Written by Anne
Photo by Bence Balla-Schottner on Unsplash
Ten strangers, ten different stories, and just one killer? Can you figure it out and determine how it all ends?
If you’ve ever read an Agatha Christie novel, then you know you need to be on your mental toes and be ready to scrutinize and analyze every action and word spoken because even the most seemingly mundane conversations between characters contain a small nugget of information key to solving the entire mystery.
The power of one’s mind to see through lies, especially one’s own, plays a central part to the novel. To catch the killer, the characters must see past each other’s facades, however this proves to be nearly impossible because they fail to see past their own shortcomings.
And Then There Were None is no different. Before the game begins, Christie introduces all the players as they make their way to a small island, brought together by mysterious circumstances. The novel quickly divulges into the dark past of each character and analyzes their ability to recognize the faults within each other but not themselves. The power of one’s mind to see through lies, especially one’s own, plays a central part to the novel. To catch the killer, the characters must see past each other’s facades, however this proves to be nearly impossible because they fail to see past their own shortcomings.
While the novel was certainly suspenseful, I could not help but think I would have enjoyed it more as a movie. Despite 99 percent of the scenarios where the book was better than the movie, I believe in this case the reverse would be true. Though the book already exists as a movie, I have yet to see it. However, while reading, I could easily imagine the setting and plot present the perfect opportunity for beautiful cinematography, eerie Shutter Island-like background music, 1940-era costumes, and a perfect cast of British actors. Who doesn’t love a great British procedural?
The title change and language usage in the novel depicts a time not so long ago where such phrases and words were acceptable. Christie’s use of certain racial and ethnic stereotypes in several of her books has stirred questions about her societal and political views.
If you’re wondering why you’ve never heard, of And Then There Were None, it’s because was previously published as Ten Little Indians and another name before that. The title change and language usage in the novel depicts a time not so long ago where such phrases and words were acceptable. Christie’s use of certain racial and ethnic stereotypes in several of her books has stirred questions about her societal and political views. I think the larger question, however, is determining how has her work been able to remain unscathed as political and social views have changed?
Though I believe most of Christie’s work is a reflection of the time in which it was published, there are still several questions that need to be answered. How have pieces of such a time remained popular? Should we read the work as it was originally published to understand and interpret why such views were acceptable at one time? Or, do we erase the parts of the story we decide we don’t like and continue on as if they never existed? These questions and more are worth having a conversation about what’s deemed appropriate and correct continues to change.
Travel by the Book 