The_Curious_Incident_of_the_Dog_in_the_Night-Time

| Chapter Summaries | | (2-37): Wellingtons' murder. We are introduced to Christopher Boone. He is a 15 year-old boy who is autistic. The story is told from his perspective as he discovers many mysteries in his neighbourhood and his own life. The young boy comes across his neighbour, Mrs. Shears, dog Wellington impaled with a garden fork. After being found with te dog, he is intially blamed for the murder. After some instigating from his school teacher, Siohban, to write a book, he decides to write it on the mystery of Wellingtons death. Christoper expresses his logical thinking.  (37-97): Detective Work. After coming home from the police station, Christopher decides he is going to solve the case of Wellingtons' death. He begins questioning people to see if they had seen anything suspicious, but this lands him in trouble. He is told to stay out of it by his father. After Christopher tells him that he has a prime suspect, Mr.Shears (Mrs. Shears ex-husband), his father tells him he is an evil man and to never speak of him again. Christopher describes his logical thinking by explaining his reasonings for having good and bad days, becoming violent or scared. Also, his future goals and the death of his mother, 2 years prior, from a heart attack.   (97-101): Mrs. Alexander. Despite his fathers wishes, Christopher speaks to his neighbour, Mrs. Alexander. Trying to get information about Wellington's murderer, he asks her if she knows anything about Mr.Shears, his prime suspect, and why his father thinks he is evil. By accident she reveals that Christophers mother had been having an affair with Mr.Shears.   (101-127): Sherlock Holmes. Christopher describes his love for mathematics and great mystery novels. His idol is Sherlock Holmes. He loves the novels and looks up to him for inspirations to help him find Wellingtons' murderer. He also describes how his memory is like a film and that he can "Rewind, Fast Forward, and Pause" to specific dates, times, and events.   (127-149): Forgetting the Novel. Christophers father find the novel that he has been writting when it is left on the counter. After reading about Christopher's conversation with Mrs. Alexander he goes off the deep end. After stroking Christopher he leaves to have a beer. The next day he apolgizes and takes him to the zoo. Christopher explains his reasons for disliking the colours yellow and brown.  (149-163): Revealing the truth. The next day Christopher seaches his house for his novel when he realizes his father did not throw it out. When he finally finds it tucked away in an old cardboard box in his fathers room, he discovers letters addressed to himself. When he opened it he saw that the letter was signed from his mother and from a date after she had passed away. This made him confused and so he decided that it would become another mystery to solve.He waited 6 more days until he was alone and able to go back into his fathers room and find the letters again. They were all addressed to him asking him to please write back. When he realized his mother was actually alive and that his father had lied to him he became sick and fell asleep on his bed.   (163- 173): Revealing the Truth. After cleaning up Christopher his father begant o explain his reasons forlying. he finall y confessed to being Wellingtons murderer after an aruguement with Mrs.Shears. Christopher became really frightened and decided that he was not safe in his father's house. He decides to run away and first hides between his shed and fencing for the night where he feels safe.  (173-191): Running Away Christopher spends the night beside the shed trying to keep busy. He describs some of the costellations he knows from the sky and his theories about the stars. After debating on where he should run away to, he breaks into his house and steals his fathers cash card and packs some food and belongings. He decides that he will go and stay with his mother in London, knowing the adress from the letters she sent, he makes his way down to the Train Station. Along the way he explains that when he looks at things he sees every detail and this is why he does not like it in unfamiliar and crowded places.   (191-227): Running Away. Once Christopher finds his way to the train Station he sits down and trys to calm himself. Overwhelmed by all the people he isolates himself so that he is unaware of his surroundings. He fianlly finds his way to the ticket booth and onto the train. This is where is spotted by a police officer that tells him his father has called. His is too late to bring him off of the train as it begins to move so they await the next stop.During this time Christopher wets his pants and is told to go to the washroom. With the site of poo(brown) and the smell, he gets frightened and climbs into a luggage booth to calm down. The police officer looses site of him and he arrives in London.  (227-233): Willesden Junction. After fianlly arriving in London, Christopher asks for directions. He is told to follow Willesden Junction. He becomes frightened in this terminal because of the small size. He sits alone with his eye closed and ears covered for five hours until he feels safe enough to board the train.When his mother finds him outside of her apartment she is estatic. Bringing him inside , she learns the truth about her unanswered letters. Christopher's father shows up later that night, but is rejected by him. He leaves for his home in Swindon and threatens to go to the court for legal action.   (233): Starting Fresh Christopher becomes upset and uncomfotable in his mother's unfamiliar house. She becomes increasingly frustrated having to deal with her husband, Rodger Sheare who is not being very understanding of the situation. One night he has too much to drink and frightened Christopher much like his father did. Judy Boone makes the decision to leave Rodger Sheare and move back to Swindon.Her and Christopher move into a small apartment close to his fathers and share a legal agreement on when they see Christopher. He returns to school and recieves a Level A in his maths. Also, in asking for forgivness, Ed Boone apoligizes to Christopher and buys him a Golden retriever. The book leaves off Christopher trying to regain trust in his father. | ------------------------------------------------- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Christopher, a fifteen-year-old boy with behavioral problems, lives with his father; he explains that his mother, Judy, died two years ago. He discovers the dead body of Wellington, the neighbor’s dog, speared by a garden fork. Mrs. Shears, Wellington's owner, calls the police, and Christopher comes under suspicion. When a policeman touches him, he hits the policeman, and is arrested, then released with a caution. He decides to investigate the dog's death, despite his father's orders to stay out of other people's business. However, he is severely limited by his fears and difficulties when interpreting the world around him. Throughout his adventures, Christopher records his experiences in a book: a "murder mystery novel". During his investigation, Christopher meets people whom he has never before encountered, even though they live on the same street, including the elderly Mrs. Alexander, who informs Christopher that his mother had an affair with Mr. Shears and had been with him for a long time. Ed, his father, discovers the book and confiscates it from Christopher, after a brief fight between them. While searching for the confiscated book, Christopher uncovers a trove of letters which his mother wrote to him, dated after her supposed death, which his father has also hidden. He is so thoroughly shocked by his father lying about his mother's death that he is unable to move, curls up on the bed, vomits and groans for several hours until his father returns home. Ed realizes that Christopher has read the letters and cleans him up. He then confesses that he had indeed lied about Judy's death and also that it was he who killed Wellington, stating that it was a mistake resulting from his anger after a heated argument with Mrs. Shears. Christopher, having lost all trust in his father and fearing that Ed may try to kill him since he had already killed the dog, runs away. Guided by his mother's address from the letters, he embarks on an adventurous trip to London, where his mother lives with Mr. Shears. After a long and event-filled journey, evading policemen, and feeling ill from the overwhelmingly large amount of information and stimuli from the trains and crowds around him, he finally finds his way to his mother and Mr. Shears' home, and waits outside until they arrive. Judy is delighted that Christopher has come to her; she cannot believe that Ed would tell Christopher that she was dead. Mr. Shears doesn't want Christopher living with them and never did. Moreover, very soon after arriving, Christopher wants to return to Swenson in order to take his mathematics A-level. His mother leaves Mr. Shears, their relationship having broken down because of the conflict over Christopher. Judy then moves into a rented room in Swenson, and after an argument with Ed, agrees to let Ed meet Christopher for daily brief visits. However, at this stage, Christopher remains terrified of his father and makes repeated attempts to prevent him from talking. He hopes Ed will be imprisoned for killing Wellington. The story ends with Ed getting Christopher a pet dog, which he names Sandy after his colour, because Toby, Christopher's pet rat, had died, and promising that he will rebuild trust with Christopher slowly, "no matter how long it takes". Christopher asserts that he will take further A-level exams and attend university. He completes his first mathematics A-level with top grades and, despite previously wanting to be an astronaut; his ultimate goal is to become a scientist. The book ends with Christopher optimistic about his future, having solved the mystery of the murdered dog, gone to London on his own, found his mother, written a book, and achieved an A in his A-level math’s exam. ------------------------------------------------- Characters * Christopher John Francis Boone: The protagonist of the novel, who investigates the murder of Mrs. Shears' poodle. * Ed Boone: Christopher's father, a boiler engineer. Up to the beginning of the story, he has been living with Christopher as a single parent for two years. He is usually very patient and understanding with Christopher, but gradually becomes uncomfortable with his son's investigation. * Judy Boone: Christopher's mother. Early in the book, Christopher writes that she died of a heart attack two years before the book's events. Not much of an initial description is given, but Christopher describes more about her as the story proceeds. * Siobhan: Christopher's Para-professional, friend, and mentor. She teaches him how society works and how to behave within its complex guidelines. * Mr. Jevons: the psychologist at Christopher's school * Mr. Roger Shears: One of the neighbor who lived near the Boones, but has left his wife before the story begins and has an affair with Christopher's mother. * Mrs. Eileen Shears: Mr. Shears’ wife, who attempts to console Ed for a time after Christopher learns of his mother's death. * Mrs. Alexander: an old lady, who is one of Christopher's neighbors, who offers information to help Christopher's investigation regarding his parents and both the Shearses. * Wellington: Mrs. Shears’ large black poodle, which Christopher finds dead in her front yard. * Reverend Peters: the reverend of Christopher's local church. * Rhodri: One of Ed's friends who works with him in the boiler business. * Toby: Christopher's pet rat. * Sandy: A golden retriever given to Christopher towards the end of the book. * Julie: Christopher's aid before Siobhan