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?

U.N. Owen is probably a millionaire or even a billionaire, owns his own estate on Indian Island, and has a very tight schedule.

2. Where does the story take place? Describe the primary setting of And Then There Were None with as much detail as possible.

The story takes place on a modern house in the middle of Indian Island., Sticklehaven, Devon. The year of this story is between 1930 and 1940. The island is surrounded by water. The place got its name because it is in the shape of an Indian's head. The mood and atmosphere is happy, uncertain, and weird.

3. How and why is Indian Island so important to the narrative (Story)?

It seems as though Indian Island is important to the narrative because since it is an island, that means you can only get off the island with a boat. So if the people cannot get off the island, something bad is probably going to happen.

4. Identify the ten guests who have been invited to Indian Island, giving their names and backgrounds.

Anthony James Marston, a rich, spoiled, good-looking man with a well-proportioned body, crisp hair, tanned face and blue eyes known for his reckless driving. He was born to a wealthy family. Mr. Owen accused Anthony of running over and killing two children, for which Marston felt no remorse. Marston was the first of Owens’s victims, having died from poisoning by potassium cyanide slipped into his drink, while gathered in the drawing room with the others. Wargrave notes that Marston did not have the remorse and responsibility that other's had.

Mrs. Ethel Rogers, the cook and Mr. Rogers's wife. She is described as a pale-faced, ghostlike woman with shifty light eyes, who is scared easily. Despite her respectability and efficiency, she was obliged to help her domineering husband, Thomas, to kill their former elderly employer, Miss Jennifer Brady, by withholding her medicine, in order to inherit her money. She was Owens’s second victim, who died in her sleep, from an overdose of chloral hydrate which she did not self-administer.

General John Gordon MacArthur, a retired World War I hero, who sent his wife's lover, Arthur Richmond (also a soldier), to his death by assigning him to a "suicide" mission. Fatalistically accepts that no one will leave the island alive, which he confides in Vera; shortly thereafter, he became Owens’s third victim after having his head crushed in as he sat along the shore.

Mr. Thomas Rogers, the butler and Mrs. Rogers's husband. He and his weak-willed wife, whom he dominated, killed their former elderly employer by withholding her medicine, causing the elderly woman to die from heart failure, to inherit the money she had left them in her will. He was Owens’s fourth victim, having been struck in the head with an axe as he gathered firewood in the woodshed.

Emily Caroline Brent, a rigid, repressed elderly woman of harsh moralistic principles who uses the Bible to justify her inability to show compassion or understanding for others. She dismissed her maid, Beatrice Taylor, as punishment for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. As a result Beatrice, who had also been rejected by her own family, threw herself into a river and drowned. Miss Brent felt no guilt and considered that Beatrice's suicide was an even greater sin. She became Owens’s fifth victim after being injected with a dose of potassium cyanide into her neck as she sat alone at the dining table after Wargrave drugged her.

Justice Lawrence John Wargrave, a retired judge, well known for liberally handing out the death penalty and "the hanging judge." He is accused of murder due to his summation and jury directions of one accused murderer Edward Seton, although there were some doubts about his guilt at the time of the trial. He was thought to be the sixth victim of Owens’s in order to fulfill the Chancery verse, but was later revealed to have himself been the murderer, "Mr. Owen", faking his own death with the assistance of Armstrong in the drawing room. He did, however, shoot himself in the head in his bedroom after watching his final intended victim, Vera Claythorne hang herself.

Dr. Edward George Armstrong, a Harley Street surgeon, blamed for the death of Ms. Louisa Clees, a patient, while operating under the influence of alcohol. Armstrong became Owens’s apparent seventh victim after being pushed to his death into the sea. His body goes missing for a while, leading others to think he is the killer, but his corpse washes up at the end of the novel, leading to the climax.

William Henry Blore, a retired police inspector and now a private investigator, is accused of having an innocent man, James Landor, sentenced to lifetime imprisonment as a scapegoat after having been bribed. The man later died in prison. Blore became Owens’s perceived eighth victim, having his skull crushed by a bear-shaped clock, dropped from a window above outside the house.

