College Prep English, Period 8 19 February 2013

Mr. Conrad

11^th College Prep English, Period 8

19 February 2013

A Well-Traveled Mystery

Outsold by only the Bible and Shakespeare, Agatha Christie is the most widely published author of all time, selling billions of copies printed in English as well as one hundred other languages, according to Turner Entertainment Company (Agatha). With that, it is nearly impossible to believe that the reason Christie began to write was caused by the pressure of her sister, who told Christie she was incapable of writing a mystery novel, states Anne Kelsch Breznau of Notable British Novelists (174). This dare was merely the beginning of a lifetime of writing in which Christie published eighty-six novels and short stories, nineteen plays, and two memoirs (Agatha). Though never receiving more than an in-home education from her parents as a child, Christie was a bright woman because of her own studies and readings as well as her various world travels (Breznau 172-173; McLure 405-407). Written in 1934, Murder on the Orient Express, one of Christie’s most famous novels, was inspired by these many experiences and more. Christie’s novel was greatly influenced by historical and personal experience, including the real life murder of the son of Charles Lindbergh, her acquired knowledge as a pharmacist, and her individual experiences obtained traveling aboard the Orient Express train.

To begin, one influence that prompted Christie's writing of Murder on the Orient Express was the tragic, real life kidnapping and murder of aviator Charles Lindbergh’s son. Because he had recently become the first man to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, Lindbergh was wildly famous at the time of the homicide. Tragically, on March first of 1932, Lindbergh’s son was kidnapped from his second-story bedroom; only a ladder and a ransom note were found as evidence. Months later, the body of the child was discovered a few miles from his home. As noted by Novels for Students, this historic event served as a cornerstone for a sub-plot in Murder on the Orient Express, which was published two years after the horrific crime (“Murder” 141). In the novel, Samuel Edward Ratchett, a wealthy American man aboard the Orient Express, is found stabbed to death in his compartment while the train is delayed due to snow (Christie 42). After examining the crime scene, it becomes apparent to Hercule Poirot, the detective aboard the train, that Mr. Ratchett is not who he said he was. In actuality, his true identity is Cassetti, the man who kidnapped and murdered Daisy Armstrong. Similarly to the Lindbergh case, Daisy was the daughter of Colonel John Armstrong and his wife Sonia, whose mother, Linda Arden, is a famous actress; therefore, the fictional parents are also quite well known as well (Christie 67). The immediate family of the Armstrong’s was not the only parallel found in the novel.

Additionally, the novel parallels the Lindbergh case because in both tragedies, the maid of the family is accused of the murder and thus, commits suicide because she can no longer bear the stress and anxiety (“Murder” 163). In the last chapter of Murder on the Orient Express, it is revealed that all twelve of the other passengers aboard the train car where Ratchett was murdered took some part in committing the crime because they were all connected to the Armstrong family in some way (Christie 249-265). For example, Mrs. Hubbard is actually Linda Arden, the grandmother of Daisy Armstrong; Countess Andrenyi is Mrs. Armstrong’s sister, Helena; and Mary Debenham was truly the governess of the Armstrong household (Christie 221, 238, and 262). Though Christie used the lives of others as part of her novel, she also incorporated some of her own life skills and experiences.

Another part of Christie’s life that impacted her writing of the novel were her experiences in pharmaceuticals. Victoria E. McLure of Magill’s Survey of World Literature tells us that Christie’s first husband, Archibald Christie, was an officer in the Royal Air Force during World War I. Agatha Christie joined the Voluntary Aid Detachment in a hospital located in her hometown, Torquay, England. Here, she worked in pharmacy (Breznau 174; McLure 405). Additionally, in World War II, Christie’s assignment was to the pharmacy of University College, located in London, as a volunteer nurse. Much of her work in the hospital involved pharmaceuticals, and along with working in a pharmacy later on, she gained vast knowledge of drugs, medicines, and poisons. When describing murder tools and weapons in her novels, she used the information she obtained from her occupation in both World Wars (McLure 407). These occupations were specifically reflected in the novel.

