And Then There Were None Lesson Plan

Discuss the symbolism of food throughout the novel.

The novel’s depiction of food is symbolic. The reader can chart the decline of the characters condition by the food they choose to eat during their time there. When the guests first arrive, they are greeted by Mrs. Rogers’s excellent cooking and a feast of many different foods.

As the novel progresses, the characters begin to rely on meager sustenance, eating canned tongue for most of their meals. By the time that only three guests remain, Vera Claythorne has paradoxically decided that the best chance of survival is to deprive herself of nourishment so that she will not have to go into the house. This relationship of...