The short story “The Purloined Letter” is one of the first modern detective stories. It pits the cunning detective, Dupin, against a bafflingly elegant puzzle. Poe’s early “tales of ratiocination” laid the groundwork for later fictional detectives like Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot, and Nancy Drew.
Many enthusiasts of detective fiction trace its beginnings back to Edgar Allan Poe, and its true flourishing to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his Sherlock Holmes series. The detective fiction genre is characterized by specific characters and themes, and follows a traditional format.
It seems like there is an infinite amount of genres in literature, but in reality, there are only three: Poetry, Drama, and Prose. Students will encounter these genres for most of what they read and write about in school, so it’s important for them to know their key characteristics.
Detective or crime Fiction in The Purloined Letter by Edgar Allan Poe
Storyboard Text
PERFECT CRIME
knock
knock
Police Investigation Crime Scene Do Not Cross
COMPLEX PLOT
Police Investigation
DIM-WITTED POLICE
A letter is stolen from an unidentified lady, presumably of royal or high stature.
On several occasions the police search the minister's apartment for the letter. However, they are unable to turn up any evidence from the prime suspect.
The police come to Dupin to help since he was so successful with their last murder case. Dupin suggests that in the end, he was victorious because unlike the police, he can think like the criminal.
POWERS OF PERCEPTION
Elements of Detective Fiction
UNEXPECTED ENDING
CRASH
Dupin knows that the minister is a smart man. He will likely presume that the police will look in common hiding places. Therefore, he hides the letter in plain sight.
Dupin uses his cleverness to arrange a time when he can steal the letter from the Minister. Using a diversion outside the window he snags and replaces the letter with a fake.