Final answer:
Colonel Mustard is questioning the situation about whether a person was dead or not, reflecting a common theme of characters in literature seeking to unravel mysteries or understand puzzling circumstances.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the given scene from a dialogue, Colonel Mustard's line 'So was he dead or wasn't he?!' indicates that he is questioning the situation rather than confirming, denying, or accusing anyone of the murder.
Similar inquiries and expressions of doubt permeate the various excerpts, where characters seek to understand mysterious or troubling circumstances surrounding a death or event, whether it's questioning the truthfulness of a murder confession, the odd demise of an individual, or the repercussions of speaking against one's master.