And+Then+There+Were+None


 * CHAPTER 1, 2, & 3

1. Who is U.N. Owen? What do we learn about him in the novel’s opening pages?** He is Unknown! He is also the owner of Indian Island. You learn that he invites a bunch of random stranger to an island. He tells them all a different story to encourage them to come.

And Then There Were None with** **__as much detail as possible.__** Takes place during the 1930's in England. It begins with some of the characters on a train to Devon. Everyone seems a little excited or sketchy and unsure of what they are doing (and the person who invited them).
 * 2. Where does the story take place? Describe the primary setting of

It is where the story takes place. It gives the story mystery because it is a secluded island that is not accessible to anyone, except those on it.
 * 3. How and why is Indian Island so important to the narrative (Story)?**

their** __**names and backgrounds**__**.**
 * 4. Identify the ten guests who have been invited to Indian Island, giving
 * Mr Justice Wargrave: A retired judge, known as a "hanging judge" by the press and the courts.
 * Vera Claythorne: An ex-governess, acquitted in the death of the child Cyril,and now a secretary.
 * Captain Philip Lombard: A soldier who is an adventurer, and in it for the money.
 * Emily Brent: A spinster in her mid sixties, with a disturbed and possibly dangerous mind.
 * General Macarthur: A soldier from the Great War, who has a rumor about him from 30 years ago, floating about.
 * Dr. Armstrong: A physician who had a drinking problem in his early days..
 * Anthony Marston: A young man in the prime of his life, he seems to like to drive cars fast and carelessly.
 * Mr. Blore: A man who pretends to be someone he's not.
 * Fred Narraccott: The boat driver from the mainland who ferries the 10 guests to the island.
 * Mr. and Mrs. Rogers: The butler and cook invited to the island. They haven't met the owners of the island but are given instructions on what to do.

the introductory Cast of Characters, or in the following pages – strike you as especially sinister? (If so, which one and why?)** Mr. Blore: He has a notebook with all the guests names and lied about who he is.
 * 5. Did any of these individuals – when you first encountered them in

Anthony Marston: He seems to be quite reckless, cares only about what makes him happy. This could be dangerous Philip Lombard: He brought a gun to the island.
 * Threatening?**

Emily Brent: She seems to only care about what is right and proper. Nothing she has said of done seem to be threatening.
 * Harmless?**

mantel in her bedroom (in ch 2). What kind of poem is it?** The poem depicts a tale about 10 little indian boys you die one by one. It is a children's poem.
 * 6. Describe the poem Vera Claythorne finds on display above the

this novel?** You begin to wonder if the poem may be connected to the 10 guests in the story. And that it may depict what will happen to each guest.
 * 7. How are the poem’s meaning and imagery changed by its context in

that first appears in the subsequent dinner scene (in Ch.3)? It relates to the poem because in the poem ** there are 10 little indians, and there are 10 guests on the island. Also the island is called Indian Island.
 * 8. How does the poem relate to the centerpiece of small china figures

novel? (You may need to come back to this question after reading the rest of the novel.)**
 * 9. How does this poem relate to the larger plot or structure of the

coffee when suddenly an “inhuman, penetrating” voice begins to speak to them, one which has been prerecorded on a phonograph record. What exactly does “The Voice” accuse each guest of doing? Be specific.**
 * 10. In chapter 3, the ten guests are gathered for their after-dinner
 * Edward George Armstrong: what he did on March 14th, 1925, resulted in the death of Louisa Mary Clees.
 * Emily Caroline Brent: responsible for the death of Beatrice Taylor on November 5th, 1931.
 * William Henry Blore: Brought about the death of James Stephen Landor on October 10th, 1928.
 * Vera Elizabeth Claythorne: killed Cyril Ogilvie Hamilton on August 11th, 1935.
 * Philip Lombard: guilty of the death of 21 men in February of 1932.
 * John Gordan Macarthur: deliberately sent his wife's lover, Arthur Richmond, to his death on January 14th, 1917.
 * Anthony Marston: guilty of the murder of John and Lucy Combes on November 14th.
 * Thomas and Ethel Rogers: brought about the death of Jennifer Brady on May 6th, 1929.
 * Lawrence John Wargrave: guilty of the murder of Edward Seton on June 10th, 1930.