Philip Lombard, a soldier of fortune. Literally down to his last square meal, he comes to the island with a loaded revolver. Though he is reputed to be a good man in a tight spot, Lombard is accused of causing the deaths of a native African tribe. It is said that he stole food from the tribe, thus causing their starvation and subsequent death. Though not an actual victim of Owens’s, Lombard fulfilled that of the ninth referenced verse of the rhyme, shot to death on the beach by Vera, who at the time believed him to be the murderer.

Vera Elizabeth Claythorne, a young teacher, secretary, and ex-governess, who takes mostly secretarial jobs since her last job as a governess ended in the death of her charge. She let young Cyril Hamilton swim out to sea and drown so that his uncle, Hugo Hamilton, could inherit his money and marry her; however, the plan backfired, as Hamilton abandoned her when he suspected what she had done. Of all the "guests" Vera is the one most tormented by latent guilt for her crime, yet is made to suffer the most, being the last survivor. She eventually meets her demise when she walks back to her room after shooting Lombard. There she finds a readied noose, complete with chair beneath it, suspended from her ceiling. Again, not technically a victim of Owen's, guilt ridden and delusional, Vera climbs the chair, adjusts the noose round her neck, and kicks the chair away, fulfilling the rhyme's final verse as the tenth victim.

5. Did any of these individuals – when you first encountered them in the introductory Cast of Characters, or in the following pages –strike you as especially sinister? (If so, which one and why?)

No one seemed sinister to me.

Threatening? No one seemed threatening to me either.

Harmless?

The one person that seemed harmless to me was Mr. Davis; he just seemed like a happy-go-lucky guy. When he first appeared in the story he was just happy and lively, he seemed careless as well, a free spirit you could say.

6. Describe the poem Vera Claythorne finds on display above the mantel in her bedroom (in ch 2). What kind of poem is it?

The poem, is a sad tale, about ten little Indian boys, and how, it seems, they all die. The poem is a children’s rhyme.

7. How does the poem’s meaning and imagery change by its context in this novel?

It changes because, I know the story is a mystery novel, AND there were 10 people in the house, so if I were to read it on a text message, I would think it was just a sick nursery rhyme, and the person that sent it to me was kind of weird. But it does connect with the story.

8. How does the poem relate to the centerpiece of small china figures that first appears in the subsequent dinner scene (in Ch.3)?

There were 10 China dolls, and the poem counted ten different kids.

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

The people all die and, the poem tells you how they are going to die, or the general idea of how they are going to die, like with Miss Brent she died by a "bee sting" which is actually a syringe. But it still connects to a bee sting because they are both the same size and they basically feel the same.

10. In chapter 3, the ten guests are gathered for their after-dinner coffee when suddenly an "inhuman, penetrating" voice begins to speak to them, one which has been prerecorded on a gramophone record. What exactly does "The Voice" accuse each guest of doing? Be specific.

Anthony James Marston, a rich, spoiled, good-looking man with a well-proportioned body, crisp hair, tanned face and blue eyes known for his reckless driving. He was born to a wealthy family. Mr. Owen accused Anthony of running over and killing two children, for which Marston felt no remorse. Marston was the first of Owens’s victims, having died from poisoning by potassium cyanide slipped into his drink, while gathered in the drawing room with the others. Wargrave notes that Marston did not have the remorse and responsibility that other's had.

Mrs. Ethel Rogers, the cook and Mr. Rogers's wife. She is described as a pale-faced, ghostlike woman with shifty light eyes, who is scared easily. Despite her respectability and efficiency, she was obliged to help her domineering husband, Thomas, to kill their former elderly employer, Miss Jennifer Brady, by withholding her medicine, in order to inherit her money. She was Owens’s second victim, who died in her sleep, from an overdose of chloral hydrate which she did not self-administer.

General John Gordon MacArthur, a retired World War I hero, who sent his wife's lover, Arthur Richmond (also a soldier), to his death by assigning him to a "suicide" mission. Fatalistically accepts that no one will leave the island alive, which he confides in Vera; shortly thereafter, he became Owens’s third victim after having his head crushed in as he sat along the shore.