Christie’s pharmaceutical knowledge was shown in Murder on the Orient Express on two occasions. First, Mr. Ratchett takes a sleeping pill every night on the train, which, eventually, appears to be suspicious to Poirot when he investigates the murder. The murderer may have been able to carry out the crime successfully by drugging Ratchett, placing the sleeping pill in his water before he drinks it and goes to bed (Christie121). Also, when the body is examined by Dr. Constantine, it is discovered that Mr. Ratchett was stabbed twelve to fourteen times, and the stab marks are not consistent. It appears to him that some were inflicted by a strong man, some by an able woman and others by a weak woman, and even more by a left-handed person (Christie 45). At the conclusion of the novel, the reader learns the doctor was correct because every passenger aboard the Orient Express took a stab (Christie 257). As a result of her work in hospitals during both World Wars, Christie had seen varying types of injuries and could correctly describe a murder victim’s wounds (McLure 407). There are not many authors with this type of background experience; likewise, there are few authors of her time who were as well traveled as Christie.

Finally, Christie’s own experiences aboard the luxurious Orient Express influenced and inspired her to write her novel, Murder on the Orient Express. At the age of seven, Christie stayed in France for some time. She brought home not only the language, but also a French woman who aided her in further acquaintance with French language and culture (Breznau 173). Again, at age sixteen, Christie ventured to Paris to become a pianist and singer. While she emerged as a polished pianist, she also became fluent in French. Although Christie prominently spoke English, French is woven into the dialogue of her novel through the main character and detective, Hercule Poirot (McLure 405). He spoke broken English, in which he would begin an English statement and end speaking in French. For example, in the novel, Murder on the Orient Express, Poirot once said, “Mais oui, Stamboul, it is a city I have never visited. It would be a pity to pass through- comme ça” (Christie 5). French is interlaced in the dialogue of characters other than Poirot, such as Monsieur Bouc, who exclaimed, “Ah! Mon cher” while in conversation with Poirot (Christie 46). Though French is quite obviously displayed in the novel, France is only one of the many countries Christie had journeyed to in her lifetime.

While her daughter was in school, Christie traveled frequently. It was during a voyage to Ur, Iraq that she met Max Mallowan, an archaeologist. The couple was later married in 1930, and for months, she would accompany Mallowan to his dig sites in Iraq and Syria (McLure 407). Traveling between the sites, Christie would often take passage aboard the real Orient Express. One particular trip in 1931, on her way home from Ninevah, appeared to have sparked an idea for a new novel. Delayed by horrendous weather conditions, Christie’s train was at a stand still over night (Agatha). Likewise, in the beginning of Murder on the Orient Express, the train is brought to a halt because there is a snowstorm preventing movement on the tracks (Christie 34). In addition, Christie frequently incorporated the places she commuted to with her husband, such as Syria, which is the opening setting of the novel (Breznau 174; Christie 1). Christie encountered a wide variety of people and personalities, all from diverse backgrounds, allowing her to easily and accurately form characters that were unlike her. In the novel, Monsieur Bouc illustrates a concept that Christie would experience regularly by saying, “All around us are people, of all classes, of all nationalities, of all ages. For three days, these people, all strangers to one another, are brought together” (Christie 24).

A talented author, Christie was able to call upon vast resources and experiences while writing her novel. She was inspired by the heartbreaking murder of Charles Lindbergh’s son, which only occurred three years prior to the publication of Murder on the Orient Express. Moreover, she used her own knowledge gained as a hospital worker and pharmacist in World War I and II to accurately describe the murder scene. As a well rounded, bilingual traveler, Christie was additionally influenced by French culture and the many placed she encountered throughout her lifetime. As stated by Gale’s Contemporary Authors, Murder on the Orient Express is easily relatable to anyone who has ever ventured into new territory. Her characters are also relatable to a wide variety of readers because of their personable qualities which promotes the reader to identify with the characters. With the Bible and Shakespeare being her only significant competition, it can be clearly seen that Agatha Christie was a clever and innovative mystery novelist, who was able to capture the attention of an enormous number of readers with her twists and turns throughout the storyline, only to be accompanied by a shocking ending (Agatha; “Agatha”).

Works Cited

“Agatha Chirstie.” Contemporary Authors. Gale, 2009. Web. 4 Feb. 2013.

Agatha Christie. Turner Entertainment Co., A Warner Bros. Entertainment Company. 2009. Web. 12 Dec. 2012.

Breznau, Anne Kelsch. “Agatha Christie.” Notable British Novelists. Ed. Carl Rollyson. Vol. 1. Pasadena: Salem, 2001. 172-175. Print.

Christie, Agatha. Murder on the Orient Express. New York: HarperCollins, 1934. Print.

McLure, Victoria E. “Agatha Christie.” Magill’s Survey of World Literature. Ed. Frank N. Magill. Vol. 2. New York: Marshall Cavendish. 1993. Print.