TMORA - Themes Flashcards
How does Christie portray the theme of secrecy and universal capacity for violence?
Christie’s belief that everyone—even nice, ordinary-seeming people—has a dark secret, and, furthermore, that everyone, under the right circumstances, is capable of committing a crime.
What point is Christie trying to make through the theme of secrecy?
Christie also makes the deeper point that all people have secrets that can compel them to kill.
How is need for money shown through this theme of secrecy?
- Some of the murder suspects are revealed to have a secret need for money.
- For example, Flora Ackroyd, Roger’s niece, and Mrs. Ackroyd, Roger’s sister-in-law, are shown to be desperate for cash, which the stingy, stubborn Roger was reluctant to give them upfront
Where is the universal capacity of violence theme shown with suspects in the book?
Flora Ackroyd and Ralph Paton (Roger’s adopted son) are shown to be secretly sick and tired of Roger’s domineering behavior, and want to be rid of his influence forever.
How is the theme of crime and secrecy present in the book?
- Other characters are shown to have committed various kinds of crimes in the past:
- Parker, a seemingly “proper” English butler, turns out to be a seasoned blackmailer, and Miss Russell, an equally proper-seeming housemaid, is revealed to have had an illegitimate child
How is the theme of secrecy evident throughout the book?
The characters’ questionable behavior and dark secrets confirm Poirot’s observation, suggesting that no person is completely free of secrets.
How does the ending of the book emphasise Christie’s point?
Christie further emphasizes her point in the novel’s famous ending, in which it’s revealed that Dr. Sheppard, the calm, reliable narrator of the novel, is Roger Ackroyd’s killer.
Why is the revelation of Sheppard so shocking?
Traditionally, the narrator of a mystery novel is the only person whom readers can safely assume to be innocent of the crime.
Why does Christie make Dr. Sheppard the murderer?
By making Dr. Sheppard the killer, then, Christie goes further than her fellow mystery novelists in showing that everyone has secrets, and that even ordinary-seeming people can, under the right circumstances, be compelled to kill.
How was the detection and intellect theme portrayed by Poirot?
Christie shows how Poirot’s flexible intellect—his combination of rational disinterest and intuitive exploration—is key to solving the case.
What contrast does Christie set up through the theme of detection and intellect?
- The contrast Christie sets up between Poirot’s handling of the case and the official inquiry made by the police makes an argument that investigations are best when they’re based on a philosophical interest in human behaviour and human nature.
