MAKING DEDUCTIONS

2.5 MAKING DEDUCTIONS

1. LEARNERS MAY IDENTIFY THE FOLLOWING CLUES:
• THE LARGER MAN SEEMS QUITE CALM. THIS LEADS DAN TO THINK HE IS NOT
EXPERIENCED AT IT.
• THE SMALLER THIEF DID NOT WANT TO SHOW HIS HAIR, WHICH SUGGESTS IT WAS AN
UNUSUAL COLOR. HIS HANDS WERE VERY WHITE, WHICH INDICATES PALE SKIN SO
LEADS DAN TO THINK HE HAD RED HAIR.
2. DAN HAS SEVERAL SKILLS. HE IS CREATIVE, SPONTANEOUSLY COMING UP WITH THE
IDEA OF USING A RECONSTRUCTION TO BRING BACK SIR JASPER’S MEMORIES OF THE
EVENT. HE IS ALSO GOOD AT USING CLUES TO MAKE LOGICAL DEDUCTIONS AND
INFERENCES AND TO FILL IN GAPS. THIS SUGGESTS THAT TO SOLVE MYSTERIES YOU
NEED TO BE ABLE TO PIECE THINGS TOGETHER TO FORM A BIGGER PICTURE. YOU NEED
TO LISTEN VERY CAREFULLY AND BE VERY OBSERVANT.
3. THEY MAY AGREE THAT THE PROCESS OF DEDUCTION ALLOWS THE READER TO SEE
HOW OTHERS ARE IMPRESSED BY DAN’S POWERS OF DEDUCTION – FOR EXAMPLE,
READING INTO THE HAT FIDDLING AND ASKING ABOUT WHETHER HIS HANDS SMELT
STRANGE. HE ALSO PROBES FOR DETAILS: ‘ANYTHING ELSE? HIS VOICE? HIS HANDS?’
THEY MAY NOT AGREE THAT IT MAKES HIM A HERO AS WE DO NOT KNOW YET WHETHER
HE IS RIGHT.
4. DAN IS A STUDENT WHO IS PASSIONATE ABOUT SOLVING MYSTERIES AS AN AMATEUR
DETECTIVE WHEREAS ARTHUR BRAND IS AN ADULT WHO ONLY SPECIALIZES IN ART
THEFTS WHERE THE POLICE HAVE GIVEN UP LOOKING FOR A PAINTING. DAN SEEMS
MOTIVATED BY CURIOSITY AND WANTING TO DO GOOD, WHEREAS ARTHUR SEEMS
MOTIVATED BY THE THRILL OF THE CHASE. ARTHUR SEEMS MORE MOTIVATED BY
MONEY THAN DAN, ALTHOUGH HE DENIES THIS.
IT SUGGESTS THAT DAN HAS BETTER VALUES THAN ARTHUR. ARTHUR FOUND A
PAINTING THAT WAS OWNED PRIVATELY AND KEPT ON A LUXURY BOAT. IT IS DIFFICULT
TO SEE HOW THIS WOULD MOTIVATE HIM IN TERMS OF THE GOOD DONE BY SOLVING
THE MYSTERY. DAN DISCOVERING THE PAINTING WOULD SAVE OLD PARK HOUSE
5. DAN COMES ACROSS AS A LIKEABLE CHARACTER. HE IS YOUNG, SO SEEMS
GENUINELY INTERESTED IN SOLVING CRIMES AS A HOBBY IN HIS SPARE TIME. HIS
NERVES AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FIRST EXTRACT MAKE HIM ENDEARING AS HE ISN’T
REALLY SURE ABOUT HOW TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY AND SEEMS QUITE CLUELESS AT
FIRST. HOWEVER, HE IS A CREATIVE PERSON SO HAS THE IDEA OF A RECONSTRUCTION
TO SPARK SIR JASPER’S MEMORIES. THIS WORKS WELL SO HE IS ABLE TO GET A GOOD
DESCRIPTION OF THE ROBBERS AND THEIR ACTIONS. THIS THEN ALLOWS HIM TO USE
HIS INTELLIGENCE TO MAKE DEDUCTIONS ABOUT THE ROBBERS THAT CAN HELP SOLVE
THE CRIME BY TRACKING THEM DOWN.
