Independent+novel+study

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Focus Assignment: This is one of those stories that you simply can’t put down, personally I believe that ‘And then there were none’ is truly a masterpiece. I have read, listened and watched many books and have thouroghly enjoyed all of them. Agatha’s books is something that I would everyone to read, and read multiple times.

For whom was the book written? I personally think that it would be better for older ages to read this book. For one the literature is more complicated and Agatha uses British words that kids may not be familiar with. But of course it is mystery book, and a book where people die, so it isn’t the best book for a 7 year old to read. The book is a little hard to keep track off, what is going on and who is who, so again it might be hard for a child to read.

What did you find most interesting? Like I said the the book is really phenomenal and is well written. I find that the way that Agatha leads you one way then an another, you think this person did it, then the other one. She makes you think one way then turns the whole story around in one paragraph. The way she writes is truly amazing, she will take this simple idea and turn it into a great novel.

Would your recommend this book to any one? Thinking about the good parts were easy but the bad parts were hard. I guess it’s easy to see now that I really like Agatha Christie. I love this novel and would and probably read it again, and would definitely recommend it to someone else.

'And then there were none' Journal entry #1 Dec.2 By Agatha Christie Pages 1-61 Journal entries by Genevieve Welle
 * __1.Why did you select this novel?__**

I selected this novel because I generally enjoy reading mystery novels, especially Agatha Christie novels. The way she writes I find interesting, she gives you clues some are red herrings and some are true. She lets you mull over clues and deduct who the possible murderer or thief might be. But sometimes it isn't as fun when authors just give away the bad guy and not let you choose yourself. But on the other hand Agatha Christie doesn't do that she gives you hints but never gives it away until the end, you make your own deductions but often they are wrong. The story makes you think and I enjoy that part of this novel, I get to mull over clues and pretend I'm one of the gang. I think only once did I figure out who the murderer was, I often re-listen or re-read an Agatha Christie novel, because I just enjoy them so much. Even if i already know who the bad guy is in the story because I've heard it before, I still listen to it again, while drawing or painting.

__**8.How does the author get you to read on or hold your interest?**__

Agatha Christie has a way of drawing in your attention, making you want to listen to every single word that is put on the page. I think one thing that helps is she makes her characters so complex, and has little subplots going on at the same time. You often begin to feel one with the story, you pretend your a detective your self. The whole idea of a mystery novel is to keep you interested and on your toes, when I was younger I used to be afraid of turning the lights off because I was so involved in the story. One of the ways this particular novel gets our attention, is when there are 10 guests and they keep on dying, and you want to know Who is going to die next? and, Who is the murderer? How are they going to die? The novel leaves all of these un-answered questions, leaving you wanting more.

__**11.Comment on the style of the novel. Is it easy or hard to follow the events?**__

Like most of Agatha Christie novels, the novels are sometimes easy and sometimes hard to follow. I often find myself stopping the audio book tape and rewinding it a bit. But sometimes I zone out for a while and come back to the book tape and I find I didn't miss a thing. This novel though is a little hard to keep track of all the characters and what they have to do with the story, though I am thoroughly enjoying keeping up with the story and all it's characters.

=Entry #2 Dec. 9= 62-123
 * __2.What information did you need to know before reading the novel?__**

When you begin this novel you have to expect that there is going to be some death and that it is a mystery story. You cannot go into this novel expecting a deep, philosophical book deciding whether or not God or god should be used referring to all gods. Although you did need to know what it was about, because a five year old can't just pick this story up and not be scarred for the rest of their life.


 * __6.What is the setting of the novel? Is the setting important or could the novel be happening anywhere? Why?__**

The setting of the novel is in Devon (A big country in southwest England) on a little island named Indian Island. The name of the island is significant to the novel because the nursery rhyme refers to ten little indians dying, the nursery rhyme ends with 'and then there were none'. The island is remote and can only be reached by boat which is comes and goes form the mainland, there is no permanent boat on the island. The novel could not be set any where because the island had to be remote and named after Indians so it would match the nursery rhyme.

