Emily Inglethorp’s many wills represent the transactional nature of the relationships she has with most people in her life. Everyone, it seems, is somewhat eager to get something from her—namely, her money or financial support. Of course, characters like John Cavendish are more or less content to wait patiently until she dies, at which point her fortune will be divvied up amongst her loved ones. Other people, though, are a bit more anxious to attain her wealth—like, of course, Alfred Inglethorp and Evelyn Howard, who murder her just to steal her fortune. On a more immediate level, Emily’s wills also symbolize her shifting affinities and the way she tends to use her money to endear herself to people. For instance, she originally tells Cynthia that she will provide for her. In return, Cynthia lends a hand around the house, almost as if she’s an unofficial secretary or housekeeper. In the end, though, Emily doesn’t leave her anything in her will. What’s more, the fact that Emily draws up a new will every year or so suggests that she likes to keep her loved ones on their toes, perhaps as a way of making sure they treat her well and do what she wants. In this sense, the wills themselves come to stand for how money can complicate personal connections and even add a manipulative element to the way people approach their relationships with others.
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The timeline below shows where the symbol The Wills appears in The Mysterious Affair at Styles. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1: I Go to Styles
...subject by complimenting the beauty and serenity of Styles. John agrees and notes that he will inherit it someday—he should have already inherited it, he says, but his father was unreasonable...
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Chapter 4: Poirot Investigates
...and.” However, the paper itself seems thick and official, suggesting that it was once a will. Although Hastings is quite surprised, Poirot is not—he expected to find the remnants of a...
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Chapter 8: Fresh Suspicions
...Inglethorp, but he makes a weak argument for the possibility that she burned her friend’s will to make sure Alfred wouldn’t inherit anything. But Poirot says Hastings isn’t thinking clearly. He’s...
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Chapter 11: The Case for the Prosecution
...day while disguised as Alfred Inglethorp. According to Mr. Philips, Emily Inglethorp made a new will after her argument with John—a will that benefited Alfred instead of John. Mr. Philips claims...
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...the paper shows that it still bears the hint of some words written on the will, which she covered with the blotting paper. “…everything of which I die possessed I leave...
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Chapter 12: The Last Link
...but he also clarifies to everyone else that Mary isn’t the one who destroyed the will—the only person who could have done that, Mary chimes in, is Mrs. Inglethorp herself. Hastings...
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...reveal something to his wife (who, incidentally, overheard the conversation). At 4:30, Emily made a will leaving the Styles estate to Alfred. At 5:00, Dorcas found her holding a piece of...
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Chapter 13: Poirot Explains
...clearly wanting to make sure her eventual death wouldn’t benefit Alfred. She also destroyed the will she had just made in Alfred’s favor. Lastly, she put the letter—which Dorcas saw her...
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