Christie isn’t exactly being subtle here: one of the main characters is called “Justice” through most of And Then There Were None. But if what Wargrave is doling out is justice, we’re not sure we want any part of it. Though the law can’t touch any of the characters in the book (technically, they didn’t commit any crimes), Wargrave takes it upon himself to give out the punishments that he thinks are most fitting for their transgressions. We’re no legal experts, but we’re pretty sure that one man’s vendetta isn’t exactly the same thing as justice.
Questions About Justice and Judgment
- Does Justice Wargrave punish himself in the end? Or does he still think that he is not a murderer?
- Why does General Macarthur just accept his inevitable death? Does he want to receive a punishment for what he did?
- What big clue tells the reader that Justice Wargrave is the one who engineered this whole scheme?
- Do all of the characters accept their punishments as valid? Or do they not accept blame for what they did?
Chew on This
In the end, all the characters in And Then There Were None deserved their deaths because they were guilty of heinous crimes.
In the end, Justice Wargrave has to kill himself if he wants to be consistent with his need for absolute justice.