 * CHAPTER 4 & 5**

Anthony Marston
 * 11. Who dies at the end of chapter 4?**

comedy of this particular murder, given these final comments.** He says, "I'm all for crime!" just as he was about to die. It's ironic because someone commits a crime on him by killing him.
 * 12. Look at the victim’s last words, and then explain the irony or black

Macarthur: “He knew, suddenly, that he didn’t want to leave this island.” Why do you think he knows this? Provide as many reasons as you can.** I think he realizes that he doesn't want to be an outcast in society and doesn't always want people to whisper about him. Also he may feel something sinister is happening on the island and knows he won't make it off alive. His conscience may also be bugging him because of what he did to Arthur Richmond.
 * 13. In part 5 of chapter 5, we learn the following about General

what it is, and what it might be.** I think the General's conscience is getting to him. He no longer feels like having people talk about him behind his back.
 * What is the general going through? Describe his state of mind –


 * CHAPTER 6 & 7

14. How does Mrs. Rogers meet her demise in chapter 6? She dies in her sleep. It is supposed that she was poisoned.

15. Why does Mr. Blore immediately suspect that Mrs. Rogers was killed by her husband, the butler? Explain Mr. Blore’s accusation, pointing out its strengths and shortcomings.** Mr. Blore suspects it was Mr. Rogers because he feels that Mr. Rogers believed his wife wouldn't be able to keep the secret of how they killed the old lady. Also Mr. Rogers was the only one with his wife all night and he behaved strangely when she fainted.

two deaths that have occurred thus far. Why do they conclude that both deaths must have been acts of murder? They conclude that it's not right that two people would commit suicide within 13 hours of each other. Also it was strange that the Indian figurines kept disappearing and that they both died exactly how the poem said.
 * 16. In part 3 of chapter 7, Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong discuss the

How does this conclusion relate to the absence of Mr. Owen? They realize there must be someone else who is doing all these strange things, so it must be Mr. Owen.

Why do Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong then agree to enlist Mr. Blore in their search mission? They decide he would be "a good man in a pinch."

What and where do they plan to search? They plan to search over the whole island including the shoreline and the house. They are looking for caves for people to hide in, and in the house they are looking for secret rooms or passageways. They find nothing.

CHAPTER 8 & 9

17. Reread the last sentence of chapter 8. Identify the possible as well as the inevitable implications of this last sentence – for the plot of this novel and the fate of its characters. "There was no one on the island but their eight selves." They all become paranoid because they realize that one of the eight people on the Island is the killer.

18. What sort of threshold has been crossed, and how is the story different from this point on? Everybody becomes suspicious of everybody else. All characters become very paranoid and the mood of the story changes to more cautious.

19. After the murdered body of General Macarthur is discovered, the seven remaining characters participate in an informal yet serious court session to “establish the facts” of what has transpired since their arrival at Indian Island. Who is the leader of this parlor-room inquest? Does this appointment seem fitting? Why or why not? Mr Justice Wargrave becomes the unofficial leader. He suits the position because he used to be a judge and knows more about important facts and unimportant facts than any other character.

How do the other six characters react to this leader’s questions and conclusions? None of the characters are pleased to answer Mr. Wargave's questions, but they feel it necessary and so they go along with it. Also they generally all agree with the conclusion Mr Wargrave has made.

How do they react to one another’s accusations? All character's become tense and show their disagreement. None like to be accused of such horrible things.

20. In your view, who seemed most likely to be guilty at this point in the narrative, and who seemed most likely to be innocent? At this moment, I believe Emily Brent is the most suspicious, and Vera Claythorne the least.

CHAPTER 10 & 11

21. In part 4 of chapter 10 we encounter Miss Emily Brent at work on her diary. She seems to be nodding off while sitting at the window and writing in her notebook. “The pencil straggled drunkenly in her fingers,” we read. “In shaking loose capitals she wrote: THE MURDERER’S NAME IS BEATRICE TAYLOR... Her eyes closed. Suddenly, with a start, she awoke.”

