values dissonance
Jun. 20th, 2011 11:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
deird1It can be rather strange reading books from the 30s.
I'm currently re-reading an Agatha Christie book. So far, Poirot's opinions on the suspects have included:
1) Huge amounts of interest in the murder - not suspicious, because the suspect is a servant, and obsession with death is typical of her class.
2) Offering 50 pounds to buy something that's only worth 20 - highly suspicious, because the suspect is Jewish, and should therefore be good at bargaining.
3) Murder attempts before they were certain that the victim would actually have the huge amounts of money they were being killed for - definitely indicates a female murderer, as women always jump to conclusions.
All of these opinions are being presented as perfectly unremarkable...
I'm currently re-reading an Agatha Christie book. So far, Poirot's opinions on the suspects have included:
1) Huge amounts of interest in the murder - not suspicious, because the suspect is a servant, and obsession with death is typical of her class.
2) Offering 50 pounds to buy something that's only worth 20 - highly suspicious, because the suspect is Jewish, and should therefore be good at bargaining.
3) Murder attempts before they were certain that the victim would actually have the huge amounts of money they were being killed for - definitely indicates a female murderer, as women always jump to conclusions.
All of these opinions are being presented as perfectly unremarkable...
no subject
Date: 2011-06-20 03:02 am (UTC)I just - yeah, Christie rubs me the wrong way most of the time, despite my enjoying the plots.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-20 03:11 am (UTC)It's rather jarring - I love her books, but every so often I'll hit something that makes me do a doubletake...