And Then There Were None

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. Name 3-4 titles by Agatha Christie (more, if you can). Why might Christie be listed in the Guinness Book of World Records? Which novel is her most popular? How does Christie make use of stereotypes? Who are Christie’s most well-known detectives? What images, locations, and style come to mind when thinking about her plots and settings?

Teaching Suggestion: Agatha Christie is a well-known British mystery and crime author. Consider discussing some of her more popular works and her influence on society. If students have additional time to conduct research, they might utilize these guiding questions to learn more about Christie: Where is Agatha Christie from? Which of Christie’s works has the longest-running theatre performance? Who was Christie’s second husband? Do you think he influenced her writing?

• This article provides a brief biography of Agatha Christie and describes her achievements as a writer.
• This article describes the ongoing influence of Agatha Christie.

Personal Connection Prompt

This prompt can be used for in-class discussion, exploratory free-writing, or reflection homework before reading the novel.

Consider a time when you underestimated or overestimated someone based on typical stereotypes. What surprised you about the person? How often, in your opinion, do people make snap judgments about someone based on their age, gender, or size? What other characteristics cause people to stereotype one another? When have you experienced being stereotyped? How did it make you feel? Do you think all stereotypes are malicious in intent?

Teaching Suggestion: Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None demonstrates character stereotypes based on age, gender, size, and occupation. Consider discussing stereotypes and the role they play in novels and media. Then consider discussing personal experiences with stereotypes and whether or not they are harmful.

Differentiation Suggestion: For advanced students or those who might benefit from a more challenging, research-based activity, consider assigning an investigation into the concept of stereotypes in literature. This could include examining the origin of stereotypes, how and why authors use them, and their impact on the narrative. Pose a question for students to investigate regarding whether stereotypical characterization has been more prevalent in certain time periods, certain genres, and certain literary eras. Students may wish to share their findings with peers.

Short Activity

As you begin the novel, use this preview of clues and details to make predictions and draw conclusions about who the murderer could be. Consider how the weapons and professions might align to point to the killer. Use an investigation journal to mark off suspects as you read and to record incidents in the novel that may serve to solve the mystery.

• Poison
• Sleeping medication
• Hanging
• Revolver
• Injection of cyanide
• Axe
• Clock/blunt object
• Pushed off a cliff
• Vera Claythorne: former governess
• Justice Wargrave: elderly retired judge
• Philip Lombard: a mercenary soldier
• Dr. Armstrong: doctor and alcoholic
• William Blore: former police investigator
• Emily Brent: religious zealot
• Thomas Rogers: dignified butler
• Mrs. Rogers: frail housekeeper
• General Macarthur: elderly guilt-ridden man
• Anthony Marston: rich and lively
• Isaac Morris: bought Soldier Island
• Soldier Island: setting of the novel

Teaching Suggestion: It may be helpful to provide students with details from the novel while in the prereading stage to stimulate interest; students might make predictions about 2-3 characters based solely on their name and brief description. As they begin reading, students can utilize these details to discuss, analyze, and draw conclusions regarding who the killer could be. Consider limiting the details to the murder weapons and the social profile of the ten soldiers to prevent spoilers. Students may benefit from working in small groups and analyzing details together.