And Then There Were None Essay

Alan Ndashimye Ms. Cummings EAE1DA-06 17 June 2024 A Mysterious Judge Murder mysteries incorporate many twists and turns as well as secrets and suspense. That is probably why it is one of the most-read novel genres in the world. In And Then There Were None, written by Agatha Christie, 10 victims are invited onto a mysterious island for different reasons. On this island, one by one they die in unparalleled but mostly inexplicable ways. One of the victims, Justice Wargrave, seems from the outside as a wise and serious man. But truthfully, his position as a Judge may be derailing, for he is a prime example of how exterior appearances mask inner evils. First of all, the judge proved to be a manipulative liar. In fact, when conducting a plan with Dr. Armstrong to figure out who the murderer is, he not only hides the fact that it was himself but he uses his stature to gain Armstrongs’ trust.

After gaining the trust of the poor doctor and using him to fake his death so that he can effectively kill the others, the con artist affirms that sending the man to his fate only requires one push of the cliff into the wild sea (Christie 271). Clearly, Mr. Wargrave uses his standing against Armstrong. He not only lies but is also deceptive towards the doctor, a wise and serious man would not do such evil things. In addition, not only is he a liar, but he is also a mass murderer. Indeed, the old man has a passion for murder, he even states in his confession letter that he is “determined to commit not one murder, but murder on a grand scale” (Christie 264). In that same letter, he openly confesses to killing Marston, MacArthur, and Rogers (Christie 268,269). Clearly, his desire to murder and murder many people goes against the morals that a judge needs. Lastly, the old Judge is desensitized to