Crime, Law and Fiction based on the Four Directions

Malcolm Gladwell was in an interview, and expressed a theory, or mini-theory. He talked about the show Law and Order and how it works, with almost every episode a comforting victory of the system.

From there, he theorized four types of fictional approaches, calling them the Western, the Eastern, the Northern, and the Southern.

It was pretty interesting, so here's how it breaks down:


Western
There is no law and order, and a man shows up to impose law and order on the community. (Roadhouse, Jack Reacher, Tombstone)

Eastern
There IS law and order, but they are corrupt or have been subverted. If it is reformed, it is reformed from within (Serpico, Clear and Present Danger).

Northern
The institution of justice, law and order works. The system is solid and functions properly. (The various Law and Order series, Murder She Wrote, Sherlock Holmes).

Southern
The entire apparatus is corrupt, and the reformer is an outsider (The Firm, and many John Grisham novels, Unforgiven).


I don't know how useful this would be for writing a novel, movie, series or comic, but like I said, I did find it interesting and I like pondering these structural things.

This would not apply to all genres, but to the Crime genre it does, and maybe to some other types of stories as well.

Have a Good One!

-Directionless Banes