Murder on the Orient Express

Discuss the significance of red herrings to a mystery, tracing at least two examples and explaining how they function to disorient Poirot and the reader.

What purpose do Bouc and Dr. Constantine serve? Why does the author bother to include these passive characters? Consider their role as it pertains to the reader.

Discuss the significance of the Orient Express and its symbolic representation, considering themes like Xenophobic Discrimination and The Psychology of Investigation.

Pick one suspect in Poirot’s investigation and discuss how he delves into a psychological assessment of them. Use quotations from the text to support your answer.

Poirot, Bouc, and Dr. Constantine ultimately sign off on the false theory of the murder, allowing 12 killers to roam free. What does this say about the book’s argument regarding Justice Versus Retribution?

Examine the significance of false identities within the narrative and how acting plays a part in the execution of these identities. In what ways are the characters convincing in their roles? How do they reveal themselves?

Consider how Mr. Ratchett (Cassetti)’s murder impacts the book’s argument for justice. Can retribution be a part of justice?

How does Poirot’s reputation, inside the book and outside the book, influence the author’s treatment of Poirot as a character?