And Then There Were None is a murder mystery about ten people who are invited to an island by a mysterious host and one by one they are killed off. The good guy act from Dr. Armstrong leads to his character seeming incredibly suspicious. In the novel by Agatha Christie, Justice Wargrave is seen as the murderer for many. However, through investigating motive and opportunity, Dr. Armstrong can be proven guilty of murdering seven out of the nine other people who went to Soldier Island. Dr. Armstrong’s motives about the other guests on the island give a clear indication that he is the murderer. Before everyone met on the island Dr. Armstrong already knew who Justice Wargrave was. Dr. Armstrong described him as a hanging judge and that it was
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Armstrong's opportunities to murder are clear throughout the novel. His first murder was Tony Marston. Tony Marstons cause of death was by choking on his drink and according to Dr. Armstrong his drink was poisoned with potassium cyanide. Before Tony is killed, Mrs. Rogers faints from the tape that was played and Dr. Armstrong and Mr. Rogers leave to take her to bed. Tony then goes out of the room and finds drinks filled up for them along with a bottle of alcohol. Everyone takes a drink but Tony is the only one to refill his glass with the bottle that came with the drinks. Tony then dies immediately after drinking his whole glass empty. “He picked up his drink and drank it off at a gulp. Too quickly, perhaps” (50). When the doctor is examining Tony’s body he tastes a little of Tony drinks. From this you can infer that he knew the poison wouldn’t kill him with such a small intake of it, making him seem suspicious to the reader. Armstrong also seems suspicious when everyone first comes to the island and the guests go to their rooms to get situated before dinner. Dr. Armstrong’s whereabouts are unknown during this time. This gives him time to take the drink in the pantry, fill it with cyanide—something the doctor later admitted to having—hide the bottle and place it down with the drinks when everyone was distracted with Mrs. Rogers. This along with the seven other murders Dr. Armstrong committed is how he managed to do
Armstrong's opportunities to murder are clear throughout the novel. His first murder was Tony Marston. Tony Marstons cause of death was by choking on his drink and according to Dr. Armstrong his drink was poisoned with potassium cyanide. Before Tony is killed, Mrs. Rogers faints from the tape that was played and Dr. Armstrong and Mr. Rogers leave to take her to bed. Tony then goes out of the room and finds drinks filled up for them along with a bottle of alcohol. Everyone takes a drink but Tony is the only one to refill his glass with the bottle that came with the drinks. Tony then dies immediately after drinking his whole glass empty. “He picked up his drink and drank it off at a gulp. Too quickly, perhaps” (50). When the doctor is examining Tony’s body he tastes a little of Tony drinks. From this you can infer that he knew the poison wouldn’t kill him with such a small intake of it, making him seem suspicious to the reader. Armstrong also seems suspicious when everyone first comes to the island and the guests go to their rooms to get situated before dinner. Dr. Armstrong’s whereabouts are unknown during this time. This gives him time to take the drink in the pantry, fill it with cyanide—something the doctor later admitted to having—hide the bottle and place it down with the drinks when everyone was distracted with Mrs. Rogers. This along with the seven other murders Dr. Armstrong committed is how he managed to do