The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
In a nutshell
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is a novel by Mark Haddon that was published in 2003. It follows the character of Christopher Boone after he finds the dead body of his neighbour's dog. A stage adaptation of the play, written by Simon Stephens, premiered at the National Theatre in 2012. In this summary, you will learn about the plot, characters and key themes of this story.
Plot summary
Christopher John Francis Boone, the story's fifteen-year-old narrator, sets out to find a murderer after finding his neighbour's poodle, Wellington, dead on the neighbour's front lawn one evening in Swindon. Christopher has autism, which helps and hinders his investigation as he navigates the mystery of the murder. Christopher is writing a book about his investigation. Due to a miscommunication, Christopher accidentally hits a police officer at the crime scene and is subsequently detained. He is given a severe warning and released on the condition that he must drop his investigation.
Despite his father's repeated warnings, Christopher investigates the crime scene and speaks with the residents of his block. When he learns that his father and Mrs. Shears, Wellington's owner, had a romantic relationship, he learns that the plot is more complicated than it initially appeared to be. He later finds out that their relationship started as a result of another one that Mr. Shears and Christopher's mother had before she vanished.
Christopher is studying for his A-level maths exam that will make it possible for him to attend a university, something that no other student at his school had done before. One afternoon, Christopher makes the mistake of leaving his book on the kitchen table. After reading it, his father yells at him and takes it away. While looking for the book in his father's closet, Christopher discovers a series of letters from his supposedly deceased mother.
His mother is alive and has been trying to get in contact with Christopher. His father realises what has happened when he gets home and starts crying. He expresses regret for lying and explains that he just wanted to protect Christopher from learning the truth about his mother's abandonment. Christopher's father also admits that he killed Wellington following a disagreement with Mrs. Shears.
Christopher feels like he can no longer trust his father so he sneaks out of the house and heads to London to live with his mother. He navigates the social fears and limitations of his autism while on his journey, avoids police and avoids getting hit by a train. Christopher's mother is taken aback by his appearance at her apartment because she had no idea that Christopher's father had been keeping her letters from him. Christopher makes himself at home but tension soon appears, prompting his mother to part ways with Mr. Shears and head back to Swindon.
Together with his mother, Christopher moves into a new apartment and his father starts paying him frequent visits. Toby, Christopher's pet rat, dies and his father buys him a puppy. Christopher takes his A-level maths exam and gets an A*. As the book comes to a close, Christopher is looking forward to a bright future. As he solved the mystery surrounding Wellington's murder and had the courage to look for his mother, he is confident that he can accomplish all of his goals.
Characters
Christopher Boone | As a result of his autism, Christopher, a 15-year-old mathematician, experiences social rejection and misunderstanding. His life experience is broken down into a series of extreme likes and dislikes because he primarily sees the world in absolutes.
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Ed Boone | Christopher's lone father. He makes Christopher's meals and attends to his daily needs. Later, Christopher learns details about his life that he had long attempted to conceal.
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Judy Boone | Christopher's mother. She had a heart attack and passed away before the start of the novel. She was remembered as a loving but irritable woman who occasionally became overwhelmed by the challenges of raising Christopher.
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Mr. Shears | Previously employed by a local bank, Roger Shears abruptly left for London a few years ago, leaving Mrs. Shears behind.
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Mrs. Shears | Wellington, the dog who passes away at the start of the book, belongs to Mrs. Shears. She frequently lacks sympathy for Christopher, especially following Wellington's passing.
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Mrs. Alexander | Christopher has a lovely neighbour named Mrs. Alexander. She shows a natural willingness to understand his perspective by inviting him in for tea and expressing interest in his life.
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Siobhan | The principal instructor at Christopher's school. She tries to broaden Christopher's social and academic prospects.
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Relationships
Ed ↔ Christopher
The father and son bond between Ed and Christopher is loving but occasionally tense. When the school initially refuses to let Christopher take his Maths A-level, Ed, like his son, displays obstinate determination, which is one of his many admirable qualities. But occasionally, Ed becomes irate with Christopher.
Judy ↔ Christopher
Before discovering her letters to him hidden in his father's cupboard, Christopher spent two years believing his mother Judy was dead. Judy actually found that having Christopher as her son was too stressful and that Ed was taking better care of him, so she moved out.
Christopher ↔ Siobhan
Christopher's teacher is Siobhan. Christopher discusses his issues with her, and she looks through the notebook he uses to keep track of his research and write his stories. She is supportive and offers him guidance.
Themes
Social struggles
Christopher's autism has an impact on him in the book. His logical approach benefits him in some ways, but it also has negative effects on how he interacts with people in social situations. For a fifteen-year-old boy, Christopher has a very limited social circle, which illustrates the limited opportunities he will need to deal with as an adult, since most people aren't prepared to deal with Christopher's needs.
Independence
Like many teenage protagonists in coming-of-age stories, Christopher wants to be independent and discover his place in the world. Christopher wishes he could be more independent, but his autism prevents him from doing so. Gaining the self-assurance necessary to complete tasks on his own and stepping outside of his narrowly defined comfort zone are the main aspects of Christopher's struggle to become independent.
Logic
In both his life and his murder investigation, Christopher's logical outlook is both a help and a hindrance. Christopher uses logic to analyse his observations and come to logical conclusions, such as the incredibly accurate assertion that Wellington was likely killed by a friend of a friend and that the murderer had a grudge against Mrs. Shears. The reader is prompted to reconsider what is expected by society as a result of the contrast between Christopher and his father's use of logic and emotion.
Family
One could classify The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time as a family drama. The novel explores the concept of family and what it means throughout. Christopher comes from a disintegrated family. The effect this has had on his life as well, as the lives of his mother and father, must be dealt with. Through Ed and Judy, the concept of what constitutes a parent is further explored.
Key quotations
Quote | Explanation |
'He was asking too many questions and he was asking them too quickly. They were stacking up in my head like loaves in the factory where Uncle Terry works.'
| Social struggles
The narrator, Christopher Boone, is bombarded with questions and his brain is unable to keep up. |
'I do not tell lies. Mother used to say that this was because I was a good person. But it is not because I am a good person. It is because I can’t tell lies.'
| Independence
Christopher thinks that his inability to lie has more to do with his sense of order and truth than it does with his character. |
'I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them.'
| Logic
Christopher finds it pleasing and satisfying that prime numbers follow a particular sequence. |
'And Father said, “Christopher, do you understand that I love you?”'
| Family
Although Ed has a temper, he is always there for Christopher when he needs him. |
