In Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackord, various philosophical themes are present throughout the novel. One theme in particular, reality vs. appearance, plays a vital role in expressing the novel’s main plot line. Reality and appearance or reality vs. appearance addresses how “things might not always be what they seem” and that it is easy to judge things initially based on their first appearance, when in actuality they might be the complete opposite of what we had initially perceived them to be. One of the first instances expressing the reality vs. appearance theme is when Rodger Ackord is discovered murdered by Dr. Sheppard and Ackord’s butler, Parker. Within that scene, it initially appears as though Parker committed the murder
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appearance theme is expressed is when Ralph Patron is assumed to have murdered Ackord. With his “mysterious disappearance” just minutes after Ackord’s murder, his financial troubles, and the theory that by killing Ackord, “his debts could be paid. He could start again with a clean sheet”, make Patron one of the main suspects for murdering Ackord. Along with that, evidence that Patron’s footprints were found along the window opening additionally suggests that Patron was present at the time of Ackord’s murder.
Though towards the end of the book, the reality of the truth is revealed when Patron comes back to explain his side of the story. According to him, he had met up with his secret wife Ursula at the summerhouse at around nine forty-five and afterwards left, having “never saw my stepfather alive – or dead.” His mysterious disappearance is attributed to his stay at a home for the mentally unfit in which he was brought to early Saturday morning. With this explanation, the initial assumption and appearance that he had murdered Ackord and fled the scene immediately is …show more content…
appearance theme is used is in the last chapter when the truth about who murdered Ackord is finally revealed. All along, it was actually Dr. Sheppard who murdered Ackord. Through the use of Dr. Sheppard’s own point of view, his location in terms of when Ackord was murdered, and the mysterious phone call he received just minutes after Ackord was found dead, Dr. Sheppard appeared to have been innocent from committing the crime. Though the reality of the situation is revealed when Poirot, a detective working on the case, ties together various clues that make Dr. Sheppard clearly guilty of murdering Ackord.
The quote “A person who was at the Three Boars earlier that day, a person who knew Ackord well enough to know that he had purchased a Dictaphone, a person who was of a mechanical turn of mind, who had the opportunity to take the dagger from the silver table before Miss Flora arrived…..In fact—Dr. Sheppard!” makes it evident that Dr. Sheppard killed Ackord as no other character in the story had the opportunity to as he
appearance theme is expressed is when Ralph Patron is assumed to have murdered Ackord. With his “mysterious disappearance” just minutes after Ackord’s murder, his financial troubles, and the theory that by killing Ackord, “his debts could be paid. He could start again with a clean sheet”, make Patron one of the main suspects for murdering Ackord. Along with that, evidence that Patron’s footprints were found along the window opening additionally suggests that Patron was present at the time of Ackord’s murder.
Though towards the end of the book, the reality of the truth is revealed when Patron comes back to explain his side of the story. According to him, he had met up with his secret wife Ursula at the summerhouse at around nine forty-five and afterwards left, having “never saw my stepfather alive – or dead.” His mysterious disappearance is attributed to his stay at a home for the mentally unfit in which he was brought to early Saturday morning. With this explanation, the initial assumption and appearance that he had murdered Ackord and fled the scene immediately is …show more content…
appearance theme is used is in the last chapter when the truth about who murdered Ackord is finally revealed. All along, it was actually Dr. Sheppard who murdered Ackord. Through the use of Dr. Sheppard’s own point of view, his location in terms of when Ackord was murdered, and the mysterious phone call he received just minutes after Ackord was found dead, Dr. Sheppard appeared to have been innocent from committing the crime. Though the reality of the situation is revealed when Poirot, a detective working on the case, ties together various clues that make Dr. Sheppard clearly guilty of murdering Ackord.
The quote “A person who was at the Three Boars earlier that day, a person who knew Ackord well enough to know that he had purchased a Dictaphone, a person who was of a mechanical turn of mind, who had the opportunity to take the dagger from the silver table before Miss Flora arrived…..In fact—Dr. Sheppard!” makes it evident that Dr. Sheppard killed Ackord as no other character in the story had the opportunity to as he