The final reveal of And Then There Were None leaves students with a genuine moral puzzle. Judge Wargrave lures ten people to an island to punish crimes the law never touched. Is that justice, or is it murder dressed up as justice?

It is an ideal argumentative prompt because there is no single correct answer. Students can build strong cases on either side, and some will take a middle position. That variety is great for discussion and demanding for grading.

The main risk is grading the opinion instead of the argument. When a student's view clashes with your own, it takes discipline to score the reasoning alone. Even experienced teachers can drift without realizing it.

A structured rubric and a few habits help keep the process fair. They also make your feedback more useful to students on both sides of the debate. Here is what that looks like in practice.

Score the Argument, Not the Conclusion

Make your criteria about how well the student argues. Is the claim clear, is the reasoning logical, is the evidence specific, and does the essay address the strongest opposing view? Those questions apply equally to every position.

• A clear claim about whether Wargrave's actions are justified
• At least three pieces of evidence from the novel, including the confession
• Reasoning that connects evidence to the claim step by step
• A fair account of the opposing view
• A response to that view that goes beyond simply dismissing it

Look for the Counterargument

Counterarguments separate good arguments from great ones. A student defending Wargrave should deal with the point that he acted as judge, jury, and executioner. A student condemning him should deal with the fact that the guests were, by their own histories, responsible for real harm.

Many students skip this step or treat the opposing view as a strawman. Feedback should call this out and ask for a fair statement of the other side. A single revised paragraph can change the whole essay.

Protect Against Grader Bias

One useful habit is to grade blind on position. Skim the thesis, note the stance, and then set it aside as you focus on quality. Grading a few essays from each side in the same session can reveal whether you lean one way.

Consistent rubric application is easier with support. GraideMind evaluates each essay against your written criteria and produces draft comments you can adjust, which adds another check against uneven scoring. The final decision still belongs to you.

Extend the Task With Discussion

A short debate or Socratic seminar before the essay lifts the quality of arguments. Students hear the best case for the other side and can address it in their writing. It also gives shy students a chance to test ideas out loud.

After the essays are returned, invite students to compare arguments with a partner who took the opposite view. Reading a counter-essay is often the best feedback of all. It shows students what a fair opponent would say.