Objectives

• Analyse how Christie uses the isolated setting of Soldier Island in Chapters I–III to establish atmosphere and foreshadow the deaths to come.
• Explain how Christie differentiates the guilt of individual characters — Vera Claythorne, Emily Brent, and Justice Wargrave — through free indirect thought and dialogue.
• Evaluate how the nursery rhyme 'Ten Little Soldiers' functions as a structural device that controls the reader's experience of fate and inevitability.
• Analyse how Christie constructs Wargrave as both judge and murderer, using the Manuscript in Chapter XVI to reframe every earlier scene.
• Write a sustained, evidenced analytical paragraph that makes a precise argument about one of the novel's themes — guilt, justice, or deception — supported by close reading of language.

The sequence

1. Lesson 1: Soldier Island: Atmosphere, Isolation, and the First Accusation

   55 min · ch. 1, 2, 3

   Do now

   Without opening the novel, take a look at the chapter title 'Chapter I' and the ten names listed on the dramatis personae page. Write two sentences about what kind of story you think this will be, as well as one question you anticipate the novel will address. Remember your predictions — you'll revisit them in Lesson 5.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the passage in Chapter I where Vera Claythorne first catches sight of Soldier Island from the train window ('She was going to Soldier Island…') and the section where the recorded voice reads the accusations aloud at the conclusion of Chapter III. Highlight how Christie deliberately withholds the name of U. N. Owen in both passages and illustrate to students how the dash in 'U. N. Owen / Unknown' acts as a structural pun that hints at deception from the very beginning. Annotate on the board: sentence length, pronoun usage ('someone', 'no one'), and the transition from third-person narration to the detached, impersonal tone of the recorded voice.

   Independent task

   Students should re-read the final two pages of Chapter III, starting from 'And then a voice spoke — a high, clear voice' until the chapter concludes, and then write one PEEL paragraph (around 150 words) arguing how Christie employs the recorded accusation scene to highlight the theme of guilt. They need to quote at least two phrases from the passage, identify the specific technique used in each quote, and explain how these techniques shape the reader's perception of the assembled guests at this point in the novel.

   Exit ticket

   In one sentence, explain why Christie chooses a recorded voice rather than a live accuser to deliver the charges in Chapter III — what does the absence of a visible speaker add to the novel's themes of deception and hidden identity?

2. Lesson 2: Guilt Encoded: How Christie Writes the Interior Lives of Vera, Emily Brent, and Wargrave

   55 min · ch. 2, 4, 5, 6, 7

   Do now

   Read the three short passages below (printed on a handout): Vera's thoughts about Cyril Hugo in Chapter II ('She hadn't really — no, of course she hadn't…'), Emily Brent's diary entry in Chapter V ('Beatrice Taylor. I have been thinking about Beatrice Taylor…'), and Wargrave's single line of dialogue in Chapter IV when asked whether Owen is known to him ('I have never met anyone of that name'). Without diving into any analysis just yet, underline every word in each passage that stands out as unusual or unexpected.

   Teacher input

   Model free indirect thought on the Vera passage from Chapter II: illustrate how Christie employs the dash and the self-interrupting phrase 'no, of course she hadn't' to reveal Vera's repressed guilt, allowing the reader to sense it without Vera admitting it outright. Contrast this directly with Emily Brent's diary entry in Chapter V, where the straightforward, declarative sentences and lack of any self-doubt indicate a different approach to guilt — one of complete self-justification. Write both passages side by side on the board and annotate the syntax.

   Independent task

   Using the Wargrave passage from Chapter IV ('I have never met anyone of that name') along with at least one other instance of Wargrave speaking in Chapters VI or VII, students will compose a comparative paragraph of around 180 words. In this paragraph, they should argue that Christie employs Wargrave's measured, legalistic syntax to obscure his guilt instead of exposing it. Students need to pinpoint the specific grammatical feature (such as passive voice, negative phrasing, or formal tone) in each selected quotation and discuss what it hides from the other characters — as well as from the reader — at this stage in the novel.

   Exit ticket

   Name the technique Christie uses in Vera's Chapter II thought about Cyril Hugo, and write one sentence explaining how that same technique would work differently if Christie had written the passage in the first person ('I hadn't really…').

