PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Why is Vera's perspective on Ms. Brent so suddenly changed?
1
Can you see anyway for them to get off Soldier Island?
2
How do you think Vera felt about General MacArthur's death, especially after their conversation that morning?
3
What are the pros and cons of them figuring out that the murderer is one of them?
4
What exactly are Lombard, Blore, and Armstrong looking for during their search of the Island?
5
Do you think the death of General MacArthur is a good thing or a bad thing?
6
At times, does everyone think in the way Emily Brent does?
7
Answer for #1
I think Vera's perspective is changed so quickly because Ms. Brent seems like such a nice old kook, but then she learns that she is responsible for the death of a girl. You can see this when Vera thinks, "The little elderly spinster was no longer slightly ridiculous to Vera. Suddenly-she was terrible." (112) I think that Vera's perspective change is perfectly reasonable due to the knowledge she has acquired.
Answer for #5
Blore, Armstrong, and Lombard are searching for Mr. Owens on the island, but I also think that they are looking for a reason to think that the murder is not one of the people on the island. They have already met the people, and you don't want to think of someone as a murderer if they are not. But more generally, they are looking for another person on this island, as you can see when Lombard says, "'There's one thing Mr. Owen didn't realize' 'What's that?' 'This island's more or less a bare rock. We shall make short work of searching it. We'll soon ferret out U. N. Owen, Esq. '" (118). They thought it'd be easy.
Answer for #6
I think that the death of General MacArthur is kind of a good thing and a bad thing. It is a bad thing because, well, someone died. I think it is a good thing also because now there are fewer suspects. You can see this when Justice Wargrave says, " One of us is U. N. Owen. And we do not know which of us. Of the ten people who came to this island three are definitely cleared. Anthony Marston, Mrs. Rogers, and General MacArthur have gone beyond suspicion." (150). His death is a good thing bin the fact that it makes it easier to solve the mystery.
