A-Level English Literature B Paper 2A: Elements of Crime Writing.
For the full given extract, refer to the 2020 question paper.
Explore the significance of elements of crime writing in this extract.
Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways the author
has shaped meanings. [25 marks]
Archetypes reminiscent of postmodernist crime fiction are portrayed by Harper through the
police procedural genre to construct introspective analysis of crime as an inherently social
construct, dissecting complex relationship dynamics and the interactions between individuals to
produce a dysfunctional environment. Employing the characters as narrative functions to develop
interplay between law enforcement entities and the criminal underplay thus grants a platform for
the trajectory of the literary action to advance; as the centres of moral authority within the text,
Falk and Cooper’s psychological depth thus is framed by Harper to characterise their ideologies
as justice incarnate, reminiscent of traditional Golden Age tropes wherein agencies aligned with
the protagonist are employed to restore an imbalance in natural order. Henceforth, common
tropes in crime fiction are underscored within the protagonists’ reinstatement of justice for those
victimised by the criminal underworld, uncovering systemic failures.
Disillusionment from law enforcement structures is an overarching motif in both of the officer’s
accounts–upon confronting societal flaws, lasting psychological trauma may be inferred through
Harper’s usage of body language and non-verbal communication methods: “her voice was tight”
belies an implicit trauma response to the resurgence of disturbed memories. Characterisation
within crime fictions allows a degree of connection between a fictional character and the
readerbase, hence developing the sympathy afforded and one’s attachment to certain character
dynamics or the driving force of the plot–thus, the development of the character’s disposition
and motives as a product of recognising failing support systems for the vulnerable will radicalise
the readerbase to identify parties susceptible to crime and empathise with their plights. Vivid
depiction of environmental scenery is further reminiscent of trauma responses, wherein intrusive
imagery; strong emotional responses are catalytic of heightened emotional responses, hence
developing memory consolidation, and so Falk’s resurfacing of “a family bungalow on a run-
down street” will enable an episodic recollection of the surrounding aspects: “the paintwork was
peeling and the grass out front was patchy and yellow, but at the end of the driveway sat a hand-
made post box carved in the shape of a boat.” A semantic field of decay is constructed,
paralleling the inherent moral corruption as a product of criminality. Incorporating “handmade”
as an adjective portrays juxtaposive purity, perhaps alluding to the corruptive nature of crime
within the loss of human elements. Further reinforcing Falk’s nature as centre of moral authority,
an overarching motif of pacifism is reminiscent within the quotation “Falk had caught a glimpse
of himself in a dusty hall mirror, a dark shadow in his protective gear, and for a second had
barely recognised himself.” Paralleling the stoic, nihilistic nature of traditional detective figures
in crime fiction, Falk’s empathetic involvement with common civilians is reinstated in his
For the full given extract, refer to the 2020 question paper.
Explore the significance of elements of crime writing in this extract.
Remember to include in your answer relevant detailed analysis of the ways the author
has shaped meanings. [25 marks]
Archetypes reminiscent of postmodernist crime fiction are portrayed by Harper through the
police procedural genre to construct introspective analysis of crime as an inherently social
construct, dissecting complex relationship dynamics and the interactions between individuals to
produce a dysfunctional environment. Employing the characters as narrative functions to develop
interplay between law enforcement entities and the criminal underplay thus grants a platform for
the trajectory of the literary action to advance; as the centres of moral authority within the text,
Falk and Cooper’s psychological depth thus is framed by Harper to characterise their ideologies
as justice incarnate, reminiscent of traditional Golden Age tropes wherein agencies aligned with
the protagonist are employed to restore an imbalance in natural order. Henceforth, common
tropes in crime fiction are underscored within the protagonists’ reinstatement of justice for those
victimised by the criminal underworld, uncovering systemic failures.
Disillusionment from law enforcement structures is an overarching motif in both of the officer’s
accounts–upon confronting societal flaws, lasting psychological trauma may be inferred through
Harper’s usage of body language and non-verbal communication methods: “her voice was tight”
belies an implicit trauma response to the resurgence of disturbed memories. Characterisation
within crime fictions allows a degree of connection between a fictional character and the
readerbase, hence developing the sympathy afforded and one’s attachment to certain character
dynamics or the driving force of the plot–thus, the development of the character’s disposition
and motives as a product of recognising failing support systems for the vulnerable will radicalise
the readerbase to identify parties susceptible to crime and empathise with their plights. Vivid
depiction of environmental scenery is further reminiscent of trauma responses, wherein intrusive
imagery; strong emotional responses are catalytic of heightened emotional responses, hence
developing memory consolidation, and so Falk’s resurfacing of “a family bungalow on a run-
down street” will enable an episodic recollection of the surrounding aspects: “the paintwork was
peeling and the grass out front was patchy and yellow, but at the end of the driveway sat a hand-
made post box carved in the shape of a boat.” A semantic field of decay is constructed,
paralleling the inherent moral corruption as a product of criminality. Incorporating “handmade”
as an adjective portrays juxtaposive purity, perhaps alluding to the corruptive nature of crime
within the loss of human elements. Further reinforcing Falk’s nature as centre of moral authority,
an overarching motif of pacifism is reminiscent within the quotation “Falk had caught a glimpse
of himself in a dusty hall mirror, a dark shadow in his protective gear, and for a second had
barely recognised himself.” Paralleling the stoic, nihilistic nature of traditional detective figures
in crime fiction, Falk’s empathetic involvement with common civilians is reinstated in his
