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Writing has so many purposes, subjects, styles, and different experiences to give us. We, as readers, want the story; we want to go through the experiences the author is giving us. All authors (whether they are genre oriented or not) are able to deliver the experiences we want. So why are the works of genre writers considered less worthy than those hailed as literary masterpieces (e.g. Jane Eyre)? Why is one more worthy than another? It’s time for genre writing to come in from the cold; to fly off their airport bookshelves and claim their rightful place in the English cannon.
Genre writing provides structure for the author to work within, whilst the readers have a set of expectations to work with. With these structural expectations, writers are able to adhere to or subvert conventions of genre to make note and comment on prevalent societal and cultural values at the time of writing. When the text adheres to the conventions of the genre it is recognisable to its audience. Subverting or challenging these conventions and/or expectations is what makes a text memorable and noteworthy. Genre writing should be accepted as greatly as general fiction because genre authors are just as able to reflect societal and cultural values by adhering to or manipulating genre conventions as general fiction authors.
Crime fiction writing is a response to specific social and cultural conditions within its writer’s context. The lasting popularity and relevance of Crime writing can be credited to the ‘flexibility’ of the genre as it is able to change and explore aspects of crime and individuals therefore can communicate the messages of the contexts and values of many societies and cultures to readers. Through the analysis of P.D.