Brighton Rock
1938
Type of crime text
Brighton Rock was written during the Golden Age of detective fiction, and
so includes features typical of this:
Reflects idea that police were failing to do their job:
“I don’t mind you carving each other up in a quiet way.”
Reflects popularity of private and amateur detectives:
It’s the least you can do for anyone – ask questions.
However, Greene challenges typical middle-class detective fiction (like that
of Agatha Christie, set in country manors etc.), but focuses on the working
class and the criminal underworld
Sets up a dark, unnerving atmosphere from the first line, suggesting
murder is an everyday part of life
Hale knew, before he had been in Brighton three hours, that they
meant to murder him.
This text is party a crime thriller (the original subtitle was ‘An
Entertainment’, which is the typical intent of crime fiction), but the use of
moral and Catholic teachings alludes to morality plays of the medieval
period.
Setting
Brighton’s positive veneer – at the beginning, we’re introduced to
the seaside tourist attraction (fresh and glittering air/ flower
gardens in bloom) – the name ‘Brighton’ itself gives a sense of
positivity. Hints that this isn’t the whole story - contrasts Hale’s
anxiety, and negative words amongst the positive create unease:
cream houses ran away / pale, vanishing clouds
Crowded streets allow pursuit of crime – the crowd uncoiled
endlessly past him, like a twisted piece of wire – chaos and
uncertainity, as Hale is trapped and threatened by the crowds –
anyone could be part of Pinkie’s gang.
Brighton’s criminal underworld – as the novel progresses, we see a
different face to Brighton, of which the holidaymakers are largely
unaware.
Cosmopolitan - the two sides of the town are shown to overlap in
this prestigious hotel, as Colleoni has his base here, but it is also a
place of upper class luxury, with semantic field of wealth: an acre of
deep carpet / stately red velvet couches. Used to contrast Colleoni’s
1938
Type of crime text
Brighton Rock was written during the Golden Age of detective fiction, and
so includes features typical of this:
Reflects idea that police were failing to do their job:
“I don’t mind you carving each other up in a quiet way.”
Reflects popularity of private and amateur detectives:
It’s the least you can do for anyone – ask questions.
However, Greene challenges typical middle-class detective fiction (like that
of Agatha Christie, set in country manors etc.), but focuses on the working
class and the criminal underworld
Sets up a dark, unnerving atmosphere from the first line, suggesting
murder is an everyday part of life
Hale knew, before he had been in Brighton three hours, that they
meant to murder him.
This text is party a crime thriller (the original subtitle was ‘An
Entertainment’, which is the typical intent of crime fiction), but the use of
moral and Catholic teachings alludes to morality plays of the medieval
period.
Setting
Brighton’s positive veneer – at the beginning, we’re introduced to
the seaside tourist attraction (fresh and glittering air/ flower
gardens in bloom) – the name ‘Brighton’ itself gives a sense of
positivity. Hints that this isn’t the whole story - contrasts Hale’s
anxiety, and negative words amongst the positive create unease:
cream houses ran away / pale, vanishing clouds
Crowded streets allow pursuit of crime – the crowd uncoiled
endlessly past him, like a twisted piece of wire – chaos and
uncertainity, as Hale is trapped and threatened by the crowds –
anyone could be part of Pinkie’s gang.
Brighton’s criminal underworld – as the novel progresses, we see a
different face to Brighton, of which the holidaymakers are largely
unaware.
Cosmopolitan - the two sides of the town are shown to overlap in
this prestigious hotel, as Colleoni has his base here, but it is also a
place of upper class luxury, with semantic field of wealth: an acre of
deep carpet / stately red velvet couches. Used to contrast Colleoni’s
