THE ANALYSIS UPON AGATHA CHRISTIE'S THE MURDER ON THE ORIENT

EXPRESS

By

Yohana Imelda A.

Student Reg. 16620024

Imeldayohana7@gmail.com

Murder in the orient express is a detective novel that written by british

writer Agatha Christie. It was published twice in United Kingdom on 1 January 1934
by the Collins Crime Club and in America on 28 February 1934 by Dodd, Mead and
Company.

The author of Murder in the orient express Dame Agatha Mary Clarissa
Chrisrie,Lady Mallown,DBE was an English writer that have known for her 66
detectibe novels collection, expecialy for Hercule Poirot and miss marple series. Her
DBE title was gained for her contribution to literature in 1971. Agatha christi was
born in Torquay, Devon,England on 15 September 1890 and Died in Winterbrook
House, Oxfordshire England on 12 January 1976 in aged 85.

This novel tell us about a murder that happen in the elegant train of the
1930s. To discover more about the content of this novel, we should find and analyze
5 elements that exist in this novel. Those 5 elements are The plot, The character, The
setting, The conflict and The Theme.

First element that we are going discover is about the plot. Based on
wikipedia plot is Plot refers to the sequence of events inside a story which affect
other events through the principle of cause and effect. The plot have 5 parts in
sequence that start from Exposition, Raising action, Climax, Falling action and
Resolution.

One is The exposition, the exposition is the opening part in which the
audience is introduced to the characters and their background of the story, usually
this part is exist at the beginning of a story. In this novel the exposition happen when

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Hercule Poirot, private detective and retired Belgian police officer, boards the Taurus
Express train to Istanbul. On the train there are two other passengers, Mary
Debenham and Colonel Arbuthnot. The two act as if they are strangers, but Poirot
observes behavior that suggests that they are not. Poirot is suspicious of the couple.
The train arrives in Stamboul and Poirot checks in at the Tokatlian Hotel. As soon as
Poirot arrives he receives a telegram summoning him back to London. While waiting
at the hotel for the next train, Poirot bumps into an old friend, M. Bouc, head of the
Wagon Lit. M. Bouc arranges a space for Poirot on the Orient Express. In the dining
room of the Tokatlian Hotel, Poirot first spots Ratchett and Hector McQueen eating
dinner. Poirot know that Ratchett is an evil man and he describes him to M. Bouc as
an animal

"Arbuthnot was speaking. "Mary—" The girl interrupted him.

"Not now. Not now. When it's all over. When it's behind us—
then—" Discreetly M. Poirot turned away. He wondered. ...
He would hardly have recognised the cool, efficient voice of
Miss Debenham. ... "Curious," he said to himself. (1934:7)"

"At the Tokatlian, Hercule Poirot asked for a room with bath.
Then he stepped over to the concierge's desk and inquired for
letters. (1934:10)"

""I had a curious impression. It was as though a wild animal

—an animal savage, but savage! you understand—had passed
me by." (1934:12)"

Two is the Raising action, the raising action is a something that happens in a
story leading up to the most exciting part of a story. In this novel the raising action
happen when Poirot board the Orient Express. He is forced to ride in a second-class
cabin because the train is unusually full. Ratchett and Hector McQueen are also
aboard the train. Ratchett approaches Poirot and asks if he will work for him,
Ratchett tells Poirot he has been receiving threatening letters and that someone is
trying to kill him. Poirot refuses the case. M. Bouc has taken the last first class cabin,
but arranges to be moved to a separate coach and gives Poirot his space in first class.
The first night Poirot sleeps in first class, he observes some strange occurrences.

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Early in the morning, Poirot is wakened by a cry from Ratchett's compartment next
to him.

""Voilà, Monsieur," he said. "All is arranged. Yours is the

upper berth, the No. 7. We start in one minute."(2934:15)"

"Hercule Poirot was silent a minute or two. Then he said:

"What is it you wish me to do for you, Monsieur—er—
Ratchett?" "Mr. Poirot, I am a rich man—a very rich man.
Men in that position have enemies. I have an
enemy."(1934:22)"

""I regret, Monsieur," he said at length, "that I cannot oblige

you." (1934:22)"

"He knew what it was that had wakened him—a loud groan,
almost a cry, somewhere close at hand. At the same moment
the ting of a bell sounded sharply(1934:26)"

Three is the climax, the climax is the most exciting part of a story. Is happen
when The next morning, the train still stopped, M. Bouc informs Poirot that Ratchett
has been murdered and the murderer is still aboard the train. Poirot tells M. Bouc he
will investigate the case. Poirot first examines Ratchett's body and compartment.
Ratchett has twelve stab wounds. The window is left open in Ratchett's compartment,
presumably to make the investigators think the murderer escaped out the window, but
there are no footprints outside the window in the snow. A handkerchief with the
initial "H" is found in the compartment, a pipe cleaner, a round match different from
the matches Ratchett used and a charred piece of paper with the name "Armstrong"
on it.