DAN IS AN APPEALING CHARACTER BECAUSE HE HAS NO ELEMENT OF SELF-INTEREST
AT ALL. HE IS VERY FOCUSED AND ACHIEVES HIS GOALS WHILE STILL COMING ACROSS
AS MODEST AND PLEASANT. HIS FRIENDS ARE VERY SUPPORTIVE OF HIM SO HE IS
CLEARLY A POPULAR PERSON WHO CAN ALSO MOTIVATE OTHERS. THE FACT THAT
SOLVING THE MYSTERY COULD SAVE OLD PARK HOUSE SEEMS TO MOTIVATE HIM EVEN
MORE, SHOWING THAT HE IS INTERESTED IN DOING GOOD FOR OTHERS RATHER
THAN HIMSELF.
2.6
DETECTIVE FICTION
1 A CONVENTIONS OF DETECTIVE FICTION INCLUDE:
• RIDDLES AND PUZZLES THAT A DETECTIVE WORKS OUT
• A NEAT ENDING/LOOSE ENDS TIED UP
• A DETECTIVE WITH A GREAT MIND
• CLUES TO SOLVE
• VILLAINS DRIVEN BY GREED
• VILLAINS BEING CAUGHT IN THE END
• MEMORABLE SETTINGS
• UNUSUAL CHARACTERS.
B EXAMPLES FROM THE CASE OF THE MISSING MASTERPIECE:
• A DETECTIVE WITH A GREAT MIND
• CLUES TO SOLVE
• VILLAINS DRIVEN BY GREED
• MEMORABLE SETTINGS
• UNUSUAL CHARACTERS
2. DISCUSSIONS ON THE PURPOSE OF THE TEXT SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:
• IT APPEARS ON THE HOMEPAGE OF AN ONLINE BOOKSTORE THAT SPECIALIZES IN
DETECTIVE FICTION SO THE AUDIENCE WILL BE PEOPLE WHO ALREADY LIKE THIS
GENRE. THE PURPOSE IS TO WRITE AN INFORMATIVE/PERSUASIVE TEXT ENCOURAGING
PEOPLE TO TRY OUT SOME OF THE NEW DETECTIVE BOOKS THE SHOP HAS ON OFFER.
THE AUTHOR IS THE PERSON WHO RUNS THE ONLINE SHOP.
• THE TEXT SHOWS BIAS BECAUSE IT ASSUMES THAT THE READER ENJOYS READING
DETECTIVE FICTION, SO IT IS AIMED AT THOSE WHO ALREADY READ IT. IT ONLY POINTS
OUT POSITIVE THINGS ABOUT THE GENRE.
3. LEARNERS’ ANSWERS MAY INCLUDE:
• THEMES: THE EXTENDED METAPHOR OF DARK AND LIGHT SUGGESTS THAT IN
DETECTIVE NOVELS THERE ARE THEMES OF MYSTERY AND SHADOWY CHARACTERS,
WHICH THE DETECTIVE TRIES TO OVERCOME.
• MORALS: THE METAPHOR OF DARK AND LIGHT SUGGESTS THAT THE DETECTIVE IS
ALWAYS MORALLY GOOD AND THE VILLAINS ALWAYS MORALLY BAD – TWO ENDS OF A
SPECTRUM. IT SUGGESTS IDEAS OF GOOD AND EVIL, IN WHICH GOOD TRIUMPHS.
4. LEARNERS SHOULD NOTE THAT THE WRITER USES ‘WE’ AND ‘US’ TO ESTABLISH A
COMMON PASSION FOR DETECTIVE FICTION WITH THE READERS. AS THIS ARTICLE
APPEARS ON AN ONLINE BOOKSHOP, THE WRITER WANTS PEOPLE TO BUY THE BOOKS.
SO, ESTABLISHING THE IDEA THAT THEY ARE ALL FANS OF THIS GENRE BY ADDRESSING
THE READER DIRECTLY AND COUNTING HIMSELF AS ONE OF THEM IS MORE LIKELY TO
GET THEM TO FEEL PART OF A GROUP WITH A COMMON INTEREST.
