Hello, readers! Today I continue my research on the mystery genre, now looking into commonly recurring elements, also known as tropes, that appear in mystery stories/films. These include character types, plot devices, and other elements.
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Characters are key features of any story, and much like other genre conventions, the characters of a story are sometimes specific to a single genre.
A staple trope seen throughout mystery as a whole would be the detective protagonist/character. They are often the ones who solve cases by gathering evidence and using their smarts to outwit the antagonists and often other authority like the police. Detectives may come in the form of a single person who prefers to work alone, one who suffers from some sort of problem, or a detective duo/group that works as one to solve a case. Detective Benoit Blanc from the Knives Out series is a private detective and is usually enlisted by and works with others to solve each film's case.
Antagonists are usually those who have either lead to or caused the incident. Typical examples include the stealthy suspect or masked culprit, who in some way try to communicate with the protagonists by leaving either clues or red herrings. Another significant antagonist trope is the unassuming suspect, a character who may seem innocent at first glance, but could actually be the source of the problem at hand.
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As I have explained a few times before, mystery films all follow the same typical plot structure. One important structural element that I have explained was be the introductory scene, which provides context and sets the rest of the plot in motion.
Most tropes are executed in the plot itself. A case taken by the protagonist may potentially call back to a mistake or traumatizing moment of their past, forcing them to indirectly face the past in order to bring justice.
Other such tropes can be seen towards the climax/falling action of the plot, which usually involves a light bulb moment in which the protagonist finally connects the evidence gathered to a few sources. Following this is usually the big reveal and confrontation of the perpetrator which concludes the story; however, there is chance that the protagonist made a mistake, resulting in a twist ending where the case was never really solved and the incident continues.
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Outside of characters and plot, the setting of a film can deliver the same feelings of suspense and mystery to the audience.
Mystery plots typically occur in congested cities or remote locations, depending on how the plot wants to shroud the antagonist.
Remote or secluded areas typically limit the number of suspects, making it easier for the protagonist to work around the testimonies of local residents to solve the issue; whereas in a crowded environment, it makes it easier for the antagonist to blend in with the rest of the environment, often resulting in stories in which more thought has to be put into investigation.
Death on the Nile (2022) is a whodunnit involving the murder of a heiress on a cruise ship and is a prime example of a secluded setting. Following the death, characters are interrogated and significant leads are made through these.
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Just like my previous research, looking into mystery genre tropes now gives me a solid idea of common elements I can add into my brief to make an authentic piece that meets the right categorization under mystery. Additionally, recognizing that some of these elements can only really be used under a certain style of plot gives me further options on how I want my story to play out, even if it is only an introduction to the rest of the hypothetical plot. A detective protagonist would be the best to include in a story under this genre, though they typically do not get involved in the plot until after the incident occurs.
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Up next, I want to take a look at the target audience of my genre, so that my work could appeal to the wider viewership of this specific genre. Until next post, see you soon!
Up next, I want to take a look at the target audience of my genre, so that my work could appeal to the wider viewership of this specific genre. Until next post, see you soon!
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