"The train has stopped. We have run into a snowdrift. Heaven

knows how long we shall be here. I remember once being
snowed up for seven days."(1934:29)"

""An American. A man called—called—" he consulted some

notes in front of him. "Ratchett. That is right—Ratchett?"
(1934:33)"

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 "It was a small square of cambric, very dainty. In the corner
was an embroidered initial—H. "A woman's handkerchief,"
said the doctor. "Our friend the chef de train was right. There
is a woman concerned in this." (1934:49)"

"It was a very tiny scrap. Only three words and part of
another showed. —member little Daisy Armstrong(1934:52)"

Four is the falling action, the falling action is occurs right after the climax,
when the main problem of the story resolves and lead towards the resolution. In this
novel falling action part happen when The piece of paper with the word Armstrong
on it helps Poirot figure out who Ratchett really is and why someone would want to
murder him. A few years back, a man named Cassetti kidnapped a three-year old girl,
Daisy Armstrong. Cassetti collected a ransom from the wealthy Armstrong family,
but killed the child anyways. Poirot concludes that Ratchett is Cassetti. After poirot
interview all the passanger through his investigation. He found something that all
passanger in the train is connected witg Daisy Amstong case and have grudge with
cassseti.

" "I know the dead man's real name. I know why he had to
leave America." "What was his name?" "Cassetti." (1934:52)"

""You feel strongly about the matter, Mr. MacQueen?" "I have
a particular reason for doing so. My father was the district
attorney who handled the case, Mr. Poirot. I saw Mrs.
Armstrong more than once—she was a lovely woman
(1934:63)"

"When she was three years old she was kidnapped, and an
impossibly high sum demanded as the price of her return. I
will not weary you with all the intricacies that followed. I will
come to the moment when, after the parents had paid over the
enormous sum of two hundred thousand dollars, the child's
dead body was discovered; it had been dead for at least a
fortnight. (1934:54)"

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 "When I had heard all the evidence, I leaned back and shut my
eyes, and began to think. Certain points presented themselves
to me as worthy of attention. I enumerated these points to my
two colleagues. Some I have already elucidated—such as a
grease spot on a passport, and so on. I will run over the points
that remain"(1934:201)

And finally the resolution, the resolution is the unfolding or solution of a

complicated issue in a story. The resolution in this story happen when Poirot gathers
all of the passengers into the dining car and propounds two possible solutions. The
fist solution is that a stranger entered the train at Vincovci and killed Ratchett. The
second solution is that all of the passengers aboard the Orient Express were involved
with the murder. He argues that twelve of the thirteen passengers, all close to the
Armstrong case, killed Ratchett to avenge the murder of Daisy Armstrong. Mrs.
Hubbard, revealed as Linda Arden, admits that the second solution is correct. Poirot
suggests that M. Bouc and Dr. Constantine tell the police that the first solution is
correct to protect the family. M. Bouc and Dr. Constantine accept Poirot's suggestion.

""The final letter which Ratchett had probably found on his

pillow was carefully burnt. With no clue pointing to the
Armstrong case there would be absolutely no reason for
suspecting any of the passengers on the train. It would be put
down as an outside job, and the 'small dark man with the
womanish voice' would actually have been seen by one or
more of the passengers leaving the train, at Brod! (1934:201-
202)"

""We decided then and there (perhaps we were mad—I don't

know) that the sentence of death that Cassetti had escaped
had got to be carried out. There were twelve of us—or rather
eleven; Susanne's father was over in France, of course. First
we thought we'd draw lots as to who should do it, but in the
end we decided on this way. It was the chauffeur, Antonio,
who suggested it. Mary worked out all the details later with
Hector MacQueen. He'd always adored Sonia—my daughter

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 —and it was he who explained to us exactly how Cassetti's
money had managed to get him off. (1934:204-205)"

"the first theory you put forward was the correct one—
decidedly so. I suggest that that is the solution we offer to the
Jugo-Slavian police when they arrive. You agree, doctor?"
(1934:206"

Second element is about the character, the character is a person who have a
part in the novel or story. This novel have a main character named Poirot and lot of
supporting character that make the story alive.

