Cultural Theory in Classic Detective Fiction: An Entertaining Study of Social Classes in Cover Her Face and Kissing he Gunner's Daughter 2002 (English)Independent thesis Basic level (degree of Bachelor)Student thesis

Abstract [en]

This essay deals with the attitudes that evolve from class structure in contemporary society. It is argued that the classic detective genre provides excellent possibilities for use in literature courses at university level, particularly with critical approaches emphasising social class. The study focuses on the depictions of the characters in two novels, P.D. James' Cover her Face and Ruth Rendell's Kissing the Gunners Daughter. These depictions reflect prototypes and attitudes that evolve from contemporary class structure. Social class is still an important issue in society the Marxist approach feels out of date. Contemporary society has a new structure of classes, with a growing middle and upper middle class. Nowadays differences between classes lie much in attitudes and behaviour, rather than in material wealth. The attitudes and antagonisms that evolve from the new structure are highlighted and very prominent in the novels and reflect current differences in the social hierarchy.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages

2002.

Keywords [en]

detective fiction, social structure, class hierarchy, P.D. James, Ruth Rendell

Identifiers

URN: urn:nbn:se:hh:diva-10228Local ID: U5093OAI: oai:DiVA.org:hh-10228DiVA, id: diva2:365342

Uppsok

Humanities, Theology

Note

Denna uppsats kan beställas från arkivet / This paper can be ordered from the archive. Kontakta / Contact: arkivet@hh.seAvailable from: 2010-11-09 Created: 2010-11-09Bibliographically approved

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