"Intensive Reading of Novels" "Interrogation"

【Editor's Note】

The famous American novelist O. Henry is good at using reversal techniques. The ending of a novel that uses a reverse approach to conceive the storyline is both surprisingly successful and evocative, arousing the reader's strong aesthetic interest and obtaining a reading experience that is completely different from the initial feeling. The American writer Orram's novel "Interrogation" has two intertwined narrative threads: one is the interrogation of the criminal suspect Ryans by policeman Marcus Quill; the other clue is the interrogation of the corrupt police officer Marcus Quill by the suspect Ryans. The knot and reversal of the two threads not only highlights the hypocrisy and weakness of the evil forces and the invincibility of the righteous forces, but also stimulates the reader's strong reading interest.

【Text Reading】

trial

Author: [Beauty] Orram

He sat there quietly, waiting. ("Sit there quietly", "wait", with a laid-back look and a confident attitude, what is he waiting for?) Linked to the identity of the suspect he awaits interrogation, the novel begins with suspense. His back rested gently against the back of his chair, and his hands on the table were crossed in the shape of a pyramid. His eyes were fixed on the one-way transparent mirror on the wall, and he rushed through the mirror to smile at the policemen who were watching inside, wanting them to see his confidence and superiority. (On one side are confidence and strengths.) ）

Detective Marcus Quill sat across the table, scrutinizing the detained suspect. The expression that wanted to prove that he was the strongest and could control himself had been seen countless times. Every time he saw the suspect exhibit this delusional mentality, trying to think of himself as the master of the interrogation room, Quill couldn't help but laugh. (On the other side is scorn and ridicule.) ）

>>> Ryans smiled and showed "confidence and superiority", and Quill looked at the other party and "couldn't help but laugh" because of identity. The opening part of the description of the details of the two sides' looks contrasts with each other, conveying the subtle psychology of the two at this moment.

Detective Quayle knew what was actually going on with them, with only two words: vulnerable. Everyone is fragile, they need air, they bleed, bones break. Everyone is vulnerable, and a little stress can break them down. (Blindness goes hand in hand with arrogance.) ）

Quill glanced slowly at the suspect. This guy never stopped laughing (he never stopped laughing), not the kind of laughter that came from the heart, it was more like a deliberately controlled laugh.

>>> "never stopped laughing", "laughed", "the smile suddenly disappeared", "smiled again", some of the descriptions of Ryans's demeanor in the text are direct descriptions, and the "this guy has not stopped laughing" here is indirectly described through Detective Quill's perception. Similar details echo back and forth, showing the rich and complex emotional changes of the characters.

Quill opened the folder on the table.

"Tell me, Ryans, what happened?"

Ryans shrugged and said, "I killed him." ”

Quail glared at him fiercely, "You admit to killing Arthur Grayson?" ”

"I admit it."

"Why are you doing that?"

Ryans disconnected from the detective's eye contact and looked up at the ceiling.

"He poisons people." He said.

"Ah... What the? ”

He plundered the unfortunate and profited from the prohibited items sold to them, and he knew all too well what that kind of thing meant to those people. He made his fortune by destroying people's lives, and I despise this abuse of power. His gaze left the ceiling and returned to the detective, as if observing Quill's every move.

Quail shook his head and let out a soft laugh. (Quill's confidence began to waver, but his attitude remained arrogant.) ）

Ryanes went on to say: "There is a trait in people that they rush to judge and are unwilling to take the time to understand. They focus more on the present and forget about the past, and they never ask what makes me... It has become an outlier in society. I can assure them that at the moment they are wondering what is the best way for me to die. (The initiative in the interrogation room began to change hands.) ）

"Can you blame them?" Quill asked.

"Of course not. I broke the rules and now have to face the consequences. But you asked, why am I doing this? ”

>>> Ryans admits that he killed people illegally and knows that he must bear the corresponding consequences, but he is also upset, complaining that the world only sees the appearance of his crime, but does not ask the reason behind the crime.

"I don't care." Quail got up from his chair, "Honestly, I'm tired of wasting time here. (Anger and defilement are manifestations of weakness of heart.) ）

Ryans rubbed his hands. (Confident and eager to try.) ）

"Understandable. I just want to ask you to listen to me again. Please sit, Detective. Ryans pointed to the detective's chair. (Ryans has taken full control of the inquest room, and the interrogator and the interrogated person begin to switch identities.) ）

Quill pursed his lips and reluctantly sat down slowly. (Reluctantly and reluctantly.) ）

"It was good. Now, what if I told you that Arthur Grayson wasn't the only one? ”

The detective immediately held his breath. (Nervous and scared.) ）

"The only thing?"

"Grayson wasn't the only one who died under my knife."

"I'd say you're lying."

"Say what you will, Detective. But now, can you ignore the possibility of letting a serial killer slip out of your hands? ”

Ryans crossed his hands and formed a pyramid. (More assertiveness, fully demonstrating his preponderance in the interrogation room.) ）

>>> "Ryans crosses his hands and builds them into a pyramid" echoes the detailed description of "the shape of the pyramid with his hands crossed in the shape of a pyramid" in paragraph 1 of the text, and the two details are similar in expression, both showing Raines's calm confidence and contempt for Officer Quill.

