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Overview

• The article by Audrey Rose G. Mirasol discusses the scapegoat mechanism within detective fiction through a Girardian lens.

• Focuses on how detective stories are often about the identification and expulsion of guilt as a means to restore communal peace.

Introduction to the Genre

• Traditional views depict detective fiction as grounded in rational and scientific epistemologies.

  • Siegfried Kracauer posits detective novels emphasize reason over crime/legal aspects.

  • The ** detective** is portrayed as indifferent towards the law, more interested in solving the crime puzzle.

• Other scholars, like Stephen Soitos and J.K. Van Dover, reiterate the notion of the detective as a figure of rationality.

  • Iconic detectives (e.g., Sherlock Holmes, Hercule Poirot) exemplify this rationalist ideology.

  • Popular media amplifies this view with forensic science improvements and sensationalized crime-solving.

Alternative Frameworks

1. Teleological Orientation

   • The genre focuses on identifying and expelling the guilty party, which some argue contradicts the rationalist framework.

   • W.H. Auden suggests the ultimate goal is revealing the guilty to achieve community absolution.

2. Sociopolitical Context

   • Modern narratives tend to explore themes of social injustice affecting the culpability of criminals.

   • Questions arise regarding sympathy for the guilty.

3. Reader Psychology

   • Inquiry into why a gentler demographic is drawn to violent fiction.

   • Reflections on curious disconnects in moral standings versus literary enjoyment.

Girard's Scapegoat Mechanism

• Girard's concept of the scapegoat details how communities resolve tensions by placing blame on an individual.

  • This individual is seen as truly guilty and is crucial for societal harmony post-expulsion.

• Contrast with modern interpretations, where the scapegoat may be innocent yet still bears the community's wrath.

  • Examples include Shirley Jackson's "The Lottery" and Cobra Kai on Netflix, where scapegoating offers community resolution.

Application to Detective Fiction

• The mechanism serves as a narrative device in detective stories, articulating the duality of guilt and innocence.

  • Detectives as modern high priests utilizing reason/science for scapegoat selection.

Case Study: Smaller and Smaller Circles

• Focused analysis of F.H. Batacan's novel which illustrates a complex portrayal of the serial killer as a socioeconomically oppressed individual.

• Highlights:

  • The serial killer is depicted not just as a monster but a product of systemic injustices.

  • Psychologically traumatic past serves as a framework for mitigating guilt.

  • The detective character ( Priest-like Jesuit) shows sympathy towards the killer, complicating the narrative structure.

Conclusion

• The article concludes that even with an aversion towards traditional scapegoating, the urge to identify fault remains. Smaller and Smaller Circles exemplifies the struggle between depicting systemic issues while retaining a protagonist as created by circumstantial evils.

• Emphasizes the role of detective fiction as a methodological release for readers' instinctual scapegoating desires in a controlled, vicarious manner.