50 Important Quotes You Should Pay Attention to in ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time’

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#11: “I used to think that Mother and Father might get divorced. That was because they had lots of arguments and sometimes they hated each other. This was because of the stress of looking after someone who has Behavioural Problems like I have.”

• Characters: Christopher, about mother and father
• Technique: Capitalisation, factual tone, simple language
• Chapter 73

Truth and Lying Quotes from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

#12: “He had a very hairy nose. It looked as if there were two very tiny mice hiding in his nostrils.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Humour, simile, truncated sentence, absurdity
• Chapter 31

Analysis:

The quote reflects Christopher’s tendency to describe things in a very literal and matter-of-fact manner. Christopher has a heightened attention to detail and an eye for the unusual, which leads him to make observations that are often atypical and surprising. The phrase “It looked as if there were two very tiny mice hiding in his nostrils” highlights Christopher’s imaginative and playful perspective, and speaks to his tendency to see the world in a unique way.

The line is an important moment in the novel, as it underscores Christopher’s unique perspective on the world and his tendency to see things in a way that others might not.

#13: “Metaphors… should be called a lie because a pig is not like a day and people do not have skeleton in their cupboards.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Humour
• Chapter 29

#14: “And I said ‘Yes’, because loving someone is helping them when they get into trouble, and looking after them, and telling them the truth, and father look after me when I get into trouble… and he always tells me the truth, which means that he loves me”

• Characters: Christopher, about Father
• Technique: Run-on sentence, repetition
• Chapter 137

#15: “This is a murder mystery novel”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: First person narration, meta, truncated sentence
• Chapter 7

#16: “This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them.”

• Characters: Christpoher
• Technique: Meta, truncated sentence, irony
• Chapter 13

Analysis:

Christopher has a tendency to interpret language literally, which can make it difficult for him to distinguish between a joke and a genuine statement. The phrase “I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them” highlights Christopher’s difficulties in understanding humor and his lack of interest in it.

#17: “I do not tell lies. Mother used to say 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.”

• Characters: Christopher, mother
• Technique: Factual tone, truncated sentences
• Chapter 37

#18: “This is called a white lie. A white lie is not a lie at all. It is where you tell the truth but you do not tell all of the truth.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Justification, truncated sentence, irony
• Chapter 79

#19: “It’s bloody hard telling the truth all the time.”

• Characters: Father
• Technique: Colloquial language
• Chapter 167

#20: “Mother had not had a heart attack. Mother had not died. Mother had been alive all the time. And Father had lied about this”

• Characters: Christopher, about Father
• Technique: Truncated sentence, cumulative listing, repetition
• Chapter 157

Growing Up and Family Quotes from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

#21: “It was like all the signs were shouting in my head”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Simile
• Chapter 179

#22: “I went to London on my own, and because I solved the mystery of Who Killed Wellington? And I found my mother and I was brave and I wrote a book and that means I can do anything” 

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Rhetorical question, cumulative listing
• Chapter 233

#23: “Normally I would have got more and more frightened if I was walking to school because I had never done it before.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Internal monologue, repetition
• Chapter 179 

Analysis:

The quote reflects Christopher’s tendency to experience anxiety and fear in unfamiliar or unpredictable situations. Christopher has difficulty navigating new and challenging experiences, which can often lead to feelings of fear and uncertainty. The phrase “Normally I would have got more and more frightened if I was walking to school because I had never done it before” highlights Christopher’s difficulties in adapting to new situations, and his tendency to become increasingly anxious in unfamiliar environments.

The line is an important moment in the novel, as it underscores Christopher’s difficulties in navigating the world around him. It also highlights the themes of resilience, courage, and the ways in which people with different abilities and perspectives understand and experience the world. This quote is an important reminder of the difficulties that can arise when we are faced with new and challenging experiences, and the importance of perseverance and determination in overcoming these challenges.

