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CHAPTER 2 PLOT STRUCTURE
INTRODUCTION
Here, both the selected novels will be analysed, taking into account the way in which the events are arranged. The techniques of mystery and dramatic irony will receive attention in this regard. Before analysing plot structure in the two selected novels, a brief analysis of two types of detective stories i.e diegetic and metadiegetic stories, will be handled because they form an important part of the detective story.
TYPES OF STORIES IN DETECTIVE NOVEL
Most detective novels have two stories. They contain the story of crime and the story of investigation. This is supported by Walker and Frazer (1990:5-6) who state: Detective stories are obsessed with « plotting » in two senses : the narrative sequence that the detective constructs, and the plans and conspiracies that may have produced the crime. This means that in a detective novel, there are two types of stories, namely : the story of investigation, also known as the « diegetic story » which is created by the detective and the story that concerns the crime, which is known as the « metadiegetic story ». Hereunder follows a brief discussion of these types of stories.
Metadiegetic story
The metadiegetic story is the story that concerns the crime. The author discloses what happened in the story. It could be a crime of murder, kidnapping or rape. This type of crime is set at the beginning of the detective story as a problem which needs to be investigated.The Journal (1820 Foundation: 2), when commenting on the detective story, states that: Writers of detective stories make up stories about crime, usually the crime of murder. The above quotation suggests that a detective story has a story of crime. This story reveals how the crime happened and why it happened, the characters who committed the crime and how they are brought to justice. In other words, through this story we know all the plans of the culprits as well as their moves from the start until they are arrested. Cawelti (1976:81) says: The significance of these crimes is proportional to the elaborate parade of mystification and inquiry that the detective story must generate. Cawelti expresses the idea that the crime that has been committed is part of a very detailed and complicated event of mystery. In other words, a crime that the author introduces at the beginning of a detective story is a mystery in itself. This problem needs a specialist sleuth to solve it. A brief summary of the metadiegetic stories in both the selected detective novels follows below. Bono la mboni Thizwilondi is in love with Roberto Fingo, Thomas Everson and Gilbert Tshirwa who are friends. Seeing that Thizwilondi has fallen in love with Eddie Williams, her boyfriends decide to kill her after the music festival at Thohoyandou stadium. They take her via a lounge bar. On their way home, Thizwilondi’s boyfriends force her out of the car. It is dark and a thunderstorm is raging outside. In that thick darkness, Thizwilondi is raped, strangled and burnt to death. The naked corpse of Thizwilondi is put near Tshiseluselu Community Hall. Her clothes are laid on the low wall of the hall. The criminals leave the corpse there and disperse. As Thomas Everson’s hand is burnt, his friends accompany him to Elim Hospital. On the following day, Thizwilondi’s parents start to look for her high and low, but to no avail. No one in the family knows her where abouts. Everyone at home is confused and worried by her disappearance. All the members of the family are stricken by great fear. Thizwilondi’s corpse is discovered by the people on the following day. The police and the community at large are extremely shocked by the mysterious death of Thizwilondi. Her death creates a problem which needs to be solved. What causes this is that her murderers are not known.
DECLARATION
DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
SUMMARY
CHAPTER 1
1.1 AIM OF RESEARCH
1.2 WHAT IS A DETECTIVE STORY?
1.3 METHOD OF RESEARCH
1.3.1 Contextual approach
1.3.2 Comparative approach
1.3.3 Consultative approach
1.3.4 Structuralist approach
1.4 DETECTIVE NOVELS IN TSHIVENDA
1.5 BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHORS
1.5.1 SN Mahamba
1.5.2 N M Mphaphuli
1.6 SUMMARIES OF SELECTED NOVELS
1.6.1 Bono la mboni
1.6.2 Nwana wa mme anga
1.7 SCOPE OF RESEARCH
CHAPTER2 PLOT STRUCTURE
2.1 INTRODUCTION
2.2 TYPES OF STORIES IN DETECTIVE NOVELS
2.2.1 Metadiegetic story
2.2.1.1 Bono~ mboni
2.2.1.2 Nwana wa mme anga
2.2.2 Diegetic story
2.2.2.1 Bono I.a Mboni
2.2.2.2 Nwana wa mme anga
2.3 THE CONCEPT PLOT
2.3.1 The exposition
2.3.2 The rising action
2.3.3 Climax
2.3.4 The ending
2.4 THE ELEMENT OF MYSTERY
2.4.1 Mystery in Bono ~a mboni .
2.4.2 Mystery in Nwana wa mme anga
2.5 DRAMATIC IRONY IN THE SELECTED NOVELS
2.5.1 Dramatic irony in Bono la mboni
2.5.2 Dramatic irony in Nwana wa mme anga
2.6 RESUME
CHAPTER3 SETTING
3.1 INTRODUCTION
3.2 SETTING IN THE TWO SELECTED DETECTIVE NOVELS
3.2.1 Setting and crime committed
3.2.2 Setting and characters
3.2.2.1 Victims
3.2.2.2 Suspects
3.2.2.3 Detectives and investigation
3.2.3 Setting and tools
3.3 RESUME
CHAPTER4 CHARACTERISATION
4.1 INTRODUCTION
4.2 CHARACTERISATION IN THE SELECTED NOVELS
4.2.1 The Victims
4.2.2 The suspects
4.2.3 The detectives
4.3 RESUME
CHAPTERS 5
CONCLUSION
BIBLIOGRAPHY
