Language and Identity Construction in Agatha Christie's "The ABC Murders" and "And Then There Were None"

Abstract

In this study, the construction of identity through language and stylistic elements in Agatha Christie's The ABC Murders and And Then There Were None is examined to identify how characters and readers are influenced. Drawing on paradigms from narratology, stylistics, gender studies, and psycho- literary analysis, the paper analyzes Christie's deployment of narrative voice, pronoun choice, dialogue, and hidden cultural codes as serving not only the mystery plot, but also building and subverting character identity. The research also examines the socio-cultural context in which language is invested with anxieties surrounding gender, race, and morality, and in which text interacts with broader British society.