Resumo

VAN HEERDEN, Neil. The suspense novel: A theoretical overview and discussion of three examples in Afrikaans. Tydskr. geesteswet. [online]. 2023, vol.63, n.2, pp.327-345. ISSN 2224-7912.  http://dx.doi.org/10.17159/2224-7912/2023/v63n2a9.

Suspense remains a prime source of readerly interest, especially for readers of popular fiction. Successful crime novels, detective stories and thrillers, in particular, are often characterised as "riveting", a "page-turner", or as possessing the power to keep the reader "hooked". In this article I set out to explore the notion of fictional suspense from a literary-narratological point of view. This article is therefore focused on the inner workings of the suspense text itself rather than a reception study or empirical study of reader responses. I begin by outlining several basic definitions and theories pertaining to suspense as a narratological construct in order to provide a conceptual framework within which specific novels can be discussed. Much has been written about fictional suspense over the years, but as a theoretical point of departure, I draw upon two seminal sources: Suspense: Conceptualisations, Theoretical Analyses, and Empirical Explorations (1996), compiled by Peter Vorderer, Hans J Wulff and Mike Friedrichsen (eds), and George N Dove's Suspense in the Formula Story (1989). While admittedly somewhat dated, these sources remain as relevant as ever and provide a useful framework when attempting to define a field as nebulous as that of suspense studies. In short, suspense may be defined as a noxious affective response to afictional or dispositive structure with two logically opposed outcomes, one of which is evil or immoral but probable or likely, and the other of which is moral but improbable or unlikely (Carroll, 1996). This noxious affective response is elicited in the reader to the extent that he/she is concerned about the existence of some credible endangerment to the welfare of aprotagonist(s) with whom he/ she has formed a dispositionally mediated connection. Suspense is evaluated not only in moral terms (good or bad) but also in terms of subjective certainty. Suspense intensifies a) the more the reader cares for a particular protagonist(s), b) the more terrible the perceived threat, and c) the higher the relative probability of an undesirable outcome (Zillmann, 1996). Suspense is therefore an affective response suffused with implicit moral judgements. Inevitably, questions arise around readerly involvement: How exactly could readers be prompted to care about entirely fictional events and entities as if they were, in fact, real? To address this issue, I go on to discuss several theories of readerly involvement including identification, scenic comprehension, vicarious witnessing, empathic distress, and affective perspective taking. Next, I discuss George Dove's approach to popular suspense fiction - an approach which he calls process criticism. For Dove, reader readiness is key i.e., the extent to which a reader has been conditioned by previous encounters with a particular generic or conventional form such as the suspense thriller or detective novel. Implicitly embedded in the popular suspense story are, according to Dove, two axiomatic truths: 1) nothing in the suspense tale is entirely irrelevant, and 2) there will always be (some sort of) resolution in the end (Dove, 1989:18). I also find Dove's explanatory analogies useful. One is the analogy of the author as "Lecturer Beside the Screen" (1989:23), who is continually pointing out things to the reader by way of textual cues. The other is his analogy of two dialogically opposed voices, the so-called "Voice of the Novel" and the "Voice of Cognition" (1989:28), which produce yet another source of metatextual tension for the reader of suspense fiction. Having concluded the theoretical section of the article, I dive into a discussion of three Afrikaans example texts: Prooi (2018) by Deon Meyer, Die versoeking van Thomas Maas (2020) by Chris Karsten, and Hartedief (2021) by Rudie van Rensburg. These three novels were selected because they were each awarded the ATKV-Woordveertjie vir Spanningslektuur (currently the most prominent literary prize for suspense fiction in Afrikaans). Prooi is essentially a political drama with the two major suspense arcs centred on the theme of state capture. While the protagonists are, respectively, an assassin-with-a-conscience and two honest policemen, it is ultimately the fate of South Africa that is on the line. The heroes' struggle is therefore rooted in a deeper historical battle against injustice. The stakes could hardly be higher. In terms of the suspense process, Prooi makes ample use of the conventions of the spy thriller and the hard-boiled police procedural, and culminates in a gripping double-barrel finale. Die versoeking van Thomas Maas chiefly concerns adultery and may be regarded as domestic noir. In this novel, it is the idealised fantasy of the happy, suburban family life that threatens to be destroyed by a femme fatale. The novel is presented as a retelling of Ella Neser's private investigation (Ella being a well-known sleuth in many of Karsten's previous novels). Erotic tension plays a pivotal role in the elicitation of suspense, but in the end Die versoeking van Thomas Maas resembles a Shakespearian tragedy - as suggested by many of the intertextual references in the novel - since the truth proves to be elusive and complicated. Hartedief is a psychological thriller. The association between the serial killer's bloodlust and inclement weather (what may be termed atmospheric suspense), alongside the many macabre and often grisly descriptions of murder victims, contribute strongly to the suspense in Hartedief. A secondary suspense arc - that of corrupt policemen and ruthless gangsters - fuels the primary storyline in that the conspirators represent an additional obstacle to the two honourable detective-protagonists' cause. In all three novels, we find recurring serial characters that are expected to influence readers' moral dispositions from the outset. Furthermore, the strategic use of narrative focalisation and reader privilege (also known as dramatic irony) play a significant role in the evocation of suspense. In all three cases, Prooi, Die versoeking van Thomas Maas and Hartedief, moral valence turned out to be more ambiguous and nuanced than the theory outlined in section 2 of the article suggests. Characters are mostly portrayed as polyvalent, with both "good" and "evil" traits.

Palavras-chave : Afrikaans literature; Chris Karsten; crime fiction; Deon Meyer; detective fiction; domestic noir; popular fiction; psychological thriller; readerly involvement; Rudie van Rensburg; suspense novel; suspense.

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