And Then There Were None

by

Agatha Christie

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And Then There Were None: Chapter 10 Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
Vera asks Lombard to wake her up so she can realize that this is all a bad dream, but Lombard tells her that won't happen. Vera asks Lombard who he thinks the murder is and he comments that she must be excluding the two of them. Lombard agrees that Vera couldn't have committed the murder because she is such a levelheaded, sane girl.
The guests begin to form loose alliances. They have no real evidence but they join with the people they naturally trust, out of fear and some need to feel that they are not alone in this nightmare.
Themes
Death Theme Icon
Quotes
Vera says she can't see Lombard as the murderer either. Lombard thinks that it is Wargrave because he has played God as a judge for so long that this must have gotten to his head.
Lombard sees Wargrave's authoritative tendencies as condemning.
Themes
Justice Theme Icon
Vera thinks that it is Dr. Armstrong because two of the deaths have both been by poison. And she thinks that he killed Macarthur when he went down to call him to lunch. She also says that he is the only one with medical knowledge so he can declare that Macarthur had been dead for at least an hour and no one would know the difference.
Vera believes that Armstrong's experience must mean he is the murderer. The problem is that although both of their theories though these guesses seem supportable, they have no further evidence. It is all guesswork.
Themes
Death Theme Icon
Meanwhile, elsewhere, Rogers asks Blore if he has an idea who the criminal is. Blore says he has an idea but he doesn't want to say it yet. Rogers says it's all like a bad dream and that he has no idea who the killer is and that's what scares him the most.
The lack of knowledge is what truly scares the characters. Both Vera and Blore relate the experience to a dream because they can't find another way to explain it.
Themes
Death Theme Icon
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Dr. Armstrong is talking to Wargrave, saying that they must escape. Wargrave responds that it's very unlikely that a boat could get to them. Wargrave adds that he believes he knows who the killer is – he has no concrete evidence but he thinks that one person is clearly indicated. Armstrong doesn't understand.
The people who believe they know who the murderer is do not want to share their information – knowledge is too precious.
Themes
Guilt Theme Icon
Death Theme Icon
Miss. Brent is in her room and starts to read her Bible but then puts it down and writes in her diary. She writes that Macarthur has been killed and that the judge has convinced her that the murderer is in their midst – that one of the guests is possessed by the devil. She writes that she knows who the killer is and then her eyes grow foggy and she writes in all caps, “THE MURDERER'S NAME IS BEATRICE TAYLOR …” All of a sudden she wakes up and looks at what she has written. She thinks that she must have gone mad.
Because Miss Brent will not admit to feeling any guilt for her actions, she can only access these feelings in a moment of near madness. All of the stress and mystery is starting to get to her in spite of her deep and unwavering faith.
Themes
Guilt Theme Icon
The storm is getting stronger and everyone sits huddled in the living room watching each other. Rogers brings tea and the mood lightens. Then Rogers comes in again and asks if anyone knows where the scarlet bathroom curtain went. No one knows and everyone becomes nervous again.
The storm mirrors the progression of the madness on the island. Though the civilized structures of social life (serving tea) makes everyone feel at least momentarily better.
Themes
Guilt Theme Icon
Class Theme Icon
Dinner is eaten and cleared and everyone goes to bed and locks their doors. Rogers checks the table before he goes to bed, sees that there seven little china figures and locks the door to the pantry and the hall and puts the key in his pocket. He feels comforted that nothing will happen tonight. He checks the closet in his room and locks the door.
Rogers tries to take control of the small details that go along with each murder in order to stop the murders themselves. He is randomly groping to try to deal with the chaos.
Themes
Death Theme Icon