The concept of justice in “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie was explored by the characters of Ethel Rogers, Vera Claythorne and Justice Wargrave. These characters all represent the accuracy of Justice in the novel in different ways and if it was correctly served. This essay will analyze how Mrs. Rogers was undeserving of her death, How Vera Claythorne’s justice was given correctly and how Justice Wargrave did not get justice because he chose his own path before he could be punished. Justice is explored in different ways by the characters throughout the book and this essay will show the analysis on Justice given to each person.
The concept of Justice was shown in “and then there were none” by Agatha Christie through Mrs. Rogers because it was not accurately served and she did not deserve her punishment. Ethel Rogers witnessed the death of Miss Brady after he husband did not take the right care of her, and therefore was brought to Soldier Island to be murdered. Mrs. Rogers died in her sleep after an overdose on Chloral given to her and was the first to die on the island. “What a white bloodless ghost of a woman!…She looks frightened of her own shadow.” Mrs. Rogers was a very wary woman and who was terrified of the world around her, including her husband. Justice Wargrave killed her first because he believed she was the least guilty of all the guests. Mrs. Rogers explored the concept of justice inaccurately because she did not deserve what came to her. The death of Ethel was unnecessary, her husband committed a crime which she did not speak up about and therefore spent the rest of her life in fear. She was brought to Soldier Island by Justice Wargrave and all of the guests easily noticed that she was frail and cautious with every move, she took on all of the guilt of a crime she did not commit and the “justice” that was brought to her was not justice at all, but an unfair murder. Justice Wargrave gave her the least pain and suffering but still believed she was to be punished by death, all of the other guests were also murdered, but Mrs. Rogers did not commit a murder or heinous crime and was therefore not fitting for death. Mrs. Rogers represents the inaccuracy of Justice because it is seen to be a fair punishment of a deserving crime, in this case the punishment was unjust, and although it was a serving of Justice, it was wrong and brutal.
Vera Claythorne, a secretary, a games mistress, and a murderer. When Vera became a governess of a small child named Cyril, she fell easily in love with his uncle, Hugo Hamilton. Vera thought that Cyril was in the way and for Hugo to be happy with his fortune and Vera, Cyril needed to die. Justice was given accurately to Vera in “and then there were none” because she did one of the worst crimes imaginable and therefore she paid the price by having to live through the horror of every single guest dying before she finally was driven to hang herself. “He was forbidden to swim out far, One day when my attention was distracted, he started off. I swam after him I couldn’t get there in time…” As she tells the story of Cyril’s death after being accused by the gramophone message, she lies about what truly happened and convinces the guests to pity her. Justice Wargrave saw through Vera’s lie and he created the appropriate punishment to what she did. Justice is the correct behaviour or treatment, and when Vera killed the small child, she immediately became a criminal punishable by death. Justice Wargrave created a deserving end for her by ranking the guests crimes in order of guilt. Vera committed the murder of a child, and as it is the most severe and deadly offenses on the island, she was the last true guest to die on the island after watching everyone around her perish, and living in fear of the end. The equality of her killing a small child, meaning Justice Wargrave would make sure she died was a fair use of justice. The character of Vera Claythorne helped to explore the concept of justice accurately because was a horrible murderer and was the character who most deserved the end she received.
Justice Wargrave orchestrated the entire parade on Soldier Island, killing off each guest one by one before finally ending his own life. Wargrave did not receive any form of justice because he chose his own path and got the ending he wanted, not the one he truly deserved. This horrible man committed the worst crime out of every single person on the island, slowly eliminating the 9 people on soldier island as well as Isaac Morris, he caused himself to be the guiltiest and most deserving of Justice. However, he did not receive fair justice because instead of getting a punishment or fair treatment for his crimes, he killed himself and took away the chance for justice to be served. “Those whose guilt was the lightest should, I decided, pass out first, and not suffer the prolonged mental strain and fear that the more cold-blooded offenders were to suffer.” Wargrave decided the order of death declining in how guilty each guest was, the guiltiest guests had to survive the pain and suffering of seeing other die and have the weight of knowing their own death is not far away. Justice Wargrave watched every guest perish until, he had peace of mind that he would soon die, because he was terminally ill and his life would soon be over. Justice Wargrave received no Justice for his crimes and left behind only an unsolvable problem on Soldier Island. Justice was served differently for each and every character, whether they deserved it or not, but for Wargrave everything was his decision and he had no remorse. He will never be punished for his crimes and he did not suffer through fear or pain, Justice was not correctly served, or seen at all in Wargraves end and his last act worked perfectly and to plan.
All three of the characters in the novel “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie have shown how justice is presented differently in each case. Mrs. Rogers, Vera Claythorne and Justice Wargrave have all shown the concept of Justice in different ways by giving intel on accuracy and inaccuracy of punishments for each crime. This essay has explored how the character deserved their punishments or lack there of.