The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd

Question 1

How is the narrator significant?

Answer 1

We are predisposed to trust them, christe challenges readers assumptions

Question 2

What is Chekov’s gun?

Answer 2

every element is essential even if it seems not to be

Question 3

What is a red herring?

Answer 3

Something that seems significant but is simply distracting from the truth

Question 4

Describe the theme of “murder of manners”

Answer 4

Civilised upper & middle class world of Britain in the 20th century
No inclusion of violence, perhaps christe used these manners to enhance the macabre

Question 5

Describe the restoration of order?

Answer 5

-The reader has no doubt Poirot will solve the case due to the rapport built in previous novels
-Its not a matter of if but how, the predictability and comfort this provides was important in the 20th century

Question 6

Describe the significance of Mah-jong

Answer 6

-A game of skill, luck and strategy
-Symbolically Dr Sheppard wins and gets overconfident, starting to share private information about the golden ring

Question 7

Describe the 20th century of great Britain

Answer 7

• First world war catalysed enormous change across the country
  -there was class struggle that caused economic depression and mistrust of the ruling class

Question 7

Describe gender in the 20th century

Answer 7

• Second wave of feminism, more women in the workforce but still strong patriarchal stereotypes

Question 8

Describe the “golden age” of detective fiction

Answer 8

era of classic murder mystery novels “whodunits”

Question 9

Which of Knox’s 10 commandants does christe go against?

Answer 9

• Must not be anyone who’s thoughts the reader has been allowed to know

Question 10

What period was this written in

Answer 10

Modern period - Time period of British literature
- Individualism
- experimentation
- symbolism
- formalism.