The 10 commandments of detective fiction were introduced to avoid...?
In early 20th-century fiction conventions were established that limited any surprises on the part of the reader to the details of the plot and the identity of the murderer. Several authors excelled, after misleading their readers successfully, in revealing the least likely suspect convincingly as the villain. There was a predilection for certain casts of characters and certain settings. The rules of the game of detective fiction were codified in 1929 by Ronald Knox.
More Info:
en.wikipedia.org
What are your thoughts on this subject?
13 Comments
Laurie Johnson Gonzalez
So why didn't you finish the answer and tell us the 10 commandmants? Keeping the mystery alive?
Kathy Collins Reilly
Some quiz-question writers want to show off, so they put out interesting but esoteric (widely unknown) questions. The only way one should do that is if s/he includes a clever hint to the correct answer. Then it's a fun AND educational question/experience.
Pat Salloum
Knox was a Catholic priest and mystery writer so it was logical that he came up with the 10 commandments for detective fiction. The techniques to be avoided are secret rooms, outside agency, unknown poison, intuition, the foreigner, doubles/twins, the Watson character who hides his thoughts, clues found are kept secret from the reader and neither the narrator nor the detective should be the criminal.
Bob Bracegirdle
Yes the reader must be able to work out the answer.
majohnson
What an awful question! Knox never explained why he created The 10 Commandment. This is a made up answer. People have assumed he created them because he was priest, but no one knows.
Janice Fish
There was more to it than boring plots.
Boyd Tracy
Actually there was a more compelling reason given when published which was to not hide things from the reader tjat gave them a opportunity to come up with a solution themselves. Among these was a rule that the perp must be included in someway in the plot at a reasonably early point in the novel. i.e. can't be someone who pops up towards the end.
George Oliver Prince
Makes sense, who wants to read boring stories
Beau Shilkraut
Internet says it was to give the reader a chance to guess the outcome.
Mr.LaFaye
Rodney Wilkinson & Veronica Luby-Hoey
Why are you here? Seriously are you that board?
You must look at the glass and think it is more empty then full,
regardless of the amount in it......
Sharon Adams
I was guessing but got the right answer. Never heard of it
Jacqueline Tattam
Great question!
John Seiple
As a reader of crime fiction....the question works. Translate a boring mystery plot into a movie...would you want to see it? Of course not. Same principle with crime fiction!