How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
"When he passed me in the restaurant," he said at last, "I had a curious impression. It was as though a wild animal – an animal savage, but savage! you understand – had passed me by."
"And yet he looked altogether of the most respectable."
"Précisément! The body – the cage – is everything of the most respectable – but through the bars, the wild animal looks out."
"You are fanciful, mon vieux," said M. Bouc.
"It may be so. But I could not rid myself of the impression that evil had passed me by very close." (1.2.52-56)
Poirot compares Ratchett to a wild animal and gets the sense that he is evil just by looking at him. Do you think we can truly know evil when we see it?
Quote #2
"I'll tell you the truth, Mr. Poirot. I disliked and distrusted him. He was, I am sure, a cruel and a dangerous man. I must admit, though, that I have no reasons to advance for my opinion." (1.6.102)
MacQueen's opinion is founded on the Armstrong case, though he won't admit it to Poirot this early in the novel.
Quote #3
"Ah! Quel animal!" M. Bouc's tone was redolent of heartfelt disgust. "I cannot regret that he is dead – not at all!" (1.8.16)
Again, Mr. Ratchett is compared to a savage animal rather than being talked about as a human being.
Quote #4
"If ever a man deserved what he got, Ratchett or Cassetti is the man. I'm rejoiced at his end. Such a man wasn't fit to live!" (2.2.13)
Notice that the opinion of every passenger is the same: Ratchett was evil and he deserved to die.
Quote #5
"That there are in the world such evil men! It tries one's faith. The poor mother. My heart aches for her." (2.5.59)
Greta Ohlsson agrees that Ratchett was a terrible person.
Quote #6
"In my view, then, this murder is an entirely admirable happening! You will pardon my slightly biased point of view." (2.6.90)
This quote comes from Princess Dragomiroff. Can murder ever be truly admirable? Or was this not a case of murder?
Quote #7
"Then in my opinion the swine deserved what he got. Though I would have preferred to have seen him properly hanged – or electrocuted, I suppose, over there." (2.8.88)
Colonel Arbuthnot believes that Ratchett got what he deserved. Do you?
Quote #8
"What is that you are saying? Why, that little one – she was the delight of the house. Tonio, she called me. And she would sit in the car and pretend to hold the wheel. All the household worshipped her! Even the police came to understand that. Ah, the beautiful little one." (3.8.34)
Antonio Foscarelli's description of Daisy Armstrong, in all of her youth and innocence, serves as a contrast to Ratchett.