3. Lesson 3: The Nursery Rhyme as Architecture: Fate, Structure, and the Soldier Figurines

   55 min · ch. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

   Do now

   The nursery rhyme 'Ten Little Soldiers' appears in its entirety at the beginning of the novel. Take a moment to read through it, then jot down the names of the characters you believe match each verse, drawing from what you’ve read up to this point. Be ready to explain at least two of your selections.

   Teacher input

   Model a structural reading of the moment in Chapter VIII when Dr. Armstrong and Blore find that a third china soldier has been broken and moved ('There were seven little soldier boys…'). Notice how Christie switches between the discovery of the figurine and the finding of General Macarthur's body on the cliff in Chapter VII, so that the rhyme's line 'one said he'd stay there and then there were six' aligns perfectly with Macarthur's earlier claim in Chapter VI that he does not expect to leave the island. Annotate how the figurine acts as a visual countdown, creating a sense of fate that feels mechanical and unavoidable — and how this involves the reader, who knows the rhyme and can anticipate the next death.

   Independent task

   Students select one death from Chapters VII–X and compose an analytical paragraph of about 160 words. In this paragraph, they will explain how Christie employs the relevant line from the nursery rhyme to generate dramatic irony. They need to include the exact line from the rhyme, cite the specific moment in the chapter where the death or its foreshadowing takes place, and discuss whether the rhyme conveys a sense of fate, irony, or both. Additionally, they should provide reasoning for their conclusion.

   Exit ticket

   Write one sentence explaining what the china soldier figurines on the dining-room table add to the novel's theme of fate that the nursery rhyme printed at the front of the book alone could not achieve.

4. Lesson 4: The Collapse of Trust: Fear, Deception, and the Logic of Survival in Chapters IX–XII

   55 min · ch. 9, 10, 11, 12

   Do now

   In Chapter X, Lombard finds out that his revolver has gone missing. Re-read his reaction on the page starting with 'Lombard's face was ugly…' and write three adjectives that capture his state of mind. Then write one sentence for each adjective explaining what detail in the passage led you to that choice.

   Teacher input

   Model a close reading of the scene in Chapter XI where Vera and Lombard find themselves alone on the cliff. Vera reflects that “he might be the murderer — and yet she felt safer with him than with the others.” Notice how Christie uses the adversative conjunction “and yet” to highlight the collapse of rational judgment in the face of fear. Vera's logic contradicts her instinct, and Christie frames this not as a sign of weakness but as a natural response to ongoing terror. The sentence structure — a short main clause followed by a longer subordinate clause — illustrates how fear can overshadow reason. This connects to the novel's larger theme that guilt and fear are often indistinguishable from the outside.

   Independent task

   Students revisit the scene in Chapter XII where Blore, Lombard, and Vera discover Dr. Armstrong's empty bedroom and discuss what might have occurred. Following this, they will compose a structured response of about 200 words to the prompt: 'How does Christie use the dialogue between Blore, Lombard, and Vera in Chapter XII to illustrate that fear has overtaken justice as the group's primary instinct?' Their response should include at least three lines of dialogue, identify the techniques used in each instance, and develop their argument toward a definitive conclusion regarding Christie's commentary on human behavior when faced with intense pressure.

   Exit ticket

   In two sentences, explain how the theft of Lombard's revolver in Chapter X changes the power dynamics among the surviving characters — and why Christie delays this revelation until Chapter X rather than placing it earlier.

5. Lesson 5: Wargrave's Confession: Rewriting the Whole Novel from the Manuscript

   60 min · ch. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

   Do now

   Before diving into Chapter XVI (Manuscript Found in a Bottle), jot down your thoughts on this question in three or four sentences: who did you think was the murderer at the end of Chapter XIV, and what clues from the story led you to that conclusion? Save this note, as it will be useful for your essay.

   Teacher input

   Model a retrospective reading of the Manuscript (Chapter XVI), focusing on the paragraph where Wargrave explains his motive: 'I have always been a man who loved order, method, and the law… and yet I had always felt the lust to kill.' The conjunction 'and yet' — a structure Christie also used for Vera in Chapter XI — now appears in Wargrave's self-portrait, connecting the novel's two most self-aware characters and implying that the distinction between judge and murderer hinges on opportunity rather than character. Note how the formal, legalistic tone of the Manuscript ('I took certain steps', 'I arranged') alters our understanding of every scene in which Wargrave seemed calm and judicial, reframing his earlier restraint as evidence of premeditation.