One, Hercule Poirot is a A retired Belgian police officer. Poirot is Christie's

most famous detective and is known for his short stature and long, curly moustache.
Poirot is very intelligent, extremely aware and instinctual and is a brilliant detective.

"The detective was conscious of those strange shrewd eyes

summing him up before the other spoke again. (1934:21)

Two, M. Bouc is The director of the Compagnie Wagon Lits and formerly
worked for the Belgian police force with Poirot. Traveling on the Orient Express,M.
Bouc provides comic relief in the novel, constantly frustrated with the case and
confused by Poirot.

"M. Bouc was a Belgian, a director of the Compagnie

Internationale des Wagons Lits, and his acquaintance with the
former star of the Belgian police force dated back many
years(1934:11)"

Three, Dr. Constantine is The coroner aboard the Orient Express. Dr.
Constantine is often Poirot or M. Bouc's sidekick and is present for most of the
evidence gathering.

"The little dark man bowed, and Poirot returned the bow. "Dr.
Constantine is of the opinion that death occurred at about 1
A.M." (1934:34)"

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 Four, Mary Debenham is Daisy Armstrong's governess. Mary Debenham is
a calm, cool and unruffled lady, instrumental in the planning of Ratchett's murder.

"A governess learns to be careful. Appearances are

important. A girl with her living to get has to be discreet.
(1934:19)

Five, Mrs. Hubbard is Really Linda Arden, famous actress and grandmother
of Daisy Armstrong. Mrs. Hubbard provides constant interruption and diversion on
the train and is known for her stories about her daughter.

"The woman opposite him was a mere girl—twenty at a guess.

A tight-fitting little black coat and skirt, white satin blouse,
small chic black toque perched at the fashionable outrageous
angle(1934:30)"

Six, Colonel Arbuthnot is A friend of Colonel Armstrong, and father of

Daisy Armstrongl. Colonel Arbuthnot is hard-willed, polite and very "English."

"Opposite him a spare neat Englishman had the expressionless

disapproving face of the well-trained servant(1934:18)"

Seven, Princess Dragimiroff is a Russian princess. Princess Dragomiroff is a

generally despicable, ugly old lady; her yellow, toad-like face puts off Poirot. She is
the owner of the famous "H" handkerchief and tells Poirot many lies about the other
passenger's identities.

"At a small table, sitting very upright, was one of the ugliest
old ladies he had ever seen. It was an ugliness of distinction
—it fascinated rather than repelled. (1934:22)"

Eight, Hector McQueen is Ratchett's personal secretary. Hector is truly in

cahoots with the Armstrong family. He also steal rachet money for himself

"He was a man perhaps of between sixty and seventy. From a

little distance he had the bland aspect of a philanthropist. His
slightly bald head, his domed forehead, the smiling mouth that

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 displayed a very white set of false teeth—all seemed to speak
of a benevolent personality(1934:12)"

Nine, Rachet or Real name Cassetti, kidnapped and murdered the young
Daisy Armstrong for money. Poirot describes Ratchett as a wild animal.

""Mr. Poirot, I am a rich man—a very rich man. Men in that

position have enemies. I have an enemy."(1934:22)"

Ten, Countess Andrenyi is The sister of Sonia Armstrong, did not murder
Ratchett. The Countess is quite young, dark haired and beautiful.

""Be easy, mon vieux, I will be most tactful. A mere formality."

His voice dropped as the Countess Andrenyi entered the
dining-car. She looked timid and extremely charming.
(1934:92)"

Eleven, Count Andrenyi A very defensive man who tries to conceal the true
identity of his wife, Countess Andrenyi. The Count takes his wife's place in the
murder.

"The Count smiled. "My wife always takes a sleeping draught

when travelling by train. She took her usual dose of trional."
(1934:91)

Twelve, Cyrus Hardman is The big flamboyant American. He becomes

involved with the Armstrongs because he was in love with Daisy's French nurse who
committed suicide after Daisy was killed. Cyrus pretends to help Poirot with the
case.

