- How is point of view used in the novel? It's third omniscient, but it's a very selective omniscient isn't it? (If we knew "everything," then there wouldn't really be a mystery, would there?) At some points, we seem to enter a subjective third person where we're even aware of the way the mind works, a kind of stream of consciousness. An example would be when we enter Vera's consciousness on p. 35 (Ch. 2, section V). What effect do moves like this make?
- In that same section we have the Ten Little Soldier Boys theme (this is also printed on the interleaf before the novel begins). What role does this rhyme play in the novel? How is it connected to the ceramic figures on the dining table?
- A suspense story should make us guess what is going to happen next (and, ideally, we should be wrong in our guesses). What kind of guesses do you have about the direction of the plot? (Note: If you've read the novel before, don't give away the ending.)
- What is your reaction toward the different characters so far? Who do you think are the good guy(s) (or gal) is? Who is the bad guy(s)? How do you know?
Monday, September 12, 2016
And Then There Were None
I'd like us to begin thinking about the novel this week and as part of that thinking I'd like us to think about the way the book "works." The book is a mystery--a book involving people (along w/ the reader) trying to figure out who is behind, in this case, a series of murders. Some questions to consider:
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I would say this story and stories like this really has you on edge guessing what could happen next. Most of the time our guesses are wrong because the author wants to lead you more toward thinking one character is the one causing the initial problems when in fact you are completely wrong because that his how you are kept a hold onto the book. The author wants you to be wrong in the sense that you will continue to try to figure out whats going on just by reading. There isn't a way to tell if someone is truly good or bad because that could all switch toward the middle or even the end of the story.
ReplyDeleteThe effect of a subjective omniscient view is that is a great way of attracting the reader. Once we understand how the narrator feels we then can relate it to something in our own lives, therefore making the novel not only a lot more interesting and intriguing but we can create a weird bond while reading and understanding the text. The ten little soldier boy theme plays into how each of the character dies and no one knows who to blame considering theres not to many of them on the island. It's connected to the ceramic figures as the ceramic figures stands for each of them and plays with the "ten little soldier boys theme". My guess is maybe its Vera because she shot and killed Lombard. I enjoy each of the characters individual personality and think they all add a twist to the text. As far as the good guy/gal or bad guy(s) I'm not sure, I am eager to find out. I am a little fishy about Anthony Marston and Lombard since they deny the charges but then Lombard ends up dying so who knows really.
ReplyDeleteAs stated, a selective omniscient point of view is used in order to not simply give away the mystery. We also get to see the state of mind that some of the characters have at certain points. I believe there are a couple reasons that this can be used within this genre. Seeing the state of mind of characters and not only seeing the actions that they carry out can allow the reader to have more pieces to the puzzle that is the mystery. The author can sort of challenge the reader to try to solve it on their own using this narrative throughout the story. This can also be used to further shroud the mystery in a nonchalant way. Entering the state of mind of a character that is going crazy or is in a panicked state can throw the reader off by making an innocent character seem like the obvious perpetrator.
ReplyDelete1) The point of view used in the novel is classified as 3rd person omniscient, it gives you the perspective of multiple people while still having an all-knowing view of them, but not at the same time. The novel selects a character and rides out his part of the story before we switch to another one and get their view on something else, maybe even the same thing at a later time. They all have different opinions and views and the reader is allowed to see into the heads of all the players the novel has to offer, going deep in to their psyche and how they behave in the setting. It connects to the characters, it makes us sympathize with some and loath others, we get their inner most thoughts, their true feelings in the moment, we see who each of the character's truly is. In that respect we trust some characters more than others because of this.
