And Then There Were None

And Then There Were None

• Genre: Fiction; mystery
• Originally Published: 1939
• Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 570L; college/adult
• Structure/Length: 16 chapters plus epilogue and manuscript; approx. 300 pages; approx. 6 hours on audio
• Protagonist and Central Conflict: Eight houseguests at an isolated island estate begin to be murdered off one by one, their modes of death representing the lines of a children’s rhyme.
• Potential Sensitivity Issues: Murder; racist language in the original title and original children’s rhyme inspiring the plot; suicide

Agatha Christie, Author

• Bio: 1890-1976; born in Devon, England; homeschooled by her mother; studied voice and piano in Paris at 16; served as a nurse during WWI; introduced famous character Hercule Poirot in first published novel, The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1921); wrote over 70 detective and mystery novels in her lifetime, many adapted to stage plays and film; earned the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award in 1955; awarded the title of Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1971
• Other Works: The Mysterious Affair at Styles (1921); Murder on the Orient Express (1934); Death on the Nile (1937); Evil Under the Sun (1941); A Pocket Full of Rye (1953); Sleeping Murder (1976)
• Awards: Credited as being the best-selling mystery novel of all time

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Unit:

• The Effects of a Guilty Conscience on Behavior
• The Role of Gender Stereotypes
• Death as the Ultimate Act of Justice

STUDY OBJECTIVES: In accomplishing the components of this Unit, students will:

• Develop an understanding of the literary and genre contexts that inform the novel’s style, characterization, and plot.
• Analyze paired texts and other brief resources to make connections related to the text’s themes of The Effects of a Guilty Conscience on Behavior, The Role of Gender Stereotypes, and Death as the Ultimate Act of Justice.
• Plan and construct visual media to create an alternate ending to the novel based on text details.
• Analyze and evaluate plot and character details to draw conclusions in structured essay responses regarding the role of gender, guilt, and other topics.