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Summary A* ENGLISH LITERATURE - MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD NOTES Depictions of society
A* ENGLISH LITERATURE - MURDER OF ROGER ACKROYD NOTES Depictions of society
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Depictions of SocietyThe Murder of Roger Ackroyd explores the weaknesses of a small community, their greed, their
petty vanities, their jealousies, and their desires. If the detective, Poirot, can be seen as the
representative of reason and order, keeping at bay the anarchic impulses of passion that
threaten to disrupt this rather conservative society, then perhaps the forced recognition of
these impulses means that society cannot ever be quite the same again. Poirot has pulled back
the curtain on their inner world, and what has been seen in the shadows can never be forgotten.
Harnessing Gossip
Poirot realises that harnessing the power of gossip in a parochial English village is the key to
finding his murderer, as gossip, unlike the testimony of his suspects, is largely free from
unreliable information, unlike that provided by the suspects, who have a great incentive to lie.
Secrets
Ultimately, it transpires that what each character is hiding is a dirty secret that undermines their
credibility as apparently respectable and content individuals; Parker and Miss Russell, for
example, are revealed to have committed wrongs in the past. We learn that Parker is a seasoned
blackmailer, while Miss Russell has given birth to a child outside of wedlock, in spite of their
apparently proper dispositions and prowess as employees in Roger Ackroydʼs household.
Christie furthers her social commentary by creating a web of interconnected crimes .
Everyone is Capable of Committing Crimes
Beneath the cosiness of the clue-puzzle mystery, in crafting her criminal Christie actually puts
forward a very dystopian message – that everyone in society has a dark secret and are capable
of committing crime under the right circumstances. Respectability appears as a facade.
King's Abbott Name
The embodiment of religious, political and social authority.
Women Relying on Men
The novel also highlights the gender inequalities that prevailed in the 1920s. Female characters
such as Flora Ackroyd and Ursula Bourne are depicted as dependent on men for their survival
and happiness, and their actions are often constrained by the expectations of society.
The novel's setting, the fictional village of King's Abbot, is a microcosm of the larger
English society of the time, with all its class divisions, social conventions, and rigid
hierarchies.
Social Mobility
The novel also touches on themes related to social mobility and the challenges faced by those
who are trying to improve their station in life. For example, the character of Ralph Paton is
depicted as being from a lower class background and struggling to overcome his
circumstances, ultimately leading to him becoming a suspect in the murder investigation.
Literary Connections
Cards on the Table
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