Mr. Thomas Rogers, the butler and Mrs. Rogers's husband. He and his weak-willed wife, whom he dominated, killed their former elderly employer by withholding her medicine, causing the elderly woman to die from heart failure, to inherit the money she had left them in her will. He was Owens’s fourth victim, having been struck in the head with an axe as he gathered firewood in the woodshed.

Emily Caroline Brent, a rigid, repressed elderly woman of harsh moralistic principles who uses the Bible to justify her inability to show compassion or understanding for others. She dismissed her maid, Beatrice Taylor, as punishment for becoming pregnant out of wedlock. As a result Beatrice, who had also been rejected by her own family, threw herself into a river and drowned. Miss Brent felt no guilt and considered that Beatrice's suicide was an even greater sin. She became Owens’s fifth victim after being injected with a dose of potassium cyanide into her neck as she sat alone at the dining table after Wargrave drugged her.

Justice Lawrence John Wargrave, a retired judge, well known for liberally handing out the death penalty and "the hanging judge." He is accused of murder due to his summation and jury directions of one accused murderer Edward Seton, although there were some doubts about his guilt at the time of the trial. He was thought to be the sixth victim of Owens’s in order to fulfill the Chancery verse, but was later revealed to have himself been the murderer, "Mr. Owen", faking his own death with the assistance of Armstrong in the drawing room. He did, however, shoot himself in the head in his bedroom after watching his final intended victim, Vera Claythorne hang herself.

Dr. Edward George Armstrong, a Harley Street surgeon, blamed for the death of Ms. Louisa Clees, a patient, while operating under the influence of alcohol. Armstrong became Owens’s apparent seventh victim after being pushed to his death into the sea. His body goes missing for a while, leading others to think he is the killer, but his corpse washes up at the end of the novel, leading to the climax.

William Henry Blore, a retired police inspector and now a private investigator, is accused of having an innocent man, James Landor, sentenced to lifetime imprisonment as a scapegoat after having been bribed. The man later died in prison. Blore became Owens’s perceived eighth victim, having his skull crushed by a bear-shaped clock, dropped from a window above outside the house.

Philip Lombard, a soldier of fortune. Literally down to his last square meal, he comes to the island with a loaded revolver. Though he is reputed to be a good man in a tight spot, Lombard is accused of causing the deaths of a native African tribe. It is said that he stole food from the tribe, thus causing their starvation and subsequent death. Though not an actual victim of Owen's, Lombard fulfilled that of the ninth referenced verse of the rhyme, shot to death on the beach by Vera, who at the time believed him to be the murderer.

Vera Elizabeth Claythorne, a young teacher, secretary, and ex-governess, who takes mostly secretarial jobs since her last job as a governess ended in the death of her charge. She let young Cyril Hamilton swim out to sea and drown so that his uncle, Hugo Hamilton, could inherit his money and marry her; however, the plan backfired, as Hamilton abandoned her when he suspected what she had done. Of all the "guests" Vera is the one most tormented by latent guilt for her crime, yet is made to suffer the most, being the last survivor. She eventually meets her demise when she walks back to her room after shooting Lombard. There she finds a readied noose, complete with chair beneath it, suspended from her ceiling. Again, not technically a victim of Owen's, guilt ridden and delusional, Vera climbs the chair, adjusts the noose round her neck, and kicks the chair away, fulfilling the rhyme's final verse as the tenth victim.

CHAPTERS 4 & 5

11. Who dies at the end of chapter 4?

Anthony James Marston

12. Look at the victim’s last words, and then explain the irony or black comedy of this particular murder, given these final comments.

The irony or black comedy in the victim's last words was that, he was saying how, he was all up for crime and staying to figure out the mystery, and then he suddenly died. After drinking his whiskey and soda drink.

13. In part 5 of chapter 5, we learn the following about General 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.

He probably felt the same way as Anthony did, as well as he does not want to go back to his regular life, he does not want to have to worry about the daily ritual most people go through everyday.

What is the general going through? Describe his state of mind – what it is, and what it might be.

He is going through what he did to kill Arthur Richmond, his wife's lover, he sent Richmond on a "reconnaissance", which was actually planned, and Richmond died.

