Mystery: As a Genre
Mystery is a very diverse genre in the world of literature. There are hundreds of styles people have written in when writing in mystery. It has no set definition- like many would think- on how to write it. There are so many style to choose from, that it’s hard to tell what is or isn’t mystery! Two stories that come to mind when comparing mystery as a genre are “Monkey’s Paw” by W.W. Jacobs and Tell-Tale Heart by Edgar Allen Poe; they are proof that mystery is a very diverse genre.

Mystery is a very diverse genre, and it’s often hard to discern what is mystery and what is not. One example of this is W.W. Jacobs’s “Monkey’s Paw”. W.W. Jacobs does not use traditional mystery; with no crime, detective, or investigation, it proves difficult for the reader to actually figure out what genre it is. Jacobs’s writing in “Monkey’s Paw” takes on a more horror-like feel, and with this he turns it into mystery. The ominous feeling of unknown that he weaves throughout the story causes the reader to wonder about the many things he writes about. The paw, for instance; he never really reveals what it is, and causes the mystery to revolve around it. With a few descriptive sentences on what it is, he creates a sense of wonderment on how it came to be and what it does. “He took the paw, dangling it between his thumb and threw it upon the fire. White, with a slight cry, stooped down and snatched it off” (363). This quote shows that there is something more to it. Why would he want to throw it into the fire, and why would White want to save it? This is what makes his story a mystery. There is another element that makes his story a unique mystery, however. That is the setting. Jacobs brings the reader into a fantastical setting that is created in the very beginning of the story. This causes the mood to appear early on as well, casting a darker outlook and what is happening around the plot. “Without, the night was cold and wet” (360). shows that the story is not meant to be a happy one. He creates the fantastical setting with the use of descriptive words to create the dark mood, and the paw to accentuate the fantasy-like setting he created. These two things prove that mystery is a very diverse genre and the each has his or her own style.

Another great example as to why mystery is a diverse genre is Edgar Allen Poe’s “Tell-Tale Heart”. In his story he uses repeated vocabulary and dashes to exaggerate his points. He often repeats words as much as three times. Not only that, but this repetition creates a since of urgency in the story. An example of this urgency is shown right here, “True!–nervous–very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am!” (78). The repetition creates a sense of urgency that makes the reader want to go faster and faster, but the dashes force the reader to slow to the pace Poe wants them to read. It makes the story more tense and exciting as you continue. This isn’t the only thing he does to make his writing interesting, though. He also writes in the criminal’s perspective, granting the reader the knowledge of the criminals- insane- mind. It gives the readers a new experience, and the adrenaline from the person committing the crime often passes through the words Poe has written. “I kept quite still and said nothing. For a whole hour I did not move, nor did I lie down” (80). This goes on to give the reader a new sense of urgency; it causes the reader to feel the tense situation, and know how the person behind the crime is thinking. It makes the whole experience better, and this makes his writing one of a kind. These things go on to show how great mystery can actually be; it’s tense and urgent, and this makes it more interesting to most people.

So, when compared, “Tell-Tale Heart” and “Monkey’s Paw” prove to be very different stories within the mystery genre. They show that there are orthodox and unorthodox mysteries- one being in a crime and the other having nothing to do with a crime. They also go on to prove how interesting mystery- as a genre- really is.