Mr. Shaitana
The character that gives the first chapter its subtitle is introduced with a torrent of imagery. As the narrator observes, the entirety of Shaitana’s being existed solely for the purpose of catching one’s eye through the manipulation intended to make him look positively devilish:
“He was tall and thin, his face was long and melancholy, his eyebrows were heavily accented and jet black, he wore a moustache with stiff waxed ends and a tiny black imperial. His clothes were works of art – of exquisite cut – but with a suggestion of bizarre.”
Mr. Shaitana’s Art
Mr. Shaitana is later described as “an artist in lighting.” He is the architect of the illumination described in the following example of imagery which sets the stage for revealing setting:
“A small shaded lamp at his elbow gave him light to read by if he so desired. Discreet floodlighting gave the room a subdued look. A slightly stronger light shone over the bridge table, from whence the monotonous ejaculations continued.”
The Dramatic Pause
The police Superintendent announces to those at the bridge table that a murder has been committed. Murder by stabbing. Expecting that it is a case of murder by stabbing by one of those at the table, he clumsily attempts to draw the guilty party out by asking if any of them had left the table during the night. The response is phrased in imagery of disappointment:
“He saw four expressions break up – waver. He saw fear – comprehension – indignation – dismay – horror; but he saw nothing definitely helpful.”
Another Type of Setting
A different type of imagery is to effectively describe a different type of setting later on in the story. This imagery is seen through the eye of the meticulously clean-cut detective Hercule Poirot. His is an obsession with cleanliness more than bordering on OCD and it helps with his detecting powers:
"He was shown into a room on the first floor– a rather dark room smelling of stale flowers and unemptied ashtrays. There were large quantities of silk cushions of exotic colours all in need of cleaning. The walls were emerald green and the ceiling was of pseudo copper.”
