Topic > Christopher's Journey in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

There are five significant quotes in the book The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. This novel centers on a 15-year-old boy with autism who investigates the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog and tracks what happens through his diary which is this book. The first quote is when Christopher Boone is in Mrs. Shear's yard, he finds that “the dog [is] dead. There [is] a garden fork sticking out of the dog” (1). This is probably the most crucial quote in the book; this accident is what begins the series of life-changing events Christopher is about to face. He is driven to uncover the mystery of who killed Mrs. Shears' dog, Wellington, but what he doesn't know is that it is a catalyst for many more conflicts to come. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Throughout the book, chapters are numbered only with prime numbers. That's because Chistopher, who is on the autism spectrum, feels comfortable and safe with these numbers. He says that “prime numbers are what remains when you eliminate all patterns” and thinks that prime numbers “are like life. They are very logical but [one] never [can] work out the rules, even if [one] spend[s] all [one's] time thinking about it” (12). This quote is significant because it gives readers insight into how the protagonist thinks; relies on logic, which is why he excels in math and science, but has difficulty understanding social rules used every day in life, such as facial expressions. Has poor social skills and is often unable to understand the principles behind them; but like prime numbers, accept the fact that he may never know the rules. Despite his social difficulties, Christopher doesn't let this weakness get him down. He declares that he will "prove that [he] [is] not stupid" and next month he will take his "A level in maths and [...] get an A grade" (44) which no one has ever achieved before. Furthermore, he plans to "get A-levels in maths and physics" (45) so he can go to university. This is one of many important examples of what his mentality is like and how strong he is. He wants to prove to others that he is not stupid. He recognizes his weaknesses and strengths and does not hesitate to set himself ambitious goals. During his journey to unmask Wellington's killer, he discovers that his father has been lying to him the entire time about his mother's death by reading letters to her in a hidden box. His mother did not have a “heart attack. [His] mother is not dead. [She] [has] been alive the whole time” (112). This is a crucial point in the story: Christopher becomes involved in another major conflict in addition to the mystery of the murdered dog. This time, he wants to find out why his father hid these secrets from him and why his mother left him. Therefore, a seed is planted in his head; He has to travel to London and find his mother, but he's not sure he can handle the loneliness without an adult to guide him along the way. But one thing is certain: his relationship with his father will never maintain the same trust as before. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Finally, after Christopher resolves both of his conflicts to find out who the killer was and ultimately find his mother, he reveals that he received an A on his A-level maths test. Then, he mentions all his future ambitions which involve obtaining an honors degree and becoming a scientist. Christopher knows that “[he] can do it because [he] went to London and solved the mystery of who he killed.