Quill tried to control his breathing rate to make sure his blood pressure didn't rise.

"Well, a few?"

"How many do you think there are?"

"Okay, stop playing guessing games with me." Why did you kill them? ”

"Because they won't stop."

"Stop what?"

"Stop breaking the law." Ryans burst out laughing (laughter that reflects Ryans' excitement and pride in successfully punishing crimes.) The laughter was so loud that even the outside could be heard.

"It's funny," said Quill coldly, suppressing the strong desire to slap the smug fellow, "it sounds like you're a volunteer cop." ”

"Exactly right, Detective." The smile on Ryans's face suddenly disappeared (the smile suddenly disappeared, and the frontal attack on the opponent in front of him officially began. The look became serious, and the awl-like gaze stabbed at Quill.

"So, your mission is to uphold justice, haha!" Quill laughed, unabashedly contemptuous.

"Someone has to do that."

>>> Ryans kills Grayson and Rand by example, and he despises them for making a fortune by destroying other people's lives, believing that he is doing this to eliminate bad people and maintain social justice.

"Don't you know that the police are the enforcers of the state apparatus?"

"Of course I know. In fact, just the other day I met one of your colleagues. ”

The warm pleasure in Quill's heart was replaced by a chilly chill. (Quill's blind confidence began to collapse.) ）

"Oh, really? Who is that? ”

"Your partner, Detective Rand."

"What?"

Quill gritted his teeth, (nervous and scared. Looking at Ryans, the guy's eyes stared at him without blinking.

>>> as the story progresses, a series of subtle changes take place in Officer Quayer's heart, and what really makes him nervous is Ryans's mention of the killing of Detective Rand. "Clenching his teeth" indicates that his heart is highly tense and on the verge of collapse.

"I'm afraid he can't work with you anymore."

"You killed a police officer?"

"Correct it, a corrupt police officer."

Quail held out his arm and pointed his finger at Ryans.

"You... You're a scumbag! (Furious and distraught, every inch is in chaos.) ）

"Wow, I expected you to say that. After all, you do things with Rand and Grayson and share the benefits. ”

"Well, you're a delusional person." Quail tried to remain calm, but his hand under the table couldn't help but shake. (There is both anger and fear.) ）

"Are you scared, Quill?" Now, your colleagues who are hiding next door listening are admiring pictures of you and Rand doing bad things. Ryans smiled again (smiled again).

>>> before Quail interrogated Ryans, Ryans had reported Quill's illegal behavior to the police, and other police officers had also listened to the interrogation, and Quill's evil face had been exposed to everyone.

"You bullshit!" Quail heard his voice change its tune.

"Tell me, Detective, are you a criminal?"

Quill felt her hair soaked in cold sweat.

"How do you know?" We did it very discreetly. Halfway through he froze and realized he had slipped his lips, "I mean... No, I am..." He was completely confused and had to shut up again. (Incoherent and insincere.) ）

>>> "We're doing it very covertly..." "I mean... No, I am...", a few ellipses in the sentence indicate intermittent speech, very eloquently showing Quill's panic after the truth was revealed.

Detective Quayle lowered his head and looked at his faint shadow reflected on the smooth metal tabletop. After a while, he slowly turned his head and looked at the one-way transparent mirror on the wall. Colleagues were watching him from behind the mirror, and he could imagine the shocked and angry expressions that appeared on their faces because of his betrayal.

>>> image is greater than thinking, and the portrayal of the character image can completely replace the author's revelation of the theme of thought and the expression of inner likes and dislikes. The character dialogue throughout not only adapts well to the setting of the unique scene of the interrogation room, but also promotes the plot very concisely, portrays the characters, expresses the main idea, infects the reader, and the author's ingenuity is very good.

(With deletions)

——Excerpt from "Hebei Hengshui Middle School 2021 National Senior High School Second Joint Examination Language Test Questions"

【Knowledge Construction】

Plot Reversal – The Key to the Success of the Novel's Plot Structure //

As the saying goes, there are hills in the chest, and the bottom of the pen grows flowers by itself. If you want to write a wonderful novel, you must have a hill in your chest. The text seems to look at the mountains and does not like the peace, how to write the plot ups and downs, is the key to the success of the novel. From the reader's point of view, no one likes mediocre and boring characters, and no one likes to tell a flat and straightforward story, so to write a novel to write a wonderful story, you must be good at bold imagination, surprising victory, and strive to receive the artistic effect of "unexpected, but caring about reason". The novel "Interrogation" is clearly written about the interrogation of the criminal suspect Ryans by the policeman Marcus Quill, but secretly ambushes the criminal suspect Ryans's other interrogation of the corrupt policeman Marcus Quill, such an "interrogation" can be understood as a solemn investigation and trial of the evil forces from the perspective of justice and morality. The knot and reversal of the two threads highlight the hypocrisy and weakness of the evil forces and the invincibility of the righteous forces, and arouse the reader's strong interest in reading.