A small island is home to a murderer and 10 people. We have all never faced a situation like the one in Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None. The characters in the book are constantly faced with murders that were not expected, and there is a lingering suspicion among them all that they could be the killer. The characters are in constant fear and it is clear from their actions. The characters represent the human strengths and weakness by acting according to their instincts.

Vera Claythorne starred as a primary character in this novel. She was intelligent and resourceful. She also died last. Her intelligence was a major reason for her survival. Vera is always one step ahead in the story when it comes to figuring out the motives behind the murders. Her mind, while one of the most valuable assets she has, is also her biggest flaw. Her emotional stability was lacking. We see her get hysterical and dream about murders. Vera, at the end, is driven by instincts. She was so terrified and scared, that she didn’t use her brain to figure out whether Lombard is the killer. Instead, she shot him on pure instinct. Justice Wargrave’s sadistic enjoyment of death was one of his peculiar traits. “From a very young age, I understood the passion to kill. ” (Page 285).

Wargrave was aware of his strong instincts from a young age. He went on to choose a career that satisfied only a small part of his instincts as he aged. To satisfy his death-driven need, he took action and plotted the murder. It’s a good example of an instinctive act, as if he hadn’t been influenced by his feelings and had acted with clarity, he wouldn’t have thought that the entire scheme was so vile. Philip Lombard’s reputation was that he was obstinate. He was impulsive, stubborn and extremely intelligent. He was able to survive for so long because of his strengths. It was his impulsiveness that stood out the most. He would be very angry if someone said anything bad about him. So he’d often do or say something impulsive afterwards.

Lombard’s bluntness was well-known. He admitted the murder without hesitation when questioned. He was known for his chivalry, but that was not his strongest point. In the end, his inability to see women as equals was what killed him. It is clear that his old-fashioned view of the world, regardless his other qualities, is what he acted on. The characters in And Then There Were None, by acting instinctively, represent humanity’s universal weaknesses and strengths. In the end, instinct will always win over brains and lead you in making a decision. Next time you find yourself alone on a deserted island, with strangers who may be murderers, what will your instincts tell you to do?

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Amy Fox is a 28 year old school blogger, who has been writing for over 10 years. She has been a student at the University of Utah for three years and is now a graduate student.