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Kimberly Dang
Professor Haas
Writing 37
6 November 2014

Conventions of a Detective Genre

According to scholar George Dove in The Different Story a detective genre

separates itself from other genres because it has a sense of differentness. In Leroy
Paneks Beginnings, he talks about the conventions that Conan Doyle used for Sherlock
Holmes and T.J. Binyon from Murder Will Out wrote about a little about both. Several
conventions create the popularity of the detective genre, but what isolates this particular
genre from the rest is that the detective genre shares a special relationship with its
readers. Although scholars share different ideas about the detective genre, they come
together to explain the conventions that make it up.
A convention that makes up the detective genre is the structure. To start, each of
Arthur Conan Doyles Sherlock Holmes stories consist of a protagonists, also known as
Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who come across a conflict which they have to solve.
At the end of all the stories, Sherlock Holmes is able to use his investigations to piece
together a story on how the conflict developed. In the short story, The Red-Headed
League, a pawnbroker named Mr. Wilson comes to Holmes to have him investigate the
Red-Headed League as to why they were randomly discontinued after Wilson had just
started working for them. Holmes concludes, It was essential that they should use it

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soon, as it might be discovered. Saturday would suit them better than any other day, as it
would give them two days for their escape. (Doyle 11). In the story, Holmes investigates
the conflict of why the Red-Headed League was dissolved and provided a detailed
analysis of what had happened. Since the case is always solved in a detective genre this
gives the genre a limited structure, however; it is a complicated and extended puzzle
stated by George Dove (2) The genre is still as intricate as any other genre Although the
genre is formatted in a specific way the audience is still able to be entertained.
Throughout the story, the reader is guessing as to what happened although they know at
the end.
Scholar George Dove believes one of the conventions that create a detective genre
is how it is seen by the readers as recreational value (3). The detective genre was
popular because people were able to read this kind of genre in their free time. Dove
states, Both the crossword puzzle and the detective novel are free of stress, each offers
the reader a task or set of related tasks, both are shaped by convention, and neither has
any goal beyond itself . A detective genre is like a game, it does not require any pregame thinking; this genre is set for the audience to go through exercises while reading so
they could figure out the solution as they read. In the short story Red Headed League,
Watson states they [Red-Headed League] would pay such a sum for doing anything so
simple as copying out the Encyclopaedia Britannica (Dove). This implies Watson is
very intrigued as to why the Red-Headed League was paying Mr. Wilson four shillings
just to copy the encyclopedia. The reader is also trying to figure out the puzzle of why
Mr. Wilson was being paid a great amount for just copying a book. Another example is
by Leroy Panek who writes [The detective genre] remain[s] aloof from its serious moral

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and social implications. (9) A detective genre is not to impose a theme or advice on the
reader, it is rather to relief stress for the reader and give the reader leisure time. During
the Victorian Era, the detective genre was popular especially in the middle class. The
detective genre was mainly for a middle-class male reader who long ago had the ability,
but not the time, to read fiction (Dove 9). A working class person was not able to afford
books nor would have been able to learn to read during the Victorian Era which was why
the the upper classes, mainly the middle class, was targeted as the main audience. During
the recreational time the middle class had while they were not working, they read
detective genres. A detective genre shared a special bond with the readers because the
reader did not have any pressure reading the books.
Another convention the detective genre displays is the connection with its
readers. One of the ways the Sherlock Holmes series connects with his readers is using
the character Dr. Watson to narrate the story. He is the most relatable in the books
because he is a middle class man, who is like the targeted audience because Watson
thinks like many of the readers. In the short story, The Final Problem Watson says
You did not write this? I said, pulling the letter from my pocket. There is no sick
Englishwoman in the hotel? (Doyle). Holmes and Watson were given a letter asking for
their help for a sick woman. Holmes believed the letter was fake and did not want go help
the woman though Watson fell for the hoax because he did not have any concern as to
why anyone would fake a sickness. Like Watson, many readers would have fallen for the
same trick.
Another convention the detective genre showcases is identifiable qualities
(Dove 10). The reader must be aware the main character has identifiable detection role.

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(Dove 10) In other words, An essential quality is for the detective genre to have a lead
detective character. Scholar T.J Binyon writes that Conan Doyle has taken the abstract
idea of the detective and has fleshed out both the main figure and his surroundings(9).
Conan Doyle decides to only take the general idea of a detective and make him one of the
main characters which would be Sherlock Holmes. Another identifiable quality is that the
main plot of the story is the account of the investigation and resolution. (10) Though
there are several themes a detective genre can incorporate, there is always going to be a
case, examination and lastly a solution. Third, the mystery is no ordinary problem but a
complex secret that appears impossible of solution. (10) Although to the reader, finding
the problem is easily identifiable but the solution is what keeps the reader drawn in.
These identifiable qualities are important in all detective genres.
A detective genre is different compared to other genres because it shares a
relationship with its readers. Scholar Leroy Panek wrote about how Doyle came about as
a writer, George Dove wrote about conventions and T.J. Binyon wrote about a little of
everything and in the end they share the same ideas on which conventions make up a
detective genre. The scholars share different ideas but all can relate to the conventions a
detective genre has.

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Works Cited

Doyle, Arthur Conan. Adventure 2: The Red-Headed League. The Adventures of

Sherlock Holmes. Lit2Go Edition.1892.Web.

Binyon, T.J. "Murder Will Out": The Detective in Fiction. Oxford: Oxford University
Press, 1989. 9-12. Print.

Panek, Leroy. An Introduction to the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling
Green State University Popular Press, 1987. Print.

Dove, George N. The Reader and the Detective Story. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling
Green State University Popular Press, 1997. Print.