And+Then+There+Were+None+(or+Ten+Little+Indians)


 * CHAPTER 1, 2, & 3**

U.N Owen is a man who is said to possibly own Indian Island. He is a rich, and mysterious man, in chapter one he invites 9 people to the island, for various reasons. There is not a lot of information about him in the first chapter, and most of the characters don't know who exactly invited them, which leaves the reader wondering. In the second chapter the guests try to figure out who he is, if anyone knows him, nobody does. They discover that U.N Owen is a play on words, it is supposed to sound like unknown. The guests are guessing he is a killer.
 * 1. Who is U.N. Owen? What do we learn about him in the novel’s**
 * opening pages?**

2. Where does the story take place? Describe the primary setting of And Then There Were None with **__as much detail as possible.__** In chapter one, all the guests are in a train, or something going to Indian Island, it is not said where they all take off from, but Indian Island is located off the Devon Coast. Indian Island is a fictional island, and in case you didn't know the Devon Coast is reffering to England. Once they get off their trains they get onto a boat, which takes them to the island. They then go to a house, which is located on the top of a head shaped mountain. This is all the setting information given. Once they arrive, they go to the Owen's house where they each get their own rooms. It is a richly decorated house, big as well. There are some peculiar items, like a poem in each room, and the living room, and ten little indian figurines in the dining room. The island has lots of beach on it. Another thing that is found is the phonograph. The story takes place around the year 1930, I know this from the use of things, there are no high tech things, they take a train (more used in the 1930's) it also has to be after World War One, since one of the characters talks about it in past tense, he is the oldest character on the island, so the war must have happened a long time ago. Indian island is so important to the narrative because it is a mystery story. The Island is a figment of mystery, nobody knows who owns it or really what is on it, why they go to it. All the characters on the island are stuck there they don't have a way of escaping, they are all stuck there with each other, and a possible murderer. I think that the story might be narrated by a character in the book, the detectives possibly, or the murderer them self or both. The narrator knows what is going on in the story, what will happen, why the people deserve to die... It gives a good setting, mysterious, dangerous. It is also very helpful to the detectives who attempt to solve the case afterwords. It just helps with the development of the story.
 * 3. How and why is Indian Island so important to the narrative (Story)?**

4. Identify the ten guests who have been invited to Indian Island, giving their **__names and backgrounds__**.


 * Vera Claythorne ** **-** Vera Claythorne is an "ex governess (/teacher/secretary) with a coroners inquest in her past, she had been completely absolved of all guilt she had explained even the boy's mother hadn't blamed her." A coroners inquest is an inquest held by a coroner to find out the cause of any sudden, violent, or mysterious death. This quote is listed on one of the first pages of the book. She is going to Indian island on a third class carriage (showing she is middle class/poor), she is thinking about how lucky she is to get hired by Mrs. Owen after having to go to a coroners inquest. "She shivered and wished she wasn't going to sea." She may have been cold, but suggesting from the sentences after that, I think she has had some bad experience with the ocean. It is said she is a governess, which means a woman who is trusted to take care of, and supervisie a child/children. It then says " A picture rose clearly in her mind, Cyril's head, bobbing up-and down, swimming to the rock..." "Herself swimming in easy practiced strokes after him, cleaving her way through the water, but knowing only too surely, that she wouldn't be in time." What if she had been taking care of Cyril? What if she knew that he would drown, it says she was swimming in easy practiced strokes after him, if she really cared wouldn't it be frantic strokes? She knew she wouldn't be in time the story says, and then she has to go to a Coroners Inquest, I think she is a shifty character what if she did kill him? Although I am a little confused about what her motive would be... I was thinking maybe it could have been somethine to do with this Hugo character, he is mentioned in the paragraph, but i could be wrong, and this could be a red heron. Another thing is, why would she start thinking of this Cyril character, after it never said she was sad, is she guilty? Since these clues are given at the start of the book I think that this might be foreshadowing. At the start of the book it also says a voice accuses each guest of a murder, if it does maybe Vera did murder the boy.