5 ANSWERS MAY INCLUDE SOME OF THE FOLLOWING:
• JAKE LIKES REALISTIC DETECTIVE STORIES THAT FOCUS ON HOW A MYSTERY OR
CRIME IS SOLVED BY THE POLICE WORKING ALONGSIDE SCIENTISTS. HIS INTEREST
STEMS FROM A DESIRE TO BE A POLICEMAN WHEN HE WAS A CHILD.
• ABEBI PREFERS STORIES THAT EXPLORE CORRUPTION IN POLITICS IN NIGERIA, HER
HOME COUNTRY, WHERE POWER IS A SIGNIFICANT FACTOR. SHE ALSO PREFERS WRITING
WITH FEMALE LEAD CHARACTERS.
• VANESSA IS MORE INTERESTED IN OLD-FASHIONED DETECTIVE FICTION WITH
INTERESTING SETTINGS AND DRAMATIC TENSION. THIS INTEREST IS EXPLORED
FURTHER IN HER COURSE ON DETECTIVE FICTION, PART OF HER UNIVERSITY COURSE.
CHECK YOUR PROGRESS
1 AN ARTICLE CAN BE WRITTEN WITH A VERY PARTICULAR READER IN MIND IN TERMS
OF ITS PURPOSE. SO SOME ARTICLES ARE PUBLISHED AS RESEARCH FOR PEOPLE TO
LEARN MORE ABOUT A TOPIC, WHEREAS SOME ARE PUBLISHED LESS FORMALLY (E.G.
BLOGS) AND ARE THERE TO OFFER FRIENDLY ADVICE AND SHARE EXPERIENCES WITH
LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE. OTHERS ARE WRITTEN TO ENTERTAIN PEOPLE.
2 COLONS AND SEMI-COLONS HELP THE WRITER TO ORGANISE INFORMATION. USING A
COLON OR A SEMICOLON CLOSELY LINKS INFORMATION IN THE SENTENCE. A COLON
CAN BE USED WHERE THE SECOND PART OF THE SENTENCE DIRECTLY EXPLAINS THE
FIRST, AND A SEMI-COLON CAN BE USED WHERE THE TWO PARTS OF THE SENTENCE ARE
VERY CLOSE IN TERMS OF IDEAS SO DO NOT NEED A ‘PAUSE’ BETWEEN THEM.
3.WHEN READING ALOUD, YOU CAN USE YOUR VOICE TO MAKE THE TEXT MORE
INTERESTING. VARYING VOLUME AND PUTTING EMPHASIS ON CERTAIN WORDS MAKES
THE TEXT COME TO LIFE AND ALLOWS A TONE TO BE ESTABLISHED. YOU CAN ALSO
VARY THE PACE OF YOUR VOICE, SPEEDING UP TO SHOW EXCITEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE.
PAUSES ARE GOOD FOR ADDING TENSION OR SHOWING THAT YOU ARE THINKING.
4. YOU CAN USE GESTURE AND MOVEMENT TO SHOW HOW A CHARACTER IS FEELING AT
A CERTAIN POINT, SUCH AS WRINGING YOUR HANDS IF YOU ARE WORRIED. MOVEMENT
AROUND THE STAGE CAN SHOW URGENCY OR EVASION IF YOU TURN YOUR BACK TO
SOMEONE.
5. DETECTIVES ARE OFTEN SHOWN AS BEING SLIGHTLY ODD OR ECCENTRIC. THEY ARE
INTELLIGENT AND RESOURCEFUL. THEY MAY ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS THEN THINK
BEFORE OFFERING THEIR DEDUCTIONS FROM THE CLUES THEY HAVE GATHERED.
6. IN CRIME FICTION, THERE MAY BE VILLAINS AND GOOD CHARACTERS (USUALLY THE
DETECTIVES) WHO SOLVE THE MYSTERY OR CRIME. AT THE END, THE MYSTERY IS
SOLVED OR THE VILLAIN CAUGHT. TO DO THIS, THE DETECTIVES HAVE TO PICK UP
CLUES AND MAKE DEDUCTIONS TO WORK OUT HOW THE CRIME WAS CARRIED OUT.
DETECTIVE STORIES OFTEN INVOLVE REMOTE SETTINGS SUCH AS HUGE OLD HOUSES.
