Why was 'And Then There Were None' renamed?

Answer 1

The poem featured in the story was well known nursery rhyme, with 'soldier' replacing the above word as it developed negative connotations - this can be more easily understood with reference to the interim use of the word 'Indian'.

The last line of the nursery rhyme, in all its forms, is 'And then there were none'.

AnswerWell, there was a film that it could have been based on with a similar poem in it, featuring "ten little black boys." (information from Wikipedia)

Another idea is that the word wasn't as offensive in England as it is in the US... just as British slang isn't as offensive to Americans as it is to Brits.

Words develop negative connotations over time, and it is quite possible that the word was not as negative back in 1939, anywhere, as it is today. Some people used it as an affectionate diminutive, much like speaking to a child, calling him "Bobby" rather than "Robert." This usage, which is still offensive as applied to an entire race, was not as offensive as the way the word is usually used today, and is not much different really than the changed poem which refers to "little indians." ... the connotation of our society is just different, and we conjure up a mental image of children dressed in headbands and feathers for one, and the other word has developed a much darker association. We hear that word and we think of hate groups and horrors committed in the name of "superiority."

It is a good word to avoid, definitely, but we can't assume that the author is a racist just because of a term used back in 1939.

See this site for more information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/And_Then_There_Were_None

The above is a good answer, fashions change, and why we have to be so sensitive now beats me.....I never think of a person being a n ........r. On a positive note she wrote several books that had the lines of a nursery rhymme in them, for instance Hickory Dickory Dock

Answer 2

The name was changed 3 times since the book was written by Agatha Christie, because it sounded extremely offensive toto-days readers. It was first printed under the title Ten Little (using the N word)then it was changed to "Ten Little Indians" then finally with the approval of Agatha herself it was changed to " Then there were none" The movie also came out under the title of "Then There Were None"

Answer 3

'And Then There Were None' was originally published under the title 'Ten Little N****rs,' which was considered racially offensive. The title was changed to 'And Then There Were None' to reflect the nursery rhyme featured in the novel and avoid causing offense.

Answer 4

Ten Little Indians. The name was changed to make it more politically correct.