 * Justice Wargrave - ** Justice Wargrave is an old judge, apparently known as the hanging judge. He "Had the blood of countless prisoners on his hands." Then it says "How many of them were innocent." I think this is foreshadowing, maybe he is not a nice person, or maybe he just likes justice to be served. He is on the first class smoking train going to Indian Island, which shows that he is probably rich since he can afford that, and the habit of smoking. He tries to figure out who actually owns the island, which means that maybe he is smart, a logical guy. He decides the island is owned by "Constance Culmington. This makes the reader wonder who this mysterious lady is, and who actually does own the island. I think he is an important character as well, because he is introduced first. Later in the book, he tries to take leadership of the group, for some unknown reason. I think there is something a little bit fishy about him, for example, when Blore announced that there could be fingerprints on the letter the only one who reacted was Wargrave, he seemed alarmed. Then the voice talks about the guests being prisoners at the bar metaphoricly speaking; I looked it up, and this is terms used in a court "the bar". There are only two men on the island who are involved in law and such, Wargrave, and Blore.


 * Philip Lombard** - Is a former army man, he is not of the wealthiest class, he is third class, like Vera. Philip is hired by Mr. Owen to do whatever job is basicly asked of him. From the infomation given you still do not get a lot of information about Lombard, he is one of the more mysterious ones, but my chapter three you get more information. You begin to see that he is paranoid, he is the only one on the island who brought a gun with him. He is very heartless, he killed more people than anyone, 21 he essentially took their food, brought a friend and left them for dead, he didn't think it would matter because they were not european, i think this is selfish, and rascist. Like I said before he is pretty mysterious, but probably for a reason, I suspect he is un easy about the mysterious island and strangers, when someone acts mysterious it is usually for a good reason, I think he is probably cunning, trying to stay ahead of the game.


 * Emily Brent ﻿- ** Is an old woman, according to the story she is sixty five. She is very strict about her opinions, she develops her opinions by using the bible. She is a cruel woman, with dangerous thoughts. She dislikes young people, and behaviour that is considered sinful, or new. She keeps a diary, filled with her opinions on things are current events. She believes things should only be done a certain way, which is her way. Later she is accused of killing her maid. She did not kill her, but she did drive her to sucide. Emily does not think she did anything wrong since she believes her maid was acting sinfully, getting pregnant without being married, and commiting sucide. She is very traditional, and quite stubborn as well. She also is not rich or poor, she is middle class, average.


 * General Mc Arthur-** ﻿﻿General Mc Arthur is a World War One veteran, he is invited to the island with the promise that his friends will be there, at first he seems like a nice guy, he is the oldest member of the guests. He is not as bad as some people on the island, one of the more likable people. He is not a very important character in the book. In chapter three he is called out for sending a fellow solider out to die, the soliders name was Arthur Richmond, he was involved with his wife so the general was probably jealous. I think he knows that he is guilty, and later decides to go down in honor, like any solider.


 * Tony Marston-** ﻿Tony Marston is a rich, handsome, young and athletic man. Tony is also very concieted, he was not brought up very well by his parents. Tony is first introduced driving in his sports car, he angers another character with his reckless driving, he thinks about getting himself and drink, and wonders what the Owens are like. He is later accused of running over two children which he admits, Marston however does not feel guilty, he doesn't seem to believe he did anything wrong. I think he is narcissistic.


 * William Blore ﻿- ** Blore is a retired police officer, and later says to be a private detective, called to be on the island to watch the guests. He is very self confident, and feels that he makes a good leader, and is sure that he makes good decisions. He is too sure of himself, usually making mistakes in accusations. Later on in chapter three he is accused of wrongly sentencing a man to a lifetime in prison, where he dies. I am not sure what his motive is but he is either an incompetant, or he is secretly smarter than he seems.


 * Dr, Edward Armstrong ﻿- ** Edward Armstrong is a Docter for richer patients of higher status. He was hired to be a medical consultant for the guests on the island. He is a pretty gulliable guy, easily used by another person in situations. He had probably spent his whole life trying to become popular among the English people whom he served. Medical work takes a long time to perfect, and you need a lot of training you have to devote your life to it. Being so busy with this, he was probably never good with some things. Or maybe turned to alcohol as a stress reliever? He is later accused of killing Louisa Clees, Armstrong was drunk at the time, didn't know what he was doing and killed her.


 * Mrs. Ethel Rogers ﻿- ** At first Mrs. Rogers does not seem too harmful, she seems like a flightly, harmless, guilty, and easily scared woman. She is the cook for the household, she in my opinion is a nice lady... Except for one accusation. The voice says that she and her husband had killed a past employer, and elderly woman, however I don't think a lady like her is capable of master minding something like that. In the book she seems to know that she is guilty, which explains her fragile state. Even if she did plan the killing, it was probably because her and her husband were in desperate need of money.


