Death On The Nile

One of the novel's central themes is The Seductiveness of Evil and the dangers of “letting evil in” to one’s life. What is evil and why is it so seductive? How is the idea of evil represented and manifested in the novel?

Teaching Suggestion: Encourage the students to reflect not only on Poirot’s view of evil but on the way the other colorful characters of the story approach this concept. Push them to consider these questions philosophically. You may want to follow up with questions such as

• What causes people to be evil?
• Is evil something that comes from within the individual, or does society cause evil? 
• What societal structures bring out the evil in people?
• Who are some examples of evil people from history? What forces contributed to their evil actions?

Differentiation Suggestion: English learners, students with dyslexia, and those with attentional or executive function differences might find sorting through the entire text to find evidence daunting. You might help these students pinpoint the most relevant sections of text to limit the amount they need to review or allow students additional time to gather evidence. One place in the text to direct students is Poirot’s warning to Jackie not to open her heart to evil (Chapter 5, Page 91).