Common Themes in Crime Texts
English Lit: AQA A Level Atonement - Specification B, topic 7.1.1
Common Features of Crime Novels
For the AQA A-level B examination, you must study Atonement as a crime text alongside two other crime texts.
Narratives in crime texts
- In each of the crime texts on this specification, the narrative is driven by a significant crime being committed and the texts explore transgressions against societal, religious or moral laws.
- The next slides show key elements you need to explore in each of your crime texts.
Form, structure & settings
- The form of the text, whether it is a postmodern novel such as Atonement or a revenge tragedy such as Hamlet etc.
- The structure of the text as it moves towards a restoration of order.
- The settings used.
Crimes, criminals & victims
- The nature of the crimes in each text.
- The depiction of the criminals and their motives and actions.
- The victims of crime and their suffering.
- The detection of the criminal.
Moral issues
- The moral issues raised in the text such as guilt, remorse, punishment and forgiveness.
Test yourself on Common Themes in Crime Texts
Key elements to explore in crime texts.
Atonement is a postmodernist novel. What's a postmodernism novel an example of?
What are some common moral issues raised in crime text?