   Independent task

   Write a detailed analytical essay of 450–600 words in response to the question: "How does Christie use the character of Justice Wargrave to explore the relationship between justice and evil in And Then There Were None?" Your essay should include the following: a clear argument articulated in your opening paragraph; a close analysis of at least one moment from Chapters I–XIV where Wargrave appears before the reader has any reason to suspect him (be sure to name the chapter and quote the passage); a close analysis of at least one moment from the Manuscript in Chapter XVI where Wargrave explains his own psychology (direct quotes are required); and a concluding paragraph that evaluates whether Christie portrays Wargrave as a monster, a moralist, or something more disturbing than either. Avoid summarizing the plot—ensure that every sentence supports your argument.

   Exit ticket

   Having read Wargrave's Manuscript in Chapter XVI, write two sentences explaining whether you think Christie intends the reader to find his logic convincing — and what your answer reveals about the novel's moral position on the difference between justice and revenge.

Activities

Assessment

• Lesson 1 exit ticket: checks whether students can articulate the narrative function of the absent, disembodied accuser — looking for the link between concealed identity and the theme of deception, not just plot summary.
• Lesson 2 PEEL paragraph: checks whether students can name free indirect thought and explain how Christie's syntax encodes guilt differently for Vera and Emily Brent — looking for precise grammatical terminology applied to specific words.
• Lesson 3 exit ticket: checks whether students can distinguish between the rhyme as a printed text and the figurines as a physical, in-world object — looking for understanding of how Christie uses different modes to create dramatic irony.
• Lesson 4 independent paragraph: checks whether students can build a sustained argument across three quotations of dialogue — looking for a clear judgement about fear versus justice, not a list of techniques.
• Lesson 5 do-now prediction note: checks whether students' pre-Manuscript suspicions were grounded in textual evidence — looking for named chapters and quoted moments, not impressionistic guesses.

Standards covered

Common Core 11 12

• RL.11-12.1 — Cite strong and thorough textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text, including determining where the text leaves matters uncertain.
• RL.11-12.3 — Analyse the impact of the author's choices regarding how to develop and relate elements of a story or drama — here, how Christie sequences the revelation of Wargrave's guilt across Chapters I–XVI.
• RL.11-12.5 — Analyse how an author's choices concerning how to structure specific parts of a text contribute to its overall structure and meaning — specifically the nursery rhyme as a structural frame.
• RL.11-12.6 — Analyse a case in which grasping point of view requires distinguishing what is directly stated from what is really meant — Wargrave's legalistic dialogue versus his Manuscript confession.

AP Literature

• Literary Argumentation (LAN-1) — Develop a thesis that makes a defensible claim about the relationship between justice and evil as constructed through Wargrave.
• Textual Evidence (STL-1) — Select and deploy quotations from the novel that support a line of reasoning rather than merely illustrating plot.
• Figurative Language and Structure (FIG-1) — Analyse how Christie's use of the nursery rhyme, the china figurines, and free indirect thought contribute to the novel's meaning.
• Character and Narrator (NAR-1) — Evaluate how Christie's third-person limited narration and the first-person Manuscript create competing perspectives on Wargrave's guilt.

AQA

• AO1 — Read, understand and respond to texts, maintaining a critical style and developing an informed personal response, with references to the text to support interpretations of Wargrave, Vera, and Emily Brent.
• AO2 — Analyse the language, form and structure used by Christie to create meanings and effects — including free indirect thought, legalistic register, and the nursery rhyme as structural device.
• AO3 — Show understanding of the relationships between texts and the contexts in which they were written and received — Christie's engagement with interwar anxieties about justice, class, and moral accountability.

Edexcel

• AO1 — Articulate informed, personal and creative responses to literary texts, using associated concepts and terminology, and coherent, accurate written expression — applied to the theme of justice in And Then There Were None.
• AO2 — Analyse ways in which meanings are shaped in literary texts — specifically how Christie uses the Manuscript in Chapter XVI to reshape the reader's retrospective understanding of Wargrave's earlier appearances.
• AO5 — Demonstrate understanding of the significance and influence of the contexts in which literary texts are written and received — Christie's use of the Golden Age detective fiction conventions to interrogate rather than reassure.