Two policemen, Sir Thomas Legge and Inspector Maine, are discussing the perplexing Indian Island case. They have reconstructed much of what happened on Indian Island from diaries kept by various guests. It is evident to them that Blore, Lombard, or Vera are not the murderers. Upon their arrival, the police discovered that the chair Vera kicked away to hang herself strangely appeared upright against the wall. We find out that Isaac Morris, who hired Lombard and Blore and purchased the island under the name of U. N. Owen, died from an apparent sleeping-pill overdose on the night the guests arrived on the island. The police suspect foul play in Morris’ death. Additionally, the police are aware that the people of Sticklehaven were told to disregard any distress signals from the island; they were informed that all activities on the island were part of a game played by the wealthy owners and their guests.
The epilogue concludes with the discovery of a manuscript in a bottle, found by a fisherman and handed over to the police. The author of the manuscript is Judge Wargrave, who claims to have solved an unsolved crime. He confesses to having been a cruel child with a fascination for both killing and justice. Reading detective stories satisfied his cravings. Pursuing a career in law provided an outlet for his desire for death, as he enjoyed watching guilty individuals suffer. After many years as a judge, he developed an urge to become an executioner. Wargrave desired to kill in an extraordinary and dramatic manner, while adhering to his own version of justice. One day, a doctor mentioned to Wargrave the countless murders that go unpunished, citing an example of a recently deceased woman who he believed was murdered by her servants. The married couple withheld medication, leading to her death, but the crime could never be proven. This anecdote inspired Wargrave to devise a plan for multiple murders targeting individuals who had committed killings yet remained immune from legal prosecution. The nursery rhyme “Ten Little Indians,” which depicted a series of inevitable deaths, fuelled his imagination during childhood.
Wargrave carefully compiled a list of victims by discussing unsolved murders in casual conversations and eagerly listening for any mentions of cases with which his conversation partners were familiar. Upon discovering he was terminally ill, Wargrave decided to take his own life after eliminating all of his victims. The tenth victim on Wargrave’s list was Isaac Morris, who had served as his representative in arranging the details for Indian Island and had also sold drugs to a young acquaintance of Wargrave, ultimately resulting in her death by suicide. Prior to departing for Indian Island, Wargrave provided Morris with poison, disguising it as a remedy for Morris’s indigestion.
Wargrave’s first victims were Marston and Mrs. Rogers. He reasons that Marston lacked moral responsibility due to his birth, while Mrs. Rogers was influenced by her husband when they committed their crime. The next target was General Macarthur, whom Wargrave approached from behind near the ocean. Wargrave then reveals how he manipulated Armstrong into aiding him, exploiting Armstrong’s gullibility and disbelief in a man of his social standing being capable of murder. When the butler, Mr. Rogers, was away chopping sticks, Wargrave seized the opportunity to kill him. During breakfast, he poisoned Emily Brent. Later on, Armstrong conspired with Wargrave to fake the judge’s death by claiming a gunshot wound on his forehead. That evening, Wargrave arranged a meeting with Armstrong by the shore, ultimately causing him to fall off a cliff into the ocean.
After Armstrong’s death, Wargrave pretended to be dead while returning to his room. He found it simple to kill Blore, as the former policeman made the unwise decision of coming to the house alone. Wargrave then happily observed as Vera got rid of Lombard. Although he could have killed Vera himself, Wargrave desired her demise to match the rhyme. Hence, he arranged her room in a suggestive manner, complete with a hanging noose and the scent of the sea drifting in. Wargrave relied on Vera’s guilt to compel her to take her own life.
Wargrave wrote the manuscript because he desires recognition and takes pleasure in his own work as an artist. He questions whether the police will notice three key clues: firstly, that he was different from the others since he was not truly guilty of committing a murder, but instead condemned an already guilty man, Edward Seton, to death. Secondly, the mention of the “red herring” suggests that Armstrong was deceived leading to his own demise. Lastly, Wargrave’s death by a gunshot to his forehead will result in a visible red mark resembling Cain’s brand, alluding to the first murderer described in the biblical book of Genesis.
In closing, Wargrave explains his plan to remotely pull the trigger of the revolver and use an elastic band to launch it away. This will result in him being shot and appearing as if he was placed on his bed by someone else. He predicts that when men from the mainland arrive, they will discover ten dead bodies and an unresolved mystery on Indian Island.
Analysis: Epilogue
In traditional detective stories, the sleuth gathers all the characters together after carefully considering the evidence. They then explain everything that has happened, including unmasking the killer. A similar scene occurs in the epilogue of And Then There Were None. However, the police detectives are confused by what has occurred, so another character, Wargrave, the murderer, must explain and solve the mystery. In this novel, the ten murders can only be solved by the person who committed them.
The plot’s unconventional structure becomes clear when considering the themes explored by Christie, such as conscience and justice administration. These are classic detective-fiction themes; however, Christie adds a twist by making her murder victims guilty of other unpunishable murders. It can be argued that the killings on Indian Island are not crimes but rather acts of ultimate justice. Wargrave’s motives are not driven by personal gain; instead, he takes matters into his own hands, similar to when he was a judge. From this perspective, it is logical for Christie to have Wargrave assume the role of the detective and reveal the mystery to the reader. In traditional mystery stories, the detective serves as an agent of justice who intervenes when a crime has occurred and ensures appropriate punishment for the killer. In this story, Wargrave fulfills that role despite exceeding legal boundaries and becoming a killer himself.
Although objections can be raised about considering Wargrave’s actions as solely just, not all the crimes he punishes are intentional and premeditated murders. Despite our disdain for Emily Brent, she did not directly cause the death of her servant; she simply dismissed her and the servant chose to commit suicide. Similarly, while Tony Marston’s actions are abhorrent, his running over of two children was accidental. The same lack of malice can be seen in Dr. Armstrong, who did not have the intention to kill the woman who died during his operation. While Armstrong and Marston’s deeds may be horrendous, one could argue that they do not deserve to be killed.
Christie deliberately attempts to elicit sympathy from us for Wargrave’s victims, no matter how despicable their actions may have been. On the other hand, Wargrave himself is a highly unsympathetic character. He presents himself as a dispenser of justice, yet he openly admits to deriving perverse pleasure from taking lives, starting with the pests he killed as a child and continuing with his human victims. He is resolute but lacks mercy, carrying out his killings with enthusiastic cruelty. Furthermore, he possesses a grandiose arrogance; his self-perception as an artist diminishes his victims to mere instruments serving his selfish objectives. In fact,
he only writes his confession because he cannot bear the thought of his perfect crime being underappreciated.
The novel “And then there were none” by Agatha Christie both affirms and challenges moral order. On one hand, Wargrave, the murderer, faces consequences for his actions as he shares the same fate as his victims. By becoming a murderer himself, his own code of justice requires him to be eliminated. This brings back the familiar moral symmetry found in classic detective stories, where the guilty always receive their deserved punishment. However, it is worth noting that Wargrave would have died from his terminal illness regardless. By taking his own life, he asserts control over death and dies with a sense of satisfaction and pride as an artist. Christie allows readers to experience the satisfaction of solving the mystery, but denies them the satisfaction of witnessing the murderer being apprehended or humiliated publicly. Throughout it all, Wargrave maintains his sense of control and his unwavering belief in his own twisted sense of justice.
