• Journal of English Language & Literature
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.931-946
• /
• 2010

This paper examines the role of gender ideology in early British and American detective fiction focusing on the female detectives. Since a detective's attributes honor and idealize such traditionally masculine qualities as independence, intelligence, heroism, and bravery, the woman detective fiction has potentiality to operate against the established gender norms. The narratives about women in pursuit of justice and order through their criminal investigation can allow women to possess the masculine rationality and power. The subversive possibility inherent in the woman detective fiction is, however, contained by the representation of the female detectives and the negotiation through narratives. A female detective is represented either as unfeminine and thus unattractive and unlikeable or as desperate for survival. Her threatening potentiality is easily dismissed as that of an inadequate woman or a desperate one. The compromise in narratives is effected by the following three ways: first, a female detective is assigned to investigate crimes as an assistant to the male detectives; second, staying within the domestic sphere, she solves crimes by using her expert knowledge of the domestic service; and third, her detective narrative ends with the conventional marriage plot. Confining the female detectives within the conventional feminine roles and domains, the woman detective fiction supports and reestablishes the dominant gender ideology.

• Journal of English Language & Literature
• /
• v.59 no.4
• /
• pp.511-526
• /
• 2013

Focusing on Anna Katharine Green's Amelia Butterworth series and Agatha Christie's Miss Marple mysteries, this paper aims to examine the contradictory representation of a detective in spinster detective fiction. The spinster detective fiction reveals distinct ways of representing a female detective from the earlier woman detective fiction. Unlike the earlier woman detective represented as submissive and desperate for survival, a spinster detective is a wealthy, intelligent, brave, and independent woman from an upper class family. Since a spinster detective's attributes honor such masculine qualities as independence, intelligence, courage, and capacity for leadership, the spinster detective fiction has a possibility to threaten the established patriarchal authority. The possibility of gender disruption in the spinster detective fiction is, however, contained by the spinster's marginal position in the patriarchal system. Since a spinster exists outside the normal expectation of a woman's life in patriarchal society, a spinster detective creates no conflict with the dominant gender ideology. Furthermore, a spinster detective is represented as a conservative elderly woman expressing reactionary views on social, political issues including women's problems. The spinster detective fiction reinforces the established gender norms rather than challenges and questions them.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.35-54
• /
• 2021

This study examines the characteristics of CBS's Kim Hyun-Jung's News Show(hearafter News Show) and the change to transmedia. The distinguishing characteristics of News Show compared to radio-based current affairs programs are as follows. First, despite its time limit, it adopts the form of investigative reports or investigative documentaries to uncover the truth of the events through 'Detective Son Su-Ho', etc. Second, News show's interviews have avoided biased stance in the reporting of minority issues by interviewing the affected parties anonymously including people involved in incidents and accidents, bereaved families, and other victims. News Show has been producing a transmedia content called 'That Honey Show' (a show that reads comments as fun as honey) since November 2018. 'That Honey Show' is broadcast in real time on YouTube right after the News Show radio broadcast ends. As a form of spin-off content, 'That Honey Show' breaks down the boundaries among staff, MCs, and guests, as well as shifting roles by using 'vice characters'. The female host, Kim conducts interviews with the main characters related to various issues and extends the fixed identity of current affairs shows to the everyday politics and cultural realms. Thus she draws active participation and responses audience. This paper analyzes two representative broadcast cases of 'That Honey Show'-first, the case of resistance and activity of the BTS fandom ARMY in the US presidential election, and, second, the case of reporting on the Nth room incident. This analysis considers the critical participation of digital citizens and the effect of fostering a sense of community in the current affairs show in the transmedia era.