3 ‘THE RED-HEADED LEAGUE’
3.1 THE RED-HEADED VISITOR
DISCUSSIONS AND METHODS OF WORKING OUT MEANINGS WILL VARY.
SUGGESTED GLOSSARY BELOW
BLAZING: FLAMING / FIERY /
BRIGHT BEYOND EXCEPTING / OUTSIDE
CONSIDERABLE: GREAT / LARGE / SUBSTANTIAL
DEDUCE: CONCLUDE / INFER / REASON
INDICATED: SUGGESTED / SIGNIFIED / SIGNALED
ENTITLES: QUALIFIES / PERMITS / ALLOWS
NOMINAL: TOKEN / SMALL / MINIMAL
ELIGIBLE: QUALIFIED / APPROPRIATE / ACCEPTABLE / SUITABLE
CHUCKLED: SNICKERED / CHORTLED / SNIGGERED
2. NOTES WILL VARY, BUT MAY INCLUDE

 HE NOTICES HIS INCREASED MUSCLE MASS ON HIS RIGHT SIDE SO DEDUCES HE

DOES PHYSICAL LABOR
 HE NOTICES HIS SHINY RIGHT CUFF SO DEDUCES THAT HE HAS BEEN WRITING A
LOT
 HE NOTICES HIS FISH TATTOO SO KNOWS HE HAS BEEN IN CHINA
 THIS IMPLIES THAT HOLMES IS OBSERVANT AND GOOD AT USING CLUES TO MAKE
DEDUCTIONS
 HE IS QUICK-THINKING AND INTELLIGENT
 HE IS ARTICULATE AND ABLE TO EXPLAIN HIS REASONING EFFECTIVELY
 HE IS KNOWLEDGEABLE.
3. A. THE LANGUAGE USED SUGGESTS THAT JABEZ WILSON HAS A VERY DISTINCTIVE
APPEARANCE WITH HIS FIERY RED HAIR. IT ALSO SUGGESTS HE IS MIDDLE-AGED AND
PERHAPS OVERWEIGHT AND UNFIT, AS HE IS STOUT AND FLORID FACED.
B. IT CREATES A SENSE OF MYSTERY BECAUSE THE READER IS GIVEN VERY LITTLE
DETAIL. THE ADVERTISEMENT IS VERY ODD AS IT APPEARS TO BE OFFERING A SALARY
FOR DOING NOTHING EXCEPT HAVING RED HAIR. WE DO NOT KNOW WHY JABEZ WILSON
IS SEEKING HELP BUT ASSUME THAT HE HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF A CRIME DUE TO THE
ADVERTISEMENT. IT POSES MORE QUESTIONS FOR THE READER THAN IT ANSWERS.
4 NOTES WILL VARY BUT MAY CONSIDER
A IN THE FIRST STORY, SIR JASPER IS THE VICTIM. HE IS A WEALTHY OLDER MAN. IN THE
SECOND STORY, JABEZ WILSON APPEARS TO BE THE VICTIM, BUT WHAT IS NOT CLEAR
YET.
B. SIR JASPER IS CLEARLY A VICTIM OF CRIME. HE DID NOT KNOW THE ROBBERS. JABEZ
WILSON IS SUPPOSEDLY THE VICTIM OF A JOKE RATHER THAN A CRIME. SIR JASPER
SEEMS GENERALLY UNFAZED BY HIS EXPERIENCES AND IS EAGER TO HELP CATCH THE
ROBBERS. JABEZ WILSON ALSO SEEMS FAIRLY UNFAZED AS HE LAUGHS HEAVILY.
B BOTH VICTIMS ARE REASONABLY SYMPATHETIC CHARACTERS. SIR JASPER IS VERY
LIKEABLE BUT DOES NOT SEEM VULNERABLE; SIMILARLY, JABEZ WILSON DOES NOT
SEEM VULNERABLE EITHER. SIR JASPER ALMOST TREATS THE RECONSTRUCTION AS A
GAME WHICH INDICATES HE IS NOT TRAUMATIZED AND JABEZ WILSON LAUGHS. HE
SEEMS MORE PERPLEXED THAN UPSET.