His state of mind, seems to be thoughtful, but also kind of harsh and angry.

CHAPTER 6 & 7

14. How does Mrs. Rogers meet her demise in chapter 6?

She overslept, and died in her sleep.

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 immediately suspects Mr. Rogers killed Mrs. Rogers because, after they heard the gramophone and Mrs. Rogers fainted, he immediately went to her side as if the murdering of Miss Jennifer Brady, was true, and to make her not say anything about it. He then killed her because there was no evidence, but if she "spilled the beans" he would go to jail, and so would she. Thus, killing her saved his behind!

16. In part 3 of chapter 7, Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong discuss the two deaths that have occurred thus far. Why do they conclude that both deaths must have been acts of murder?

They believe the two deaths were both murder acts because, the facts they have gathered thus far, are all obligated to say that it was murder, for both cases. The reasoning behind this was that, Anthony Marston, was at the prime of his life and actually wanted to stay on the island to figure out the mystery. Also after finding out that Mr. Rogers, may or may have not killed his wife, since they expected Mr. Rogers did kill his wife, it was obvious that murder had occurred, not suicide.

How does this conclusion relate to the absence of Mr. Owen?

This conclusion relates to the absence of Mr. Owen by saying that, he obviously has someone hired to kill them all, or he is hiding in a very special place on the island that nobody else knows about.

Why do Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong then agree to enlist Mr. Blore in their search mission?

Mr. Lombard and Dr. Armstrong decide to enlist Mr. Blore in their search mission, because he is a man and he is not too old to take on the adventure, while the woman would probably be too scared to come, and Lawrence John Wargrave and General John Gordon MacArthur, are too fragile to go on the trip with them.

What and where do they plan to search?

They are going to search for Mr. Owen, and they decide to search the whole island. 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."

It shows that, somebody is the killer on the island, now they look at each other differently, and they will try to avoid each other and distance themselves from each other. They will also try to blame other people, so they are not accused of killing anybody.

18. What sort of threshold has been crossed, and how is the story different from this point on?

The threshold that has been crossed, has been the hysterical, and scared threshold. The story is different from here on in, because now we know that the killer has to be somebody that is in the house, know how to kill people without getting caught, and has a sick sense of humor, if this is all a game.

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?

Justice Lawrence John Wargrave

Does this appointment seem fitting? Why or why not?

Yes because there is a killer on the loose, and everybody wants to find out who it is, so they can live. It also seems fitting because, no one person can give an extra amount of evidence, unless they saw the killer, or they are the killer, so if everybody has the same facts, then its harder to find the true killer.

How do the other six characters react to this leader’s questions and conclusions?

They all seem disappointed, because none of them have been taken off the suspect list. But some still seemed scared because, the killer was still in the same room as them.

How do they react to one another’s accusations?

They react calmly and cool to one another's accusations.

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?

Justice Lawrence John Wargrave seems guilty because, he had to kill people before, after all he sent people to their death, and he knew about the life and death cycle. He was called the hanging judge, so he wouldn't be affected by this type of thing, and since he has been through so many cases he MUST know how to kill people without being caught.

Vera Claythorne seemed harmless, because she was always so quiet, she never accused anybody, and she never liked thinking about death and killing people.

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.

I think this passage shows that, Miss Brent is going insane, and she is visiting her past murder, of Beatrice Taylor. It means, she is thinking that Beatrice Taylor is the murderer, and she is coming for Miss Brent. I also know that she is very spiritual towards God, and she thinks that everything has a meaning to it, so sinning will bring the dead back to aunt you.

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?

Their are only 6 China dolls, that means someone is either dead or going to die. Also that means the next person to die will probably catch a disease, or be killed by a bee sting, or they are deathly allergic to something, and they will come in contact with it.

23. How has Mr. Rogers been killed?

He was struck in the back of the head with a axe, while gathering fire wood for the kitchen fire.

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?

Yes because I can hear their thoughts, they are thinking about how crazy the trip is, but since they don't want to seem hysterical they all act normally. The other thing that is going on is they are not accusing each other, they are only talking about regular, everyday types of things.

