Introduction
In the story ‘He Died with His Eyes Open’, the narrator explained how an upper-class drunkard was found cruelly murdered through being beaten, and left to die. The man was later discovered by an unidentified police officer, who worked in an outmoded branch of the ‘London Metropolitan police’. It is indicated from the story that, the police officer after going through the dead man’s tapes and writings; revealed that the man used up his later days wracked with blame over the crumple of his matrimony and trying frantically to triumph the love of a lady; whose coldness and cruelty was honestly horrifying (Raymond, 2006).
Discussion
The term genre in literature means ‘type’; it is established by fictional techniques, tone and substance. It can be seen from the story that, the writer wrote a dramatic and appalling novel which illustrated the genre of ‘crime fiction’. This can be seen from the plot of the story where it starts by explaining how the deceased was found being cruelly murdered. In this case, the reader is introduced into the action of murder where the writer indicated a region where the cruelty in a murder contrasted by the refinement of bushes; and a corpse exposed during the rush-hour. In another instance it can be seen that; both arms and one of his legs were wrecked with the bone jabbing out azure, through the trouser fabric. Additionally, his head was found to be beaten in; underneath the hairline and blains spilled on his left cheek into the earth (Cruse, 2004).
It can be argued that in the novel the crime fiction genre is characterized by different linguistic features including semantics. For instance, it is well indicated that despite the wounds which had been inflicted on the deceased body, he did not pass away immediately but, within his tedious eyes brushed some reminiscence that he intended to take with him in every place he went. Based on this, it can be argued that his eyes indicated something he had all along intended to know in his life. In this case, this statement indicates that he intended something and had a vision as it is told that; ‘he died with his eyes open’. It can be argued that he had seen everything but could not be in a position to comprehend it until he was killed. This can be used to mean that, he was killed because he knew something but was not in a position to understand it. Based on this, one can say that he had seen signs of his murder but failed to understand them. From the way he was killed it can be deduced that there was a struggle before he died, as it is indicated that he did not die on the spot (Steinmetz, 2008).
The other linguistic feature includes phonetics; which comprises of speeches and non-sound speeches. In this case, it can be argued that the dead man’s eyes indicated that he had some memory which he intended to carry on his whole life. On the other hand; the randomness of the wounds on his body indicated that he was beaten up by more than one individual, who knew precisely where to strike. Further, the lack of blood under the corpse indicated that the killing did not occur at the place where the body was; but had been dumped there (Roach, 2001).
From the story, it can be inferred that, the deceased was killed by more than one person because of something he had no comprehension of. In this case, it can be argued that there was something held secret; which they feared the deceased would reveal through his speeches. Based on this, because of his urge for money he was trapped and killed in a vehicle before being dumped where he was thought to appear like a dilapidated ‘hit-and-run’. It can also be said that, when he was dying something was revealed to him that he had not known before, as it was indicated by the memories from his eyes (Raymond, 2006).
In support of this inference, it can be indicated from the story that his face had illustrations of one that had seen everything happening; but which could not comprehend it until the time he was being killed. On the other hand, his eyes seemed to have an unsteady shine of some memory that he intended to carry on in his whole life. Additionally, it is well indicated from the story that there was no blood spots under the corpse; indicating that the killing had occurred elsewhere. From this it can be deduced that, he had been dumped to appear as one who had been ran over by a motor vehicle; in order to complicate any investigation about his death. Based on this it can be deduced that, he died with the memories of a certain thing, which he had not known before (Raymond, 2006).
The authors of the story chose to formulate their words as ‘He Died with His Eyes Open’, to indicate that he died with the knowledge he did not have before. In this case, the deceased had seen or known something but could not understand it, until it was revealed to him when he was dying. By saying that his eyes were open, it may mean that the issue he did not know was revealed to him before his death. From this It can be said that, he had not understood all what he knew until when he was dying. In this case, he knew why he was being killed; or was told the reason as to why he had to die. Further, by ‘some of his face’ being left may indicate that; the killers left slight information of why they had killed him. Based on this it can be argued that, despite the fact that his death was intended to appear like a hit-and-run case; it was not distinctive as to whether, he had been run over by a vehicle or fallen victim of an armed burglary (Raymond, 2006).
In order to hide the inference of what happened in the story, another way of rewriting the passage may be ‘he died with unrevealed memories’. In this case, it would mean that he didn’t have the slightest idea of what he all along wanted to know in life, or why he had to be killed. By rewriting it this way, the reader could not infer the reason leading the death of the deceased. Based on this, his eyes would not have indicated anything concerning his death, nor would his face indicate any knowledge or comprehension of anything that had happened. In this case, it is indicated that he was murdered because of something he had an insight of; but which he had not understood until he was dying (Raymond, 2006).
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is clear from the story that the writer(s) wanted to pass a message to the reader that the deceased received an insight of something; which he had not known before. It can be said that, the murderers revealed a certain thing to him as they were killing him. On the other hand one can say that, he knew something but could not comprehend it until when he was being murdered.
References
Cruse, D. A., 2004. Meaning in Language: An Introduction to Semantics and Pragmatics. 2nd edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press
Raymond, Derek, 2006. He Died with His Eyes Open. London: Serpent’s Tail
Roach, Peter, 2001. English Phonetics and Phonology: A Practical Course. 3rd edition. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
Steinmetz, Sol, 2008. Semantic Antics: How and Why Words Change Meaning. New York: Random House Reference Publishers