IS THE PEN STILL MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD? PART 4-AGATHA CHRISTIE-THE BIG DEBATE. By KIMBERLY THORN

I want to have some fun with this blog post. So it’s time for you to tell me some things. I hope you enjoy and will respond! 

 

Ok, so now for the great debate. Who is it for you? Marple or Poirot? And why?

For me, I am a diehard Poirot fan. Maybe it’s him being French, oops, sorry, I mean him being from Belgium that helps me love his character but I do. Actually I have found out recently something about myself that I think makes me relate to him more. Or at least I think I can understand where he comes from some.  

It’s to do with his appearance and his talking. Because he is excessive in his dress and very precise in his speech, which is with a French accent, people do not think he is very smart. He is consistently being overlooked. And while people are not noticing him, he is very observant and is taking note of everything. He may not say much, but he’s listening and thinking. No, he’s not eavesdropping, but he’s in the conversation without really being in the conversation because he’s not always taking part in actual dialogue.  

Instead, he’s learning all he can about the people around him. He sort of reminds me of Peter Falk’s television character Columbo. While Columbo is all disheveled, looking like he just woke up from having slept all night in his clothes and tan overcoat, Poirot is immaculately dressed. One is not dressed well enough, with unkempt hair because he keeps running his hands through it and the other one is overly dressed, not a stray hair out of sync with his mustache. Suspects think Columbo is dumb because he can’t figure out anything and has to ask them every step of the way. They think Poirot is dumb because he sounds French and asks meaningless, stupid questions and, well, walks like a penguin. Suspects know that they are smarter than these two men! Ultimately, it is this under estimating that gets the murder caught.  

This is what I can relate to with both Poirot and Columbo. I talk and people automatically deduct IQ points. I also don’t dress fancy. I’m really pretty simple and plain, usually I wear the color black.  My mom would tell me I wore too much black and that I looked like I’m in a constant state of mourning!” Not that I won’t rock some rhinestone-covered flat shoes but that’s really as fancy as I get. And until you get to know me well, I may not say much. Thus, I am forgettable and people tend to underestimate me. Until recently I thought that was a bad thing, but I’ve come to realize, thanks to Poirot and Columbo, that it doesn’t have to be! Through Christie and her characters I’m learning to accept who I am and it’s giving me confidence in myself and as a writer that I didn’t have before.          

 

Can you relate to a character?  If so who and why?

And while we’re on the subject of great debates…..if you are a Poirot fan, what do you think of Captain Hastings?  Gallant buffoon or ole romantic softy?

 

I love Hastings. He makes me laugh, snort out loud! He is such a character and so clueless at times. He falls in love so easily and I think he sees himself as a romantic hero. You know the knight in shining armor type! 

 

By the way, what do you think of the different portrayals of Marple and Poirot? Who is your favorite and why? Specifically, what do you think of Kenneth Braugh’s modern take on Poirot?

While I think his adaptions are entertaining to watch, I just don’t see him as Poirot. He doesn’t look like how I think Christie describes Poirot. And he is way too active and adventurous to be Poirot. Let’s face it, Poirot is a great many things, but he doesn’t run and he certainly would not chase a suspect onto the scaffolding of a train track. He’d send Hastings!

Photos: Google