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Lesson 1 (from Prologue, Chapters 1-3)

Objective

Prologue, Chapters 1-3

Detective fiction is a popular genre of crime fiction in which a detective, either professional or amateur, investigates a crime which is most often murder. The objective of this lesson is to examine how the writing style of this section reveals the genre of "Mallory's Oracle" as detective fiction.

Lesson

1) Class Discussion: What is detective fiction? Identify elements of a detective fiction novel in this chapter. In a detective fiction novel, there are archetypal characters such as the hard-boiled detective, the dangerously alluring femme fatale, and the well-heeled villain surrounded by gun-toting thugs. What does the author reveal about the character(s) in these settings that immediately introduces the element of detective fiction? What elements of the story line reveal any artistic license?

2) Group Discussion: In detective fiction, real figures from history are described. Who are the real historical figures mentioned in "Mallory's...

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