Even though they’re a motley band of frightened killers, the ten characters of And Then There Were None band together out of necessity. Much like a more aptly-named Survivor, the book explores how people deal with each other when they start to suspect that not everyone is what they seem. Do they break their alliances and act independently, or do they try to work with each other? Who can you trust when you’re in a real life murder mystery?
Questions About Community
- Why do some of the characters band together to create a community when they can’t even trust each other?
- Why does Dr. Armstrong trust Justice Wargrave so much? Why doesn’t he tell anyone else that they are faking Wargrave’s death?
- Do the characters that are more independent and suspicious (like Philip Lombard) fare better than the characters that trust others more (like Vera)? Why or why not?
Chew on This
Because of their isolation and inability to contact the outside world, the characters must create a hierarchy and social order within their own ranks.
Despite the fact that they have all committed crimes, the characters in And Then There Were None trust each other because they understand that they are not defined by their crimes.