 * Mr. Rogers-** Mr. Rogers is the husband of Mrs. Rogers, he is the households butler. He for the most part is a normal butler, a regular person, except for one thing... According to the voice he and his wife had murdered their past boss, an elderly lady. I think he was the one who thought up of the plan, usually the people who come up with the plots are the quiet ones. Him and his wife were looking to inherit some money, and i suppose they were desperate, however the reason is unknown so i may be wrong.

For example Justice Wargrave known as the hanging judge, it also said "how many of these people were innocent". What if he had not given them a fair trial, why would you sentence death in masses, it seems to me it could be for his own twisted enjoyment. Another character I found sinister is Clara Claythorne, she kept having flash backs and panic attacks about anything ocean related, she seems a little kooky to me. I don't think it was very nice to kill that boy, even though she felt guilty about it afterwards. Another character I felt disgusted by was Tony Marston, even though he was drunk and ran over some children, afterwards he didn't even care, that is really mean, and maybe he is a psycopath because you'd have to have no feelings to not care about what you have done to affect another negatively. Mr. Blore seems mysterious, he pretends to be another person, and then claims to be a detective, is he really? If he is is he a good one? Clara Claythorne (Coroners inquest, she is also seems guilty.) Justice Wargrave (The hanging judge...) Phiilip Lombard Mr. Blore (pretending to be someone else)
 * 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?)**
 * Some of the characters I found seemed more sinister than others.**
 * Threatening?**

Emily Brent (She is still sort of threatening, but less than the others, she is just kind of dangerous thinking.) General McArthur Dr. Armstrong (He killed a patient while doing some surgery, but he was drunk, but it doesn't necessarily mean that he did it on purpose, it just means he is an idiot.) The Rogers (So far.) Tony Marston (I don't think hes bad, he is just a snobby drunk idiot.)
 * Harmless?**

A) Vera finds a poem in her bedroom called "Ten Little Indians". The poem writes about 10 Indians, who all die in different ways. B) It is a morbid poem, and a prophecy at the same time. The poem is what the book is based around, it is a mystery, ten people are invited to the island, and die off in the story one by one, the same way as the poem. If you are however looking for specifics it is a nursery rhyme.
 * 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 it self is only a nursery rhyme, probably written by some racist person as a "funny" rhyme to tell their children. For example the nursery rhyme about the five little ducks is just like this except it is more modern in thought... In the story all the characters are on an island, ten people all of them invited because they were murderers. The story certainly creeps me out, there are ten people on the island, and ten people in the poem. I believe that this is foreshadowing, from the poem, and figurines you kind of know that someone is going to die, and when Marston dies you are sure of it. The poem, and the story make each other creepier, the people are all murderers (murderers are usually scary, even scarier when they are unknown, act normal.) The author makes the reader see the similarities, on top of that the poem is an old colonel poem, it is really creepy that it is all going to happen as well. The mystery of the whole situation adds to the mood of it too.
 * 7. How are the poem’s meaning and imagery changed by its context in**
 * this novel?**

The poem is about ten little indians all of them dying in certain ways, the china figures are of ten little indians like the poem. One of the indians disapears after one of the people on the island are killed. They help to reinforce the meaning of the poem, and perhaps add some effect to the story a spookiness, and to scare the guests.
 * 8. How does the poem relate to the centerpiece of small china figures**
 * that first appears in the subsequent dinner scene (in Ch.3)?**

