Sankaran 1

Neha Sankaran

Mr. Miles

English 9 Honors

31 October 2018

Suspense in “​And Then There Were None​”

In Agatha Christie’s “​And Then There Were None,​ ” suspense essentially characterizes the

novel as ten strangers are stranded on Soldier Island, being picked off one by one by a murderer,

of which is among the ten guests. To help create suspense, Agatha Christie uses high or formal

diction with concrete diction, as well as a disorganized yet at the same time informative syntax,

with a paranoid or questioning tone.

High or formal diction creates an elevated tone that also helps establish the background

of the strangers, by giving light to where they are from or what they will be like throughout the

story. Examples of this type of diction include “sat - surrounded with the most up to date

appliances and the most luxurious furnishings” (Christie 9) and “a holiday post - always meant

looking after a swarm of children - secretarial holiday posts were much more difficult to get.”

(Christie 3). As seen, the tone of the diction is able to give the members’ class and thoughts.

Concrete diction is also seen in the novel in examples, “His face is purple and convulsed. But

he’s not dead” (Christie 74) and “sweat was rolling down his face - hands were clammy”

(Christie 73). It is able to build suspense because when describing physical qualities and such in

more detail, it pulls the audience in, hooking them into the moment.

Agatha Christie uses a disorganized yet informative syntax, in hopes to continue or rise

suspense; meaning the disorganized information is allowing for a better following of what
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characters are going through in “real time” as the novel continues. Having the syntax be

informative as well helps with this when clues are being provided to be inspected and used to

create theories. “Wool disappearing - red silk curtains - it doesn’t make sense” (Christie 160) and

“only six [soldier boys] - how many will there be by tonight?” (Christie 160) are both examples

of how informative syntax is being displayed disorderly. The jumbled information serves to carry

the reader throughout the story as if they were there spectating.

A paranoid or questioning tone can be seen throughout the novel within examples,

“Thoughts that ran around in a circle like squirrels in a cage,” (Christie 159) and, “What next?

What next? Who? Which?” (Christie 159). This type of tone builds suspense because it

cross-examines all clues given and theories made.

In summary, Agatha Christie’s “​And Then There Were None”​ is greatly characterized by

suspense. Agatha was able to portray a sense of anxiously excited uncertainty throughout the

novel with the high or formal and concrete diction, disorganized yet informative syntax and a

paranoid or questioning tone. With the delicate placement of the words she chose, the suspense

was what really carried the flow of her story.