AOW #22: IRB 1

In the first section of Third Girl, readers discover the meaning of the title; the plot revolves around “the third girl” – a character, Norma, who is the third girl to share the rent of an apartment shared by two friends who needed another roommate in order to afford the flat. Norma is introduced to the reader when she visits the main character, Monsieur Poirot, an “old” detective, and tells him that she thinks she committed a murder. Then she decides telling M. Poirot her situation was a bad idea and leaves without giving her name, phone number, or any other contact information. Luckily, when M. Poirot was telling his friend, Mrs. Oliver, about the strange encounter, Mrs. Oliver recognized his description of her appearance: she was an ugly college-aged girl with dark, curly hair. Mrs. Oliver’s character is perfect for continuing the plot because of her nosy curiosity and her connections, both of which eventually allow her and M. Poirot to figure out the details of Norma’s life, including her family situation, her job, her boyfriend, and most importantly, her bizarre and “crazy” personality. The story takes place in England, where the country-side and the city of London are close to each other, which allows for the initial search for Norma: her family in the country-side thinks she is working in London, but her roommates in London know she is not there and is missing and/or hiding. This draws the reader further into the story and allows the plot to continue. The point of view is third person omniscient, although it is mostly from the point of view of M. Poirot, Mrs. Oliver, or Norma’s roommates. This allows Christie to present the story in different pieces, which makes it more enjoyable for the reader to try to put the ‘pieces together’ and solve the mystery. It is hard to predict the theme and purpose of this story from only reading the first section, but I predict that it will be about the differences and miscommunications between younger and older generations; the first scene stresses the fact that M. Poirot is very old compared to Norma, and the idea that ‘the girl is young’ tends to be a frequently frowned-upon excuse made for her when the older adults do not understand her actions.