The poem is a prophecy, creepily to the visitors dismay the murderer uses this poems as an idea for his/her murders. The poem is describing what is going on in the story, the murderer invited some abominable people to the island, and kills them one by one like in the poem. The killer kills the people exactly how the poem says, a copy is framed in each guests room, so they know what will happen next, just not to whom it will, and how to escape from the island. The poem is probably mean't to make the victoms worry, regret, and suffer while they are still alive. Another thing that goes with the poem are the little figurines in the dining room on the table, when someone dies one of them is removed. As you find out later in the story, Vera does not get killed or sabotaged, and neither did Lombard, but the poem I think was pretty influencing on Vera. Vera was guilty and likely going insane, she knew she couldn't avoid her death, or when it would happen, she thinks Lombard is the killer and kills him. After Vera kills Lombard, she kills herself because she is insane and she probably thinks someone will somehow hang her or something like that, so she hangs herself, she is lonely, crazy, guilty, and doesn't know what else to do.
 * 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 Voice" accuses each of the guests of commiting a crime. It accuses each of them specificly of a murder. It accuses Emily Brent of causing the death of her her maid Beatrice Taylor, by firing her. Beatrice at the time was pregnant, without a husband her family didn't want her either, so she drowned herself by jumping into a river. Beatrice committed suicide, so technicly Emily did not cause her death, but led her to it. The voice accuses Vera Claythorne of killing a boy in her care, named Cyril Hamiltion. Vera let Cyril swim out to a far rock, even though she knew he couldn't make irt. Vera does this because she is in love with a man named Hugo whom happened to be Cyrils uncle. It was said that if Cyril died Hugo would get the family fortune, money which could be used for paying for Claras and Hugos wedding. Philip Lombard is accused of killing a tribe of twenty one South Africian men. Phillip says he did do it, but apparently for a reason, the reason being there was "only enough food for him and a friend." After Philip had collected all the food, he fled to find safety. Oddly Philip admits to it, without a problem. Justice Wargrave was accused of killing Edward Seton, apparently at the time though the evidence was not clear, and it was not a very clear sentence. Although the Justice didn't kill Edward himself, he sent Edward off to his death. Mr. and Mrs. Rogers both killed their previous employer. Their last employer was the elderly Miss Jennifer Brady, and they killed her by neglecting to give her important medication. Their motive was so that they would get some money that they would inherit. General Mc Arthur was accused of sending away Arthur Richmond, whom his to be wife was supposedly in love with. (Like The Crooked Man.) The general sent Arthur away to die, on something called a suicide mission. They were fighting together in World War One. William Blore was accused of causing the death of an innocent person, James Landor. Blore sentences Landor to a lifetime in prison, the man later died in prison, Blores information was not as accurate as it could have been... George Armstrong- George is a doctor who supposedly killed a women while trying to operate drunk. The womans name was Louisa Mary Clees, although he did not purposly kill her since he was drunk, it was still man slaughter, which is still killing. Tony Marston Is said to have killed two children. Marston was driving while he was drunk, and accidentally ran over two children. It was a bad crime, but it was not done on purpose, Marston was also raised in a rich household/family, so he was never really taught about morals. Again, he did not technicly murder the children, he accidentally did, which is man slaughter.
 * 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 phonograph**
 * record.**
 * What **exactly **does “The Voice” accuse** each **guest of doing? Be specific.**

**CHAPTERS 4 & 5**

11. Who dies at the end of chapter 4? At the end of chapter four Anthony Marston dies, someone poisons his drink with some sort of cyanide, and he starts to choke, and die.

12. Look at the victim’s last words, and then explain the irony or black comedy of this particular murder, given these final comments. Anthonys last words were "The legal life's narrowing! I'm all for crime! Here's to it." The irony of his last sentence is that Anthony says he likes crime, he thinks its entertaining, he says he is all for it, then he takes a sip of his poisoned drink and dies, because somebody else poisoned it, which is crime. I also find it ironic how he says "the legal life's narrowing." It isn't the legal life that is narrowing, it is the crinimal life too, when you are a criminal people want to kill you. It is funny how he is all for the criminal life, and because of it it ends his life, it is black comedy. It is also ironic that even after killing the children, etc being basicly trapped on an island, he does not realize anything, he is excited.

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. - His wife died, one of this only joys in live, he loved her more than anything. - He thinks that everyone knows his secret, he likes that nobody else on the island knows his secret. - He feels guilty about killing Richmond, because he liked him (In a way). - He is glad he island is peaceful, it is quiet, the end life makes him tired. - He doesn't want to go back to his lonely, boring, and continuously guilty life. - He is old his life is pretty much over, he is going crazy.

What is the general going through? Describe his state of mind –what it is, and what it might be. I think General Macarthur is just feeling guilty, he knows what he did, he is old, and tired. He is very guilty feeling about murdering Richmond, he liked him but he got really jealous that his wife liked him. He loved his wife too, and knew that it made her sad that he had died, the general knew he had done a bad thing, he just wasn't sorry because he was too angry. He doesn't want to go back to his house, it is lonely there, he gave up his friends, he feels like everyones talking about him, he is in seclusion, living in guilt all alone, he doesn't want to go back, so far it is peaceful on the island, it is a place where he can't leave, a final scene. Life has made him tired, and I assume that he wants to end it.