Structure
The short story “The Good Samaritan” by Charles Ardai is structured into different scenes that have a cinematic effect. Scenes jump suddenly from one to the other, alternating between the moments the victims meet Arthur, the killer, and the moments the detective investigates their murders.
The beginning provides a mysterious atmosphere, which sets the dark mood of the story through the description of the rainy night (p. 85, ll. 1-5). The first scene introduces Harold Sladek, the first victim, and the mysterious man whose intentions are unknown. Here, a foreshadowing element suggests that Arthur might have hidden intentions: “It was suddenly dry and quiet (…) and a man Harold had never seen before was offering him a cigarette. Why?” (p. 86, ll. 35-37). Harold experiences ...