Christopher
How old is Christopher? Where does he live?
He is 15 years old and live in Swindon.
What does Christopher's father work with?
Plumbing - boiler maintenance
Why does Mother leave Christopher?
Because she had a difficult relationship with Father and thus had an affair with Mr. Shears.
What is the setting of the book?
We are in Swindon, a small town outside of London. Also, we are introduced to London as a busy city with a lot of strangers that Christopher is scared of.
Does Mark Haddon wish to entertain, educate or influence the reader in any way?
According to Mark Haddon himself, he does not try to educate nor influence the reader to form a certain opinion. He says in the podcast that this is "the kiss of death" for a book, because the reader will see through this and thus the book will become unsuccesful.
What is Christopher's full name?
Boone - Christopher John Francis Boone
What is the name of the man who works for Christopher's father?
Rhodri (who seems to be the father's only friend)
Describe Mother's relationship to Mr. Shears
Mr. Shears asks Mother to live with him in London, and she agrees. The reader gets a sense, though, that their relationship is weak because the arrival of Christopher in London means that they argue and, eventually, split up.
What is the social setting of the book? What sort of social background does the family come from?
We expect that Christopher lives in a neighborhood that is lower-middle class or even lower-working class, because he lives next door to 'drug-people', and because his description of Father's behavior makes us assume this.
In what way can we relate the book to other texts?
We've read an article about the taboo attached to mental illness in the UK. It said that you would be in greater risk of discrimination if you were struggling with a mental illness than if you were gay.
Name some of Christopher's difficulties in navigating the world.
He finds it difficult to read other people's emotions, especially those of a more complex nature. He doesn't like to hug people and talk to strangers.
What is Christopher's father's name?
Ed (Boone)
What is Christopher's mother's name?
Judy
In the beginning of the book. Christopher goes back and forth between current-day events (the killing of Wellington) and past events (Siobhan, school etc.). The books starts in medias res, because it says "It was 7 minutes after midnight" and this takes the reader into Christopher's mind-set immediately. Also, it ends with the same smiley faces that we saw in the opening of the book.
Does the novel have a happy ending?
In some ways, yes. If we want Christopher to forgive his father, then it seems like it is going in the right direction by the end of the novel. We do doubt, however, whether or not Christopher will be able to "do anything" like he says in the final sentences.
What does Christopher want to become when he is older?
He wants to become an astronaut, but also acknowledges that this might be an unrealistic dream. Also, he wants to study math and physics.
How does Father react when Christopher initially is told that he cannot do a A-levels math exam?
He swears and becomes very mad at the school and says that "They've given him a crappy enough deal as it is"
What is said about Mother's behavior towards Christopher?
She says that she is not as patient as Christopher's father and admits to not being able to 'handle' Christopher's emotions. We see this in various examples during the book.
What kind of narrator do we have? Is Christopher a reliable or unreliable narrator?
He is to a certain extent very unreliable even if he cannot lie and thus wishes to be reliable. The reason for this is that he misleads the reader by not giving us all the information we need (Even if he sometimes doesn't have the information himself).
Where does the title come from?
It is a reference to the Sherlock Holmes short story "The Adventure of Silver Blaze" by Arthur Conan Doyle.
Does Christopher develop throughout the book?
In many ways, Christopher does not go through any significant development. He does, however, succeed in doing things that are difficult for him and as a result, he overcomes a lot of his struggles.
What does Father do by the end of the book to make Christopher forgive him?
He buys Christopher a dog and tells him not to be scared of him, even if he made mistakes.
Why doesn't the mother just show up at Christopher's house when her letters aren't answered?
We do not know for sure, but we do not get a sense that she is scared of the father. She might've wanted to start a new life in which she did not have the responsibility when it comes to Christopher.
Describe the language of the book.
The language is simple, but sometimes it avoids a lot of full stops. This shows us the way Christopher's mind works. When he discovers something interesting, he forgets punctuation and focuses on telling the reader what he wants.
What is the main theme(s) in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time?
Growing up, living with Asperger's syndrome, parent-child relationship...