Sunday, August 23, 2015

Mash-ups of subgenres


 

 

My first thought is about Edgar Allen Poe. Most Poe’s tales can be classified as Mystery because people are killed, or something disappears, etc, but there is definitely something else in his books. Something gore and strange. I will put Poe's works into Mystery- Horror psychological. There is no supernatural in Poe’s books, but there is dark side of human psyche and unexplainable phenomenon. Basically, humans are so complex and dangerous as if, Poe does not need aliens and paranormal stuff to make his stories full of horrors and bizarreness. But at the same time, detective Dupont is often looking for the clues criminals left behind, just like in a mystery.

 

My second idea is The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. This book is a science-fiction book. It happens in the future and the main characters travel around the galaxy in a story full of adventures and technology. But at the same time, the book is extremely funny and close to home. Not a lot of science-fiction can say the same. In a way, the book really talks about our society and our culture, from a philosophical point of view. This is why I would put this book between Science-Fiction and Realistic Fiction – literary. The latter genre usually aspires to be universal and to a greater truth, and I think this is what Douglas in trying to do through parody and humor.

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