Bedford Book Of Genres Analysis

Bedford Book of Genres explains that “genres are flexible.” Through a recent post on a fellow classmate’s discussion I thought about mysteries. The ability for writers in mystery genres to guide us through their web of twists and turns makes it a genre that has something for everyone. While the theme of the genre may change or the information within the story, a mystery is basically a story, true or false, that centers itself around a mysterious or unexplained event that drives the mystery deeper and deeper. Mysteries have a way of sucking you into the story on the seat of your chair waiting to find out what twist is coming next. They know how to “resonate with readers” and connect with the story. There are several genres of mysteries available out there that can be enjoyed by many different people, with numerous likes and dislikes and in order for this genre to be able to please so many different types of fans it needs to be flexible.

While the basic aspect of mysteries is the same there are some variations of how the story can be told to better fit the audience it is trying to reach.

Logos is a major factor when writing the plot of any mystery story. “The logic you use as an author or composer also significant when you tell a story. Usually follows a pattern in which the plot and characters unfold in a logical manner to the reader.”In some instances the detective, or person trying to solve the mystery is an average person. The story is laid out so that you know what they know and if you are smart enough, you can solve the mystery as quick, or even before it is revealed, without reading the end. My boyfriend is quite good at this when watching one of my favorite shows, Bones. It is a type of mystery where the story gradually unfolds and the big reveal is shown at the end tying it all together. Quite often I have to tell him to keep it to himself so I can watch the story unfold. In some instances mysteries are derived from real

life.
Lifetime channel have shows that go into quite a lot of detail on real life mysteries and lead you down the trail of the detectives, police officers and individuals involved in the story that unfolds slowly before your eyes. This subgenre of mysteries is very emotional for most viewers. They depict events that usually happen to everyday people going about their lives as you and I would. It helps us get in touch with what others have had to go through and uses our sense of empathy to touch us in a way that some other genres cannot.
Other Examples of mystery writing such as supernatural or thriller show that the flexibility of mystery writing can go far beyond the imaginations of many viewers. It is hard to imagine what would happen in space, since not many of us have experienced more than watching shuttles soar off into the great beyond. The flexibility of this mystery genre makes the unthinkable a reality and the impossible sound as if it is an everyday occurrence. Sometimes all of the twists and turns of the story make it hard to figure but it also makes it more suspenseful and exciting for the reader or viewer. Sticking with shows, I know I need to read more actual books; I am a big fan of the show called “Charmed”. This show involves witch sisters who end up living together in their grandmother’s home, trying to keep the fact they are witches a secret from friends and neighbors. As you can imagine, the supernatural aspect of witches and magical powers can take the viewer into realms that are fanciful. I myself have wished from time to time that I had some sort of magical ability that made me special and different from everyone else. One major turning in the show is where one of the sister’s boyfriends turned out to be the ruler of the underworld by night and wonderful caring boyfriend by day. If that is not a twist I do not know what you would consider one to be. This goes back to the basic underlying rule of a mystery genre, keeping the reader, viewer in this case, guessing.
To further the theme of flexibility, the mystery genre can be divided into many categories. Thriller, as mentioned, involves stories that use suspense and excitement as a way of telling a story that gets the reader involved and stimulated. The main aspect of this subgenre of mysteries is the anticipation, not knowing what is going to happen next. Sometimes you do know and you enjoy the rush and contemplation of what you think the characters are going to do. This helps the reader put themselves into the events themselves. To even further the thriller aspect as a subgenre of mystery writing or television is medical thriller. Back to one of my favorite shows Bones. For anyone who has yet to see this show, it centers the plot on an anthropologist and an FBI agent who work together, solving mysterious deaths of individuals in Washington D.C. . The medical knowledge included in this type of show is what helped me understand the previous readings on the FBI articles. The ability of this show to fit both medical and government rules and regulations proves that the flexibility of the mystery genre can lead to some great collaborations.
Mysteries are for everyone. It is a genre that resonates through all walks of life and all different types of personalities and knowledge. There is something to be said about being able to figure out what is happening in the plot and figuring out the fact before the end. To be able to relate the information that is presented and using our own thoughts and feelings or even life experiences is thrilling in itself. Mysteries resonate with anyone and everyone and have something for them to enjoy or choose between to keep them on the edge of their seat wanting more. I would recommend any type of mystery out there, murder mystery, supernatural mysteries, and detective mysteries. No one has the same experiences and no one has the same level of thinking, but to be able to piece it all together is the most gratifying aspect of this genre.