Agatha Christie's Use Of Suspense In And Then There Were None

Universally, suspense is used for various forms of entertainment to engage the audience by creating uncertainty. In “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie, suspense is used for very similar reasons. On a remote yet expensive island, ten guests are invited for reasons varying from chatting with old friends to getting a job as a servant. However, all the guests have something in common. They all have guilty consciences of murder! Guests die one by one over an extensive period of time. In “And Then There Were None”, Agatha Christie uses imagery, symbolism, and foreshadowing to build suspense.

First, the author uses rich description to build a suspenseful mood. To start off the series of murders, Anthony Marston, a wealthy and attractive man, was murdered due to what appeared to be cyanide poisoning. The text states, “He picked up his drink and drank it off a gulp. Too quickly, perhaps. He choked-choked badly. His face contorted, turned purple. He gasped for breath-then slid down off his chair, the glass falling from his hand” (Christie 74). By adding more complications to the plot, Agatha Christie is able to start building some suspense. She makes the reader wonder how this murder was committed and-more importantly-by who. Also, this surprise causes panic to erupt out of all the guests leading to a more intricate plot. Next, the author also uses very vivid imagery when presenting a scene with a near death experience. Vera Claythorne, a very practical girl, was tricked