The 39 Steps: Richard Hannay’s Adventure
Who Was Hannay and What Do We Know About Him?
Richard Hannay was a former intelligence officer. He was born in Scotland, but his family left for Rhodesia when he was six. He was unmarried and wanted to see a little of the world.
Hannay’s Time in London
Hannay had been living in London for a few months when the story begins. He felt his life in London was very boring compared to his life in Rhodesia.
Why Did Scudder Need Hannay’s Help?
Scudder faked his own suicide because someone was trying to find him, and he needed everyone to think that he was dead. Hannay hid Scudder in his home.
Who Was Karolides and What Had Scudder Discovered?
Karolides was a Greek leader, and the anarchists were planning to kill him because Karolides was the only leader in Europe who had the slightest chance of preventing war.
What Did Hannay Find at His Club?
One evening, when he came home from his club, Hannay found Scudder’s body lying on the floor with a long knife through his heart.
What Were Scudder’s Murderers Looking For?
Scudder’s murderers were looking for Scudder’s little black notebook in Hannay’s flat, but they didn’t find it.
Why Did Hannay Go into Hiding?
Hannay decided to go into hiding rather than call the police because the police would have arrested him for Scudder’s death. They would never believe Hannay about the anarchist story and the fake suicide, or the anarchists would kill him if they suspected that Scudder told him the plot.
Why Did Hannay Choose Galloway?
Hannay decided to go into hiding in Galloway because it is an area in the south of Scotland that had very few towns and a lot of wild countryside. He knew how to hide in difficult countryside from his experience in the army.
Why Was Scudder’s Notebook Difficult to Read?
Scudder’s notebook was difficult to read because it was written in some kind of code.
Why Did Hannay Change His Train Plan?
Hannay had planned to get off the train after several stations, but the train stopped at the beginning of a tunnel, and Hannay thought that this was a better place to get off without anyone seeing him.
Why Was the Plane Searching?
Hannay thought that the plane was looking for something because it was flying backward and forwards, very low.
Who Was the Young Man on the Bridge?
The young man on the bridge was the innkeeper, and he wanted to be a writer.
What Was the Key to Scudder’s Code?
The key to the code in Scudder’s notebook was the letters of the name Julia Czechenyi.
The Two Men at the Inn
One was tall and dark, and the other was young and blond. They told the innkeeper that they were Hannay’s friends.
Hannay’s Request to the Innkeeper
Hannay asked the innkeeper to go to the Chief of Police in Newton Stewart and describe the two men who were searching for him. He was to say that he thought the two were involved in a murder in London. The police were to come early in the morning to catch them both.
What Did Hannay Discover About June 15?
Hannay discovered that when Karolides’ murder occurred, it would begin a world war. Germany would find an excuse to attack Britain.