25. Read the conclusion of chapter 11 and then comment on the thoughts and fears these characters are experiencing.

It seems that people are still trying to figure who the killer is, who will be murdered next, how to get off the island and not die. Basically, who, what, when, where, how, and why.

CHAPTER 12 & 13

26. How is Miss Brent murdered, and why is Dr. Armstrong immediately suspected of committing this crime?

Dr. Armstrong is immediately suspected of committing the crime because, Miss Brent is killed by a syringe, that somebody filled a poison with.

27. What telltale item in the doctor’s possession turns up missing?

The syringe, that he said, would definitely be in his suitcase.

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

Lombard’s revolver, has disappeared.

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 example of it by referring to the text of the novel.

This behavior is reverting back to cave man like behavior, cave men were always on the look out for things that may have eaten them, or harmed them, which is happening to the people at that moment. Examples:

30. Is this similar to how you yourself would behave if placed in this horrific situation? Explain why or why not.

Yes I would have acted this way as well, you look bestial because after all the stress of seeing people dead and thinking that you may be the next, would defineitely have an impact on your sciallogy and your senses.

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?

These items reappear tangled around Justice Wargrave, killing him, while everybody else was going upstairs, after hearing Vera Claythorne scream while going into the shower.

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."

He was remembering what had happened to Edward Seton, he had been one of Justice Wargrave's client in court that had died. Edwared was going to be found innocent even though Justice knew he was guilty. Justice killed the man, because he knew and he swayed the court to kill Edward.

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? She begins to focus on her characters in this way, and at this moment in the tale because, she is trying to build suspense and she is in trying to send us off the track to believe that the killer is one of the 3 characters still alive.

What do we learn from the private thoughts of these two characters?

We learn through their thoughts that they think that the other person is the killer and they were a fool for trusting the other.

How do their ideas and impressions in chapter 14 advance the story?

34. What happens to Dr. Armstrong? How and when does he disappear?

He seems to run away from everybody in the house, and go into hiding. Or maybe he was chasing the man, that Mr. Lombard was going to chase at first.

35. How is Mr. Blore murdered, and why do Miss Claythorne and Mr. Lombard suspects that Dr. Armstrong is Mr. Blore’s killer?

He is murdered by having a Bear Clock dropped on his head, through Vera Claythorne's room window. They suspect the Armstrong is Mr. Blore's killer because he is missing and they are the only people on the island now.

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? Neither of

Use quotes from the novel to support your answer.

37. Who kills Philip Lombard? Vera Claythorne.

38. Who, ultimately, is responsible for the death of Vera Claythorne?

Herself, because she is consumed with guilt, but SHE thinks it was Hugo, her original lover, because she killed Cyril and he left her, then he came back for her.

EPILOGUE

39. Look again at the book’s Epilogue. Who are the detectives in charge of solving these crimes?

Sir Thomas Legge and Inspector Maine

Are they able to come up with any answers? Evaluate their 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 come up with the

40. Who is the murderer? How is his or her identity revealed?

The murderer is Mr. Justice Wargrave, he reveals his identity by sending a confession into the sea through a bottle, with all the facts about the murders.

41. Who is the mysterious Mr. Owen?

Mr. Justice Wargrave

42. Were you satisfied with the novel’s conclusion? And were you surprised by it?

Yes, and it definetly surprised me.

43. Did you, as a reader and an armchair detective, find the ending fully credible and plausible? Did the murderer’s "confession" seem fitting and appropriate to you? Explain your answers.

Yes I did find the ending fully credible and plausible, because if Justice had seen people die and been proved innocent after a murder, but he knew that they were guilty, then he would learn a lot about killing people from the murderers stories, and crimes. I also do believe the "confession" did seem fitting because, when you think of something amazing but you are going to die you want to people to remember you and, well, admire your hard work, but not for this case. But he wanted at least 1 person to know how he accomplished this amazing murder mystery.

Define the term "red herring".

A "red herring" is a false clue to throw you off track of the answer to a mystery or problem.

44. And Then There Were None is generally seen as one of the best mystery novels ever published. What are the clues in this mystery? What are the red herrings?