__**13.To what age group is the novel aimed? Support your answer with evidence.**__

The age group the novel is aimed at is a wide range, depending on what your reading skills are and how interested you are in mystery novels and if you can handle action and death. Ex: You shouldn't be reading the novels if you easily get night mares or have a good imagination. Agatha is a very good writer and makes things seem vey real, and would scare me or you quite easily.

=Entry #3 Dec.16= 124-185 **__12.Is the language in the novel difficult or easy? GIve examples and explain. __**

The novel I find is fairly easy to read, the language is british so sometimes I have to figure out what the words mean, but over all I can use the books to improve my knowledge :D In one part of book they use the word ‘Chancery’ I quote ‘One got in Chancery and then there were four’. Unfortunetly I did not know what ‘Chancery’ meant, I believe I asked my dad but again he did not. I follow along well enough but I sometimes run into word problems.

**__5.Who is telling the story? How does this person’s perspective effect the way the story is told? __**

The book is told in 3rd person, the author or Agatha Christie describes some thought but not all. Christie needed to tell the story this way, it would not of worked other ways. In a mystery book you cannot reveal all thoughts because if you did you would know who is the murderer. Christie picks certain thoughts to show us and keeps others, the novel would be no fun if all thoughts were revealed.

__**7.What is the initial or first problem faced by the main character? **__

There are 10 characters introduced in the book, they all were faced with problems at the same time. They were all accused of killing some one. They rushed to get rid of those accusations and move on. Thoughts were rushing through their head they all needed to save themselves. =Entry #4 Jan 6.= 186-


 * __9. What new things are added to the original problem as the novel progresses__**

As the novel progresses the tension builds, as more people die everyone gets paranoid. When the ten arrive 9 of them expect nothing, they do not know what is going on or what is going to happen on the island. The record in the dining room is played and again, tension builds. Agatha takes all of these different aspects and puts them all together to build lots of tension. As more people die the suspicion and the fear grows.

I find it hard to discover a moral theme or message in a mystery novel, and I could not find one. The book is not one that you would read to get moral messaged out of it. In some of the questions you asked you asked about moral messages, I laughed to myself, this book is not meant to inspire you. I thought about it long and hard but I still could not find a main theme, maybe it would be don't go to remote islands with no idea of whats going to happen, but that is a very literal interpretation.
 * __14. Is there a message or main theme emerging in the book? How is it shown?__**

__**16. What is the climax of the novel? **__

It's hard to find the climax, because you think the one person did it but then you find out another person did it. You think its Lombard because he confesses and tries to kill Vera, she escapes death but kills him. She goes back to her room and finds a rope to hang her self with and she does. You finally know who did it and you relax just a little bit, but then the Scotland Yard fins a letter with a confession. You think 'What?' you find out that a different person and you are so surprised. = = =Entry #5 Jan 13 =


 * __<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">15. Describe any new characters that are introduced? What is their purpose? __**

In the book you think a new character is going to be introduced but it doesn't happen, let me explain. The 10 realized that their host would never show up and they thought that he was the person killing every one. Since they did not realize that it was one of them they decided to search for the guy on the island. Coming up with nothing they had to face the facts that the killer was one of them.

__**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">10.What plot twists or unexpected events happen as the novel goes on? **__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">Agatha makes the pressure build and almost makes you pray for a plot twist. All of these people are dying and all of this tension is building you think the story has to end or have a major plot twist. She creates so much mess and complication but clears it up in one or two paragraphs. I have read so many Agatha Christie books that I can sometimes tell what is going to happen next, like when the 10 people figured out that it was one of them, I already knew that.

__**<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">20.Is the novel believable? **__

<span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000000; font-size: 12px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;">I find this question hard to answer because I think it totally depends on your imagination. Some child might believe that it was real. But I think over all this book probably wouldn't be believable. Some times I like to emerse my self in the book, but then I get scared and think some one is going to kill me. So I would say that this novel is not believable.