What do you make of this passage? What does it mean? Why would Miss Brent jot down such a statement? Think about what you have learned about Miss Brent’s background, mentality, spiritual outlook, and idea of right and wrong when answering these questions. Emily Brent is subconsciously realizing that if she hadn't forced Beatrice out and that hadn't made her commit suicide, Emily might not have been on the island and might not eventually get killed. She wrote Beatrice Taylor is a murderer because the cycle of events that happened after she kicked Beatrice out led to Emily Brent possibly getting killed.

22. As chapter 11 begins, what is different about the arrangement of the china figure Indians in the dining room? How many are now in the table’s centerpiece – and what does this number tell you? Now there are only 6! It tells you someone else must have been killed, and because Mr Rogers is missing they assume it must him.

23. How has Mr. Rogers been killed? He was hit in the head with a very big axe.

24. At the end of this chapter, everyone is having a hearty breakfast, being “very polite” as they address one another, and “behaving normally” in all other ways. Does this make sense to you? Explain why or why not. What else is going on? I think everyone is trying to act as though nothing is happening. They are all trying to mask their fear. It makes sense to me because I would try to act as normal as possible even if I was scared that I was going to be killed.

25. Read the conclusion of chapter 11 and then comment on the thoughts and fears these characters are experiencing.** Each character is starting to feel the pressures and tension of not knowing who the killer is and not wanting to die. The Killer on the other hand is excited and amused and thinking about what to do next, while also hoping no one has found him out!


 * CHAPTER 12 & 13

26. How is Miss Brent murdered, and why is Dr. Armstrong immediately suspected of committing this crime? She is injected with Cyanide with a hypodermic syringe. Dr. Armstrong is the only one who has a hypodermic syringe in his possession. **


 * 27. What telltale item in the doctor’s possession turns up missing?**
 * The Hypodermic Syringe.

28. What item originally in Mr. Lombard’s possession also disappears? The revolver.

29. Five people are still alive as chapter 13 begins. In the second paragraph, we read: “And all of them, suddenly, looked less like human beings. They were reverting to more bestial types.” Explain this behavior, and provide several examples of it by referring to the text of the novel.** All the characters have decided there is no point in hiding the inevitable fear and so they each release their stress in their own ways. For example Vera sits "huddled in a chair," and looks like "a dazed bird."

horrific situation? Explain why or why not. Yes it is similar to how I would behave because after being under such intense suspicion I think I would eventually snap and behave like the characters. Like Vera Claythorne when she was "huddled in a chair," and also because she "looked dazed." I would definitely sit and act like that because I'm guessing I would deal with fear like that.
 * 30. Is this similar to how you yourself would behave if placed in this

31. Earlier in the narrative, both a ball of gray wool and a red shower curtain suddenly go missing. How and where do these items reappear? They reappear on Mr Wargrave when he is murdered. He is dressed to look like a judge with the gray wool as a wig and the red curtain as a robe.

32. At the end of chapter 13, Mr. Lombard exclaims, “How Edward Seton would laugh if he were here! God, how he’d laugh!” Identify the implied, potential, and literal meanings of this “outburst [that] shocked and startled the others.”**
 * Edward Seton was a man Mr Wargrave sentenced to death, but many believed he was innocent. Lombard thinks he would be laughing right now because it's ironic that the man who sentenced him to death was killed and dressed up as a judge. Lombard could also be potentially implying that Edward Seton should be alive right now if it hadn't been for Judge Wargrave, and so he literally would be laughing.

CHAPTER 14- END

33. The narrative of And Then There Were None seems to become more detailed – and carefully descriptive and deliberately paced – as it draws to a close. In chapter 14, for instance, we encounter extended interior monologues involving Miss Claythorne and ex-Inspector Blore. Why do you suppose the author begins to focus on her characters in this way, and at this moment in the tale? There are few characters left, and to create a more mysterious ending, she focuses on Vera because no one suspects her of being the killer, and Mr Blore, because he could potentially be the killer.

What do we learn from the private thoughts of these two characters? We learn that Vera actually did, in a way, help in the result of the boy's death. Also that Blore was trying to remember Landor, and finally remembers his face and is frightened!