#24: “I do not like strangers because I do not like people I have never met before”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Anaphora
• Chapter 67

#25: “So talking to other people in our street was brave. But if you are going to do detective work you have to be brave, so I had no choice.”

• Characters: Christopher 
• Technique: Factual tone, statement
• Chapter 67

#26: “If you are a detective you have to Take Risks, and this was a Super Good Day, which meant it was a good day for Taking Risks, so I said, “Do you know Mr Shears?” which was chatting”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Capitalisation, irony due to the lack of logic 
• Chapter 67

#27: “Sometimes you look at the menu and you have to choose what you are going to have. But you don’t know if you are going to like something because you haven’t tasted it yet, so you have favourite foods and you choose these, and you have foods you don’t like and you don’t choose these, and then it is simple”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Run-on sentence, breaking the fourth wall
• Chapter 131

#28: “And then I thought I could go and live with Mother because she was my family and I knew where she lived”

• Characters: Christopher, about mother
• Technique: Internal monologue, run-on sentence
• Chapter 179

#29: “And I said, “I have to go back because I have to sit my maths A level.”

• Characters: Christopher, talking to his mother
• Technique: Anaphora
• Chapter 233 

Analysis:

The quote refers to Christopher’s decision to return home from his journey to London, despite the many challenges and difficulties he has faced along the way. Christopher is motivated by his commitment to sit his Maths A-level, a standardised test in mathematics that is required for higher education in the UK. This quote highlights Christopher’s determination and focus, as well as his love for mathematics.

The line is an important moment in the novel, as it speaks to the themes of determination and resilience, and underscores the idea that even in the face of great challenges, we can find the strength to pursue our goals and dreams. This quote is an important reminder of the importance of perseverance, commitment, and focus, and the ways in which these qualities can help us achieve our aspirations and succeed in life.

Unpredictability of Life

#30: “Also Doctor Watson says about Sherlock Holmes…his mind…was busy in endeavouring to frame some scheme into which all these strange and apparently disconnected episodes could be fitted. And that is what I am trying to do by writing this book.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Intertextuality, meta 
• Chapter 107

#31: “The dog was dead, there was a garden fork sticking out of the dog”

• Characters: Christopher, the dog
• Technique: Factual tone, lack of emotive language, lack of descriptive language
• Chapter 2

#32: “Father said that he didn’t know what kind of heart attack she had and now wasn’t the moment to be asking questions like that”

• Characters: Christopher, about Father
• Technique: Humour
• Chapter 53

Analysis:

The quote suggests that Christopher’s father is in the midst of a difficult and emotional situation, likely related to the sudden illness or death of someone close to him.

The phrase “now wasn’t the moment to be asking questions like that” highlights the tension and emotional difficulty of the moment, and suggests that Christopher’s father is not in a place to respond to questions about the situation. This quote speaks to the themes of loss, grief, and the difficulties that can arise when we are faced with emotional trauma.

The line is an important moment in the novel, as it underscores the power of emotions to impact our lives and the importance of compassion and understanding when navigating difficult situations. This quote is an important reminder of the ways in which we can support one another through tough times, and the importance of being there for one another when we need it most.

#33: “You have to learn to trust me … And I don’t care how long it takes…”

• Characters: Father, to Christopher
• Technique: Imperative language 
• Chapter 233 

#34: “I like the police. They have uniforms and numbers and you know what they are meant to be doing.”

• Characters: Christopher, about police men
• Technique: Truncated sentence, factual statement, irony
• Chapter 11

#35: “Mr Jeavons said that I liked maths because it was safe… what he meant was that maths wasn’t like life because in life there are no straightforward answers at the end.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Simile
• Chapter 101

#36: “It was an envelope addressed to me and it was lying under my book in the shirt box with some other envelopes. I picked it up. It had never been opened.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Truncated sentence, observational tone
• Chapter 149

#37: “And this is why I like timetables, because they make sure you don’t get lost in time.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Logical tone, metaphor
• Chapter 193

Analysis:

Christopher finds comfort in the predictability of timetables and the sense of security they provide, as they help him to understand and navigate the world around him.

