Question

Excerpt 2: The detective examines the crime scene carefully, yet he does not see the fingerprint on the windowsill. "The murderer must have left through the back door," he concludes. However, the audience knows that the fingerprint is the key to solving the case, and it was left by the detective himself during his earlier investigation. • What does the audience know that the detective doesn’t? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________ • How does the dramatic irony contribute to the tension? __________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________

Answer 1

What does the audience know that the detective doesn’t?

The audience knows that the fingerprint on the windowsill is crucial to solving the case and that it belongs to the detective himself. This means that the detective, while trying to reason through the evidence, is unaware that he has unintentionally implicated himself in the crime scene he is investigating.

How does the dramatic irony contribute to the tension?

The dramatic irony heightens the tension by creating a sense of impending revelation. The audience is aware of the truth while the detective remains oblivious, leading to a suspenseful anticipation of how long it will take for him to discover the significance of the fingerprint. This gap in knowledge builds an emotional connection with the audience, as they may feel anxious about the detective's fate if he continues down the wrong path in his investigation. Additionally, it raises the stakes, as the audience can foresee the potential consequences of the detective's oversight.