In Search of the Paper Tiger: A Sociological Perspective of Myth, Formula, and the Mystery Genre in the Entertainment Print Mass MediumThe author examines the process of social life and the relationship of myth, popular formula, and the mystery genre to social psychology. The book presents social construction of reality theory as a methodology upon which the structure of mass-mediated popular fiction can be examined, postulating definitions of myth and formula and advancing a new language of literary analysis that acknowledges the socially defining, democratizing experience of popular fiction. Social-psychological analysis is focused on the mystery genre and examines its taxonomy, including the supernatural, fiction noir, gangster, thief, thriller, and detective formulas. |
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ability action adventure agent American angel appeared artistic avenger became become Berger Bond castle chapter character City classical detective collective construction Cora course crime criminal critic cultural dark death defined destruction detective detective hero effectively employed evil example face fantasy Fate fiction figure finally forces formula Frank function gangster Gothic hand hard-boiled hero human illustrates individual institutions issues John killed knowledge language later literary living mass meaning method moral motif complex murder mystery genre myth nature Nick novel offers police political popular popular fiction possesses presents Press protect publication published pulp pulp magazines rational reader reading reality recognizes relationship represents result says sexual Smiley social society sociological story structure sub-formula success suggests supernatural symbol takes thief traditional turn University violence writers York