How do their ideas and impressions in chapter 14 advance the story? By focusing in on each character more you begin to realize all of them have a killing instinct and it keeps you thinking about who may be the killer.

34. What happens to Dr. Armstrong? How and when does he disappear? He is found washed up by the sea. He disappears in the night and he is not found until the next day. He probably drowned.

35. How is Mr. Blore murdered, and why do Miss Claythorne and Mr. Lombard suspect that Dr. Armstrong is Mr. Blore’s killer? A huge marble block into he shape of a bear is dropped on his head form a balcony. They suspect Dr Armstong is the killer because he has gone missing and no one knows where he is.

36. When you reached the point where Miss Claythorne and Mr. Lombard are the only two characters remaining, which one did you think was the murderer? Or did you suspect someone else? Use quotes from the novel to support your answer. I thought it was neither Vera nor Philip. When Vera says "I feel as though I am being watched," it made me believe that there must be someone else on the island.

37. Who kills Philip Lombard? Vera Claythorne.

38. Who, ultimately, is responsible for the death of Vera Claythorne? She is responsible for her own death. **


 * EPILOGUE

39. Look again at the book’s Epilogue. Who are the detectives in charge of solving these crimes?** Sir Thomas Legge and Detective Maine.

success, identifying the points on which they are correct and those on which they are incorrect in their reconstruction of the events on Indian Island.** They figured out how each person was killed and that it must have been one of the 10 people on the island. They do not, however, figure out that Mr Wargrave was the killer.
 * Are they able to come up with any answers? Evaluate their

Mr Justice Wargrave is the murderer. He is revealed through a letter he writes and puts in a bottle. He believes it won't be found but it is.
 * 40. Who is the murderer? How is his or her identity revealed?**

Mr Justice Wargrave
 * 41. Who is the mysterious Mr. Owen?**

surprised by it?** I was satisfied by the ending because the story was a mystery! Sometimes you can tell who the killer will be, but i had no idea for this story. The ending didn't really surprise me because i realized it had to be one of the last four people. I was surprised at how Mr Wargrave came about killing everyone and why.
 * 42. Were you satisfied with the novel’s conclusion? And were you

fully credible and plausible? Did the murderer’s “confession” seem fitting and appropriate to you? Explain your answers.** After reading the whole story I feel that the ending to the story was perfect. The author kept me guessing as to who the killer was throughout the whole story. What Mr Wargrave did seemed fitting also, because now that I think about it the author left little clues about who did it and how he did everything. Also it is completely believable that Mr Wargrave was the killer, because his background fits with the killing type. I think it was genius!
 * 43. Did you, as a reader and an armchair detective, find the ending

A Red Herring is a fake clue.
 * Define the term “red herring”.**

best mystery novels ever published. What are the clues in this mystery? What are the red herrings?**
 * 44. And Then There Were None is generally seen as one of the
 * When Mr Wargrave is "shot"
 * Edward Seton was actually guilty, so Mr Wargrave wasn't a real candidate
 * Dr Armstrong's death was related the verse in the poem about a Red Herring, so he must have known something was going to happen
 * The shot on the head of Mr Wargrave was like that of Cain

The movie for Agatha Christie's book And Then There Were None had been modified from the book and had many differences. At the beginning of the novel the reader is introduced to each character while they take a train to the docks. However, in the movie, the ten guests are put on a boat and that is where they meet. Also not all the characters have the same name and the reasons some of them are on the island is different. The impact Indian Island has on the story isn't much of an impact in the movie. The role it plays in the book is explained more and we learn more about who owns it and the mystery that surrounds it. In the movie we don't get to learn anything about the island. Another important change which is made is the ending. In Hollywood's version Vera and Lombard, the last two guests decide to trust each other and Vera only pretends to shoot Lombard. When Vera returns to the house she meets Mr Wargrave who explains to her how he went about killing everyone and why. Vera does not end up killing herself and she and Lombard both make it off the island. Also Wargrave doesn't try to make his death as he had before (a shot in the head), and just poisons himself. Both the movie and the book were satisfying and mysterious.