What Is The Mood Of The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd

Agatha Christie’s cherished novel Murder of Roger Ackroyd is a classic mystery which captures the hearts of readers. In this story, Dr. Sheppard assists detective Hercule Poirot as he deciphers clues in order to find out who killed Roger Ackroyd. Christie integrates plot, motifs, and tone into this story to captivate readers all around the world.

First, Christie’s use of plot creates a logical series of events for the story to center around and connects the events; moreover, plot keeps exasperated readers from giving up on this novel due to lack of understanding. For instance, “Mrs. Ferrars died on the night of the 16th-17th September” (1). This narrative hook establishes an interesting beginning without including excess information; to reiterate,

For instance, Sheppard stated, “‘I wonder ... what the papers the girl disarranged could have been for Ackroyd to have gotten to such a state about them’” (121). This dialogue shows a suspicious tone where the author is trying to communicate a message: the girl has done something worse. Additionally, this relays Christie is suspicious of facts given by witnesses and establishes a distrustful personality for the author. Furthermore, Poirot rants, “‘That is the beginning. The desire for money grows. He must have more - and more. He is intoxicated by the gold mine which has opened at his feet. He becomes greedy. And in his greed he overreaches himself’” (194). This is an example of a pessimistic tone where Christie shows her negative opinion on man’s obsession with money; basically, the author believes man’s want for money can blossom into avarice and eventually dictate the man’s life. This dialogue also relays Christie’s message to the readers; she is warning readers to be cautious when it comes to money by expressing little hope for change (motivating readers to prove Christie wrong). Thus, the author’s point of view is expressed through tone, helping readers understand why the author wrote specific portions of the