"was a big American in a loud suit—possibly a commercial

traveller. (1934:18)"

Thirteen, Antonio Foscanelli is a big menacing Italian man. Revealed by

Poirot, Antonio was the Armstrong's chauffer. Antonio loved dear little Daisy and
tears when he speaks of her.

"A big swarthy Italian was picking his teeth with gusto.
(1934:22)"

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 Fourteen, Greta Ohlsson is The Swedish lady that was Daisy Armstrong's
nurse and is a very delicate type—not meant for murder.

"One of them was tall and middle-aged, in a plaid blouse and

tweed skirt. She had a mass of faded yellow hair
unbecomingly arranged in a large bun, wore glasses, and
had a long mild amiable face rather like a sheep(1934:19)"

Fifteen, Pierre Michael is Father of the suicidal nursemaid of Daisy

Armstrong, is the Conductor of the Orient Express

"Pierre Michel must be involved in the Armstrong case. But

that seemed very improbable(1934:207)"

The last is Hildegarde Schmidt who Has a kindly face set in an expression
of "placid stupidity." Hildegarde slow-minded and obey the ugly Princess's orders.
Hildegarde pretends to be Princess Dragomiroff's maid, but is truly the Armstrong's
cook.

"was a middle-aged woman dressed in black with a broad,

expressionless face. German or Scandinavian, he thought.
Probably the German lady's-maid.(1934:19)"

Third element is about the conflict, the conflict is struggle between people.
The struggle may be physical, or between two person.

The conflict beetween two person is happen when Rachett come to offer
poirot a case but he refuse it, because he dont like Rachett.

""My life has been threatened, Mr. Poirot. Now I'm a man
who can take pretty good care of himself." From the pocket of
his coat his hand brought a small automatic into sight for a
moment. He continued grimly. "I don't think I'm the kind of
man to be caught napping. But, as I look at it, I might as well
make assurance doubly sure. I fancy you're the man for my
money, Mr. Poirot. And remember—big money." Poirot
looked at him thoughtfully for some minutes. His face was
completely expressionless. The other could have had no clue

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 as to what thoughts were passing in that mind. "I regret,
Monsieur," he said at length, "that I cannot oblige
you."(1934:21)"

Fourth element is about the theme, the theme is main idea of this story. In
this story the theme that i discoverd is about Revenge. All people in the train are
connected with Daisy amstrong, the girl that die because of cassetti, they all work
together and set a plan to kill casseti for revenge.

"Well," she said, "you know everything now, M. Poirot.

What are you going to do about it? If it must all come out,
can't you lay the blame upon me and me only? I would have
stabbed that man twelve times willingly. It wasn't only that
he was responsible for my daughter's death and her child's
and that of the other child who might have been alive and
happy now. It was more than that: there had been other
children kidnapped before Daisy, and there might be others
in the future. Society had condemned him—we were only
carrying out thesentence. But it's unnecessary to bring all
these others into it. All these good faithful souls—and poor
Michel-and Mary and Colonel Arbuthnot—they love each
other. ..." (1934:205)"

The last element is about the setting, the setting is the time and place that
occurs or develops in a novel. This novel doesnt have a lot of place setting cause
most of the time is used on the train.

"It was five o'clock on a winter's morning in

Syria(1934:1)"

"but to him had been delegated the duty of seeing off

M. Poirot by the Taurus Express(1934:2)"

"This must be Aleppo. Nothing to see, of course. Just

a long, poorly lighted platform with loud, furious
altercations in Arabic going on somewhere(1934:3)"

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 "At the Tokatlian, Hercule Poirot asked for a room
with bath. Then he stepped over to the concierge's
desk and inquired for letters.(1934:10)"

"The Orient Express had started on its three-day

journey across Europe(1934:16)"

For the conclusion the elements of the story build its more stronger and sure.
The elements contains many parts that really build the story like the plot, theme and
conflict, we also can discover more about who,when and where through Character
and Setting. The point is writting and analyze novel can improve our knowledge
through the book.

Writing an anylisis essay can improve our knowledge about the book or
novel that we analyze. We can catagorize the example through the book with the
novel's element. We also can understanding about the elements or elements' part
definition, so those are the advantages of writting an anylisis essay of a novel based
on my opinion

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