The Murder of Roger Ackroyd

In your view, is Poirot justified in circumventing the law by allowing Dr. Sheppard another way out? Make a clear argument for or against Poirot’s methods and decisions using textual evidence to support your stance.

Imagine Flora Ackroyd never brought Hercule Poirot in to investigate Ackroyd’s murder. Analyze how the investigation might have gone with Inspector Raglan in charge at all times. Be sure to consider Ethics and The Law in your response.

Mrs. Ackroyd demonstrates the importance of appearance within the theme of Shifting Social Relations. Pick a social situation you are part of and analyze its social relations and the necessity of appearances. The choice does not have to be class related but must have some form of social hierarchy.

The structure of detective fiction is crucial to the plot of The Murder of Roger Ackroyd. Choose a piece of detective fiction (not in the Hercule Poirot series) and analyze how it employs the structure. Identify, with examples from the text, where the Introduction, Discovery, Midpoint, Funnel, and Reveal phases occur.

At the end of Chapter 17, Poirot tells the allegory of the greedy man. Caroline applies it to Ralph Paton, but readers are made aware that he spoke of Dr. Sheppard. However, many other characters in the novel can fit the allegory. Identify one of those characters and examine how the allegory applies to them. Use specific examples.

The dichotomy between trust and deceit plays a significant role in the novel—everyone deceives, yet everyone wants to be trusted. Explore that dichotomy and explain why deceit does not necessarily ruin trust. Use examples from the story and your own life to support your argument.

Every character in the novel commits varying levels of evil. Consider the nature of “evil.” What makes a person evil? What makes a person redeemable or irredeemable? Choose at least two characters and examine their acts of evil to support your stance on what makes “evil” and what makes someone redeemable.

The Ursula Bourne character poses one of the novel’s key questions: Are there certain situations when it is appropriate to do something wrong to protect someone else? Draft an essay in which you answer this question. Use clear examples and identify specific situations, from the text and/or from real life, in your response.