In this sense, the quote speaks to the theme of coping mechanisms and the different ways that people can make sense of the world. It is a reminder that everyone has their own unique ways of navigating the world, and that it is important to respect and understand these differences.

The quote is also significant because it underscores the importance of providing support for people with autism and other neurodivergent conditions. By offering stability and structure, we can help those who struggle with understanding the world to feel more secure and confident, and to make sense of the world in a way that works best for them.

Order and Logic Quotes from The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time

#38: “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.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Simile
• Chapter 19

#39: “So I did a maths problem to make my head clearer”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Factual tone
• Chapter 191

#40: “I have to close my eyes and put my hands over my ears and groan, which is like pressing CTRL + ALT + DEL and shutting down programs and turning the computer off and rebooting”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Intertextuality, graphic, simile
• Chapter 181

Analysis:

The quote is a metaphor for how Christopher copes with sensory overload or emotional distress. He compares this process to shutting down a computer, suggesting that his brain is like a computer that needs to be rebooted in order to function properly.

The metaphor highlights the way in which Christopher experiences the world differently than neurotypical people, as well as his need for a structured and predictable environment in order to feel comfortable and in control.

#41: “And this shows that intuition can sometimes get things wrong. And intuition is what people use in life to make decisions. But logic can help you work out the right answer.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Anaphora, tricolon
• Chapter 101

#42: “For example, if people say things which don’t make sense, like, “See you later, alligator,” or “You’ll catch your death in that,” I do a Search and see if I have ever heard someone say this before.”

• Characters: Christopher, about society
• Technique: Rhyme, idioms
• Chapter 113

#43: “I had to get out of the house. Father had murdered Wellington. That meant he could murder me”

• Characters: Christopher, about Father
• Technique: Tricolon, logical tone, irony
• Chapter 167

#44: “And it is funny because economists are not real scientists, and because logicians think more clearly, but mathematicians are best.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Joke, irony, absurd tone
• Chapter 181

Analysis:

The quote reflects Christopher’s view of the hierarchy of academic disciplines. He believes that mathematicians are the best of all, followed by logicians, then economists. He considers economists to not be “real” scientists, which shows his preference for mathematical and logical reasoning over other forms of thinking.

This perspective is not uncommon among people with autism, who often have a strong affinity for systems, patterns, and logic. Christopher’s view also speaks to the theme of identity, as he defines himself and others by their academic disciplines and abilities.

The quote is significant because it provides a unique insight into Christopher’s perspective and the way he views the world. It highlights his focus on categorising and organising information, as well as his preference for objective, quantitative information over subjective, qualitative information.

#45: “In the bus on the way to school next morning we passed 4 cars in a row, which meant that it was a Good Day, so I decided not to be sad about Wellington.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Superstitious tone which is ironic
• Chapter 47

#46: “Being clever was when you looked at how things were and used the evidence to work out something new”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Logical tone
• Chapter 47

#47: “Father said I was never to mention Mr Shear’s name in our house again and that he was an evil man and maybe that meant he was the person who killed Wellington”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Tricolon, logical tone, absurd 
• Chapter 89

#48: “I don’t feel sad about it. Because Mother is dead. And because Mr Shears isn’t around anymore. So I would be feeling sad about something that isn’t real and doesn’t exist. And that would be stupid”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Irony, truncated sentence
• Chapter 109

#49: “My memory is like a film. That is why I am really good at remembering things, like the conversations I have written down in this book, and what people were wearing, and what they smelled like”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Simile, cumulative listing
• Chapter 113

#50: “Which meant that the letter was posted on 16 October 1997, which was 18 months after Mother had died.”

• Characters: Christopher
• Technique: Factual tone
• Chapter 139