And Then There Were None - Elements of Mystery PDF

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elements of mystery analysis from the book and then there were none...

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The elements of mystery contribute to the creation of suspense in many ways. Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None” states, “The ten little china figures. Ten of them there were...there’s only eight, sir” (Christie 105). Christie creates suspense in her book by having symbolism and altering it. She makes the soldier figures (that represented the ten people on the island) disappear over and over again which creates suspense and forces the reader to think about the next one to die. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado” mentions, “At  the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious. Its walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris” (Poe 68). Here, Montresor is describing the vault beneath where he is planning to kill Fortunato and seek his revenge. Poe uses the grotesque, haunting setting to create a sense of suspense whereas Christie uses symbolism and alters it which adds to mystery.  “And Then There Were None” states, “Ten little soldiers went out to dine, one choked his little self and then there were nine...it’s horrible, just like us this evening” (Christie 89). Agatha creates a hint of mystery by making a poem that foreshadows how each character would die (metaphorically) and references it in the book several times (in a way, the book revolves around the poem). “The Cask of Amontillado mentions”, “ ‘Amontillado!’ ‘I have my doubts.’ ‘Amontillado!’ ‘And I must satisfy them.’ ‘Amontillado!’ ” (Poe 10). Edgar Allan Poe’s story shows how Montresor lures Fortunato into the vaults by telling him about the rare, expensive wine. Just like “And Then There Were None,” Poe’s story also revolves around one main idea (Amontillado the wine) which tells how Fortunato’s greed for the wine led to his death....