TMORA characterisation + themes

Dr Sheppard

key quotes: “jaded medical man” “I have always been an honest man” “I couldn’t bear the thought of being stuck in my current position forever” “I had no idea of the identity of the murderer” “I played the Watson to his Sherlock” “there was nothing to be done” “whatever else I may be I am not a fool” “I wish Poirot had never retired from work” “in the background character”

P: the murderer is “an ordinary man” with “traces of weakness”

associated themes + functions: criminality, appearance vs reality, deception, detection + intellect, morality + justice, foolish sidekick, unprofessional murderer w personal motive, absence of legal punishment

key chapters: 1, 4, 9, 13, 27

Roger Ackroyd

key quotes: “heart and soul of the village” “big red cheeks…usually jolly, healthy self” “he was a man of wealth and position”

U - he wouldn’t let Ralph marry a “penniless girl”

associated themes + functions: morality + justice, class + social status, victim, stereotypical ‘squire’ part of nouveau rich

key chapters: 2, 4

Hercule Poirot

key quotes: “old fashioned” “little grey cells” “I am on the side of justice” “the truth is a very difficult thing to find. But you must never let it go” “everyone has something to hide” “useless to conceal things from Hercule Poirot”

S - “queer little man. But he’s clever”, “there was not much that escaped Hercule Poirot”, “some inner knowledge I did not share”

associated themes + functions: appearance vs reality, morality + justice, detection + intellect, gifted detective

key chapters: 3, 7, 12, 13, 19, 23

Caroline Sheppard

key quotes: “an elderly lady” “never believe anything I hear…only half of what I see” “women observe - naturally” “with a bad bringing up, Heaven knows what mischief you might have got up to by now” (about S)

P - she has “a clever mind” and a “great gift” of observation and attention to detail

S - “she had always been fond of Hercule Poirot. Perhaps she recognised a kindred spirit”

associated themes + functions: gossip, amateur detective, detection + intellect, prototype of miss marple, victim

key chapters: 1, 2, 11, 12

Flora Ackroyd

key quotes: “the truth is the only thing that matters” “I will not rest until it is done” “I would never have been involved in anything so terrible” “vulgar little thief”

S - “simple straightforward English girl”

U - her marriage to Ralph was a “business arrangement…for liberty, money and an enlarged horizon”

C - never cared “a penny piece for Ralph Paton and never has”

associated themes + functions: criminality, morality + justice, appearance vs reality, absence of legal punishment, stereotypical beautiful young woman, victim

key chapters: 7, 9, 16, 19

Cecil Ackroyd

key quotes: “small, pale, coldly speculative eyes” “all chains and bones” “handful of assorted knuckles to squeeze”

associated themes + functions: stereotypical parasitic + ungrateful relative, class + social status

key chapters: 4, 14

Mrs Ferrars

key quotes: “looked positively hagridden” “very attractive woman [who bought] clothes in Paris” “you’ve only got to look at her to see she’s been worried”

associated themes + functions: victim

key chapters: 1, 2, 4 (the letter)

Ralph Paton

key quotes: “unusually good-looking for an Englishman” “Greek God” “I shall be very rich when the old fellow pops off” “I’ve got to play a lone hand”

F - “may be weak…and have done foolish things in the past”

associated themes + functions: stereotypical young handsome irresponsible man dependent on wealth family, mirror of Roddy Welman (Sad Cypress - Christie), misdirections

key chapters: 2, 3, 12, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24

Parker

key quotes: “Stabbed from behind, orrible” “I am loyal to my duties” “sometimes…appearances can be deceiving, even in the most respectable households” “a share of the package” “I am only trying to do what is best for myself as anyone in my position would” “what people say in private may be very different from what they say in public”

associated themes + functions: appearance vs reality, morality + justice, criminality, deception, class + social status, absence of legal punishment

key chapters: 5, 6, 15, 17

Miss Russel

key quotes: “she looked aggressively” “supposing a person continually suffers great pain. What would you do to stop it?” “I made a mistake in not speaking the truth. But I wanted to protect him” “I will not tolerate being spoken to in that manner”

S - “a manner that I can only describe as majestic” “appeared flustered + out of breath”

associated themes + functions: class + social status, morality + justice, stereotypical predatory housekeeper

key chapters: 2, 4, 5, 20

Ursula

key quotes: “I am not ashamed of anything I have done. I loved him, and he loved me” “penniless girl” “a nice girl, though not very communicative - a bit above her station perhaps” “he said he’d have nothing to do with me”

P - “a girl with courage and loyalty - that is what I saw”

associated themes + functions: class + social status, atypical independent middle class woman, deception

key chapters: 8, 11, 14, 21, 22

Hector Blunt

key quotes: “major hector blunt?” “a man of medium height, gray eyes, words were forced out of him unwillingly” “desperately in love…she hasn’t the least idea of it” “statements were clear and concise, with the directness of a man used to action” “I suppose I must get used to the idea that she’ll never care for me” lost money on “some wildcat scheme”

S - “you never know what he’s thinking”

associated themes + functions: stereotypical respectful young man, representative of stoic British gentleman, aptronym, appearance vs reality, class + social status

key chapters: 4, 6, 9, 10, 19, 24

Geoffrey Raymond

key quotes: “youth is very buoyant” “even the brutal murder…could not dim [his] spirits for long” “good looking young fellow, very self possessed and cool”

Raglan - “like so many young men nowadays, speculated with money that did not belong to him” - ch 10

P - “clever, but not the man to commit murder. His mind is too orderly” - ch 12

associated themes + functions: stereotypical respectful young man, class + social status, appearance vs reality

key chapters: 4, 6, 8, 15, 21

Inspector Davies

associated themes + functions: detection, amateur detective, elements of humour, incompetent police force

key chapters: 6, 8

Inspector Raglan

key quotes: “man of medium height, sturdy and clapper, military mustache and an alert manner” “his mind is made up, and nothing will shake it” “you can take it from me that the killer is someone in the house” “I’m not one to stand in the way of Scotland Yard men”

P - “excellent at his work - but not creative” - ch 9

associated themes: detection, incompetent police force, foil to emphasise gifted detective

key chapters: 6, 7, 8, 9, 12, 19, 23