Murder on the Orient Express Lesson Plan

What roles do M. Bouc and Dr. Constantine play in Poirot’s progress?

The two characters are in a similar position to the reader’s, trailing behind Poirot as he uncovers the truth, but their presence offers Poirot a device to exercise his thinking skills. He uses their mistakes in logic to develop his theory of the crime. Whenever they react without sufficient thought to clues, often based on the assumption of stereotypes, Poirot asks, "What other explanation can there be?" Similarly, their inattention to detail contrasts with, even compels, Poirot’s intense scrutiny. Their gullibility—they immediately accept as true whatever Poirot articulates—makes Poirot’s rigorous...