And Then There Were None

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the below bulleted outlines. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. Throughout the novel, gender influences the behavior of characters.

• What role does gender play in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Describe the way women perceive men in the novel, the way women are perceived by men, and how these attitudes affect the way they behave toward one another.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why you believe Agatha Christie chose to present the genders as behaving this way toward one another.

2. In the conclusion, the reader learns that Justice Wargrave was the murderer on Soldier Island.

• What clues does Agatha Christie leave for the reader to interpret? (topic sentence)
• Explain the clues Christie leaves to indicate that Justice Wargrave is the killer and the red herrings she employs.
• In your concluding sentences explain the role the red herrings play in the novel.

3. Guilt is a key factor in motivating the characters and influencing their actions in the novel.

• What is the role of guilt in the novel? (topic sentence)
• Describe which of the characters feels the most guilt, which characters feel absolved of wrongdoing, and how the guilt the characters feel influences their behavior.
• In your concluding sentences, explain why you think Justice Wargrave chooses his guiltiest victim to be killed last.

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. Justice Wargrave writes in his confession that he chose the order of deaths based on those who bore the least responsibility for their crimes to those who bore the most responsibility for their crimes. Do you agree with the order in which Justice Wargrave chooses to murder his victims? Why or why not? Do you agree that Vera deserves to die last? What role, if any, should remorse play in the conviction of crimes? Do you think, like many of the characters in the novel, Justice Wargrave justifies his behavior based on his own desires?

2. Describe the role that the “Ten Little Soldiers” nursery rhyme plays in the novel. Why does Justice Wargrave choose to model his murders after this nursery rhyme? What effect does the nursery rhyme have on the characters? What is Justice Wargrave’s motive for his theatrical performance on the island? Is Justice Wargrave successful in creating hysteria based on his theatrical performance?

3. There are several symbols in And Then There Were None, including the soldier figurines, the mark of Cain, the storm, and the characters’ resemblances to specific animals. Choose a symbol from the novel and analyze its development over the course of the novel. How does the symbol change in meaning as the novel progresses? Why is the symbol important to the overall message of the novel? What is the significance of the symbol at the novel’s conclusion?