarantee Immediately available after payment Both online and in PDF No strings attached
Previously searched by you
Summary A* AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE B CRIME WRITING UNSEEN EXTRACT Explore the significance of elements of crime writing in this extract?$5.78
Add to cart
Summary A* AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE B CRIME WRITING UNSEEN EXTRACT Explore the significance of elements of crime writing in this extract?
12 views 0 purchase
Course
Elements of Crime Writing
Institution
AQA
A* AQA ENGLISH LITERATURE B CRIME WRITING UNSEEN EXTRACT Explore the significance of elements of crime writing in this extract?
Received 23/25 marks A*
Explore the significance of the crime elements
in this extract. Remember to include in your
answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways
that Hill has shaped meanings. [25 marks]
Construction of suspense and missing out information (what Keyes looks like and how he
committed the crime).
Appearance of the criminal – Lombrosoʼs Theory of Criminality. Introduces ideas of what
criminals look like and who they are. Does Keyes look like a criminal is that why he is
assumed guilty?
The verdict of not guilty being a commentary of societies own legal system and its flaws.
The reader begins to question to what extent is the legal system fair. Is the verdict really a
shock or is it because of the homodiegetic focaliser who is a reporter who has mislead the
reader? The sensationalism of crime is a further commentary on society and what type of
a society breeds such people and enjoy and make a living out of people peoples suffering.
They are compared to “greyhounds” – dogs ready to jump on fresh meat.
A primary crime is introduced of ‘Hindley and Bradyʼ and idea of criminals being released
to commit more crimes. The type of crime genre of ‘courtroom dramaʼ and the ‘legal
proceedingsʼ.
Introduction of victims of crimes and the impact of crimes on victims. The crime being
that he strangled three elderly women – we question whether or not this is better or
worse. The women are old however they also represent weakness and fragility suggesting
that this criminal is even more despicable as he chooses victims who are weak and cannot
defend themselves.
The extract presents a dynamic exploration of a variety of aspects of crime as we are presented
with a court case which introduces conflicting ideas of innocence versus guilt alongside
concepts of justice and the legal system. The extract misleads us throughout into expecting
Keyes a “man innocent until proven guilty” to be guilty, although the verdict determines that he
is “not guilty” ending the extract on a cliff-hanger and surprised narrative twist. This extract
therefore introduces ideas to the reader surrounding what allows us to assume a characters
guilt, the effect of the crime on victims and the role of society through the ‘legal-proceedingʼ
genre and crime reporters in crime.
H P Lovecraft stated that the “oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown” and Hill
harnesses this in not revealing the appearance of the assumed criminal Keyes but by leaving
the reader in anticipation and a state of suspense for what a man who is believed to have
“strangled three elderly women” looks like which the reporter cannot even look at due to
disgust: “He couldnʼt actually look at Keyes at all now”. This suspense is a common theme of
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller ramiriam. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.78. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