ReplyDelete4) I've never truly been good at determining good and bad when it wasn't completely obvious, and mystery novels are meant to mislead you, spilling honey covered lies into the ears of those who would listen. The author laying out personality traits that person will either love or hate, even identify with and back into that corner in terms of like-ability. That being said, this is where the characters stand for me:
Good (Likeable): Justice Wargrave, Vera Claythrone, Tony Marston
Unsure: Phillip Lombard, Dr. Armstrong, Mr. Blore
Bad (Unlikeable): Miss Emliy Brent
In first person the reader is able to view the story in a more natural perspective. Dealing with only one mind, you are limited to the narrator who is not always reliable. The ten little Soldier Boys rhyme basically foreshadows the story, in each line or stanza it tells a tale of each characters death. How Mr.Rogers dies when chopping his fire wood and Miss Brent dies when she is poisoned. The ceramic fingers stand as a symbol of the ten soldiers. Judge Lawrence Wargrave is one of the main characters who is a retired judge. The role he plays is the leader of the group who is in search of finding a killer in the community. Philip is another important character being a ex mercenary solider in Africa who has major confidence...
ReplyDeletethe omniscient POV while needing to be all knowing is selective in its choice of information it takes. this is highly reminiscent of shifting POV. though this is seamless and not really shifting, it allows the novel to flow providing information and taking it away just as swiftly. I think it allows the reader to feel as if they know everything as its happening which is perfect for a mystery because that means when a twist is introduced; even while you know more than the characters you are just as surprised.
ReplyDeleteThe poem ten little soldiers serves as a guide. there is a copy in every room and that shows its importance drastically. it is connected to the ceramics on the dining table because the rhyme is about the soldiers and each soldier represents one in the poem.
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As i peer through the novel i get the sense of it being in the third person. Clues that give it away such as in the beginning of the novel where the words he and there. My interpretation of chapter 2, section 5 it seems like the narrator being captain Lombard explaining detail to detail about his day and Vera is part of it. She adds her five cents and being part of the conversation.
ReplyDeleteThe author of this novel uses third person to paint us a picture of Vera's understanding of her location and to explain her surroundings. Moves like this make the reader vision the story the narrator is telling. This also keeps the readers interested because it makes one feel as if he or she is really there. Since this is a mystery the author will be very subjective in order to help the reader understand whats going on. The rhyme ten little soldiers relates to a unusual pattern of death between the ten people trapped on the island. The ceramic figures on the table seem to disappear every time someone dies. I believe in the next scene that the remaining eight guests will b one step closer to finding out which one of them are the killer and that hell will break loose as the characters continue to suspect one another of being a murderer.
ReplyDeleteThe point of view used in the novel is third person like mentioned before. On pg 35 we can see Vera is "crazy" when we can read what she is thinking. for example a lot of usage of hyphens followed by a bunch of ellipses. The rhyme adds suspense and foreshadowing. there were ten ceramic figures in the dinning room just like the children's rhyme. as the people were dying the ceramic figures were disappearing as well. the guess im having is everyone is dying like the nursery rhyme.
ReplyDeletethe point of view used in this novel seen from a third person narrator, giving us the reader each character thought. we were able to know what each character was thinking. for example on page 2 when the writer took us into MR. wargrave mind. "she had then been going to Italy to bask in the sun and be at one with nature and the cotaditd.
ReplyDeleteI love the way Christie uses point of view in the novel, its kind of foreshawdowing in a sense. For example when Christie leads us into Vera's subconscious (pg 35) I had no idea who or what was drowning. Is she just paranoid about the dangers of the sea? or can she literally see someone drowning? (I originally thought she was paranoid) But it wasn't until the recording is played and Vera starts to explain her indictment (pg 66) that I understand where her subconscious took her in those previous pages. I believe if we pay close attention to those subconscious thoughts of each character we can possibly get a glimpse of what's to come.
ReplyDeleteThe Ten little Soldier Boys Poem is really creepy to me. The poem is repetitive and also related to the ceramic figures on the coffee table.Every character that killed off removes a figure from the table as with the poem. The Soldiers are being removed one by one, line by line. The rhyme tells how a character will be killed or eliminated, now we have to continue reading to find out which characters will go with the remaining lines in the poem.
I have a feeling the person(the Host) that they are looking for is already among them acting as if he is clueless...
When this point of view is used it often helps relate because we all turn to our consciousness when searching for answer so when the character turns to there consciousness...
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