The characters in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - CCEA - GCSE English Literature Revision

Characters in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

The action in Simon Stephens' play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (adapted from Mark Haddon's novel) revolves around the Christopher Boone.

Initially, the audience watches him interact with Mrs Shears (the owner of Wellington the dog), his teacher, Siobhan, and his father, Ed. Once Christopher begins his investigation into the murder of Wellington he comes into contact with Mrs Alexander, his elderly neighbour, and as his story moves to London he makes contact with Judy, his mother whom he thought was dead, and her boyfriend, Roger who was married to Mrs Shears.

Christopher meets a number of minor characters along the way including 'Man with Socks', 'Punk Girl', a number of policemen, Reverend Peters and his head teacher, Mrs Gascoyne.

Christopher Boone

Photo from a from a UK tour of Gielgud theatre production of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time showing Graham Butler as Christopher Boone holding some toy train tracks — Image caption,
Christopher finds the world around him confusing

Christopher Boone is a very talented 15-year-old. He knows a lot about space and mathematics – he also finds people confusing and notices the tiniest details about the world around him that most people would ignore. He and his father Ed are very similar in that they are both quite stubborn and determined.

While the unique behaviours he presents could suggest that he is on the spectrum, it is important to realise that this is never mentioned directly in the play.

The audience watch as Christopher investigates the killing of Wellington the dog, then travels to London to find his mother and finally takes his Maths A-level. During the course of his journey, he learns that he can achieve anything that he puts his mind to.

Christopher often behaves in a way that some people might consider unacceptable. However, could it be that Stephens uses Christopher to make the audience question their own ideas about what is 'normal' behaviour? By the end of the play, the audience realises that Christopher, despite his behaviour is a human being just like them, with the same hopes and fears and that there is no definition of 'normal'.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

This video can not be played

The actor Luke Treadaway, who played Christopher in the National Theatre production, talks about his understanding and interpretation of the character

Character trait and explanation	Evidence	Analysis
Finds people confusing In some of his interactions with other characters, Christopher shows that he can find people difficult to understand. For example, when the police officer is asking him lots of questions and he responds by groaning. He is aware of this issue and writes it in his journal.	"I find people confusing. This is for two main reasons. The first main reason is that people do a lot of talking without using any words"…"The second main reason is that people often talk using ."	This shows that Christopher struggles to understand facial expressions which can impact how he interacts with people. It also shows that he cannot understand metaphors or abstract ideas like "I am going to seriously lose my rag" because he takes things very literally.
Talented Christopher continuously shows that he has a great understanding of very complicated astrological and mathematical ideas. For example he explains why the sky is dark at night to a confused Ed.	"The stars were all rushing away from one another after the Big Bang and the further the stars were moving away from us the faster they were moving, some of them nearly as fast as the speed of light, which was why their light never reached us."	Christopher shows that he has a very clear understanding of complicated ideas about the universe. This is especially impressive considering he is only 15 years old.
Determined Christopher's continued determination helps him get to London by himself and helps him to take and pass his Maths A-level, even though he is only 15.	"I am going to get an A grade. And that is why I have to go back to Swindon. Except I can’t see father. So I have to go back to Swindon with you."*	The language Christopher uses indicates clearly how determined he can be. He states with confidence that he will get an "A* grade" and that he "has" to go back to Swindon with his mother. Despite her initial reservations his mother cannot refuse his request.

Ed Boone

Ed is Christopher's father. Ed and Christopher have a loving but at times tense relationship.

Ed has some very good traits, he is very patient and caring with Christopher and, like his son, he shows stubborn determination when the school initially won't allow Christopher to take his Maths A-level. However, on occasions Ed loses his temper with Christopher – in one scene he and Christopher actually have a fight.

As Christopher investigates the murder of Wellington the dog, he and the audience discover two disturbing truths about Ed – that he lied to Christopher about his mother's death and that he killed Wellington. These revelations cause a complete breakdown in Ed and Christopher's relationship – it is not until the end of the play that Christopher begins to trust him again.

Ed sometimes gets frustrated with Christopher and loses his temper. At one stage this results in an actual fight. However, Stephens wants us to see that this is not because of Christopher's unique behaviours. Living with people and parenting in general can be very challenging. In fact, Ed doesn’t see Christopher's conduct as strange – as Judy says, he just "gets on with it" and tries to help him get through day to day challenges like any good parent would.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

This video can not be played

Sean Gleeson, who played Ed, explains the tense and strained relationship between Christopher and Ed

Character trait and explanation	Evidence	Analysis
Determined Ed shows his determination when he stubbornly fights for Christopher to do his Maths A-level in school.	"Mrs Gascoyne: 'Mr Boone, nobody has ever taken an A-level in the school before.' Ed: 'He can be the first then.' Mrs Gascoyne: 'I don't know if we have the facilities in the school to allow him to do that.' Ed: 'Then get the facilities.'"	Ed shows that he will not take 'no' for an answer from the head teacher Mrs Gascoyne. Ed is determined to get the best for his son in the same way Christopher is determined to go to London and later take his A-level.
Caring and patient Ed is frequently caring and patient with Christopher, he puts up with Christopher’s sometimes unusual habits and behaviours.	"Ed: 'Christopher, do you understand that I love you?' Ed holds his right hand up and spreads his fingers out in a fan. Christopher does the same with his left hand. They make their fingers and thumbs touch each other."	Ed is open about his feelings for Christopher and tells him very plainly and clearly that he loves him. The stage directions show how Ed and Christopher interact physically, it is a sign of how close they are – Christopher normally reacts violently if touched.
Fiery-tempered Ed shows on a number of occasions that he has a fiery temper. Hitting Christopher is an example of this.	"Ed: 'I ask you to do one thing for me, Christopher. One thing.' Christopher: 'I didn't want to talk to Mrs Alexander. It was Mrs Alexander who…' Ed grabs Christopher’s arm. Christopher screams. They fight each other. Ed shakes Christopher hard with both hands. Christopher falls unconscious for a few seconds. Ed stands above him."	Although it doesn't say that Ed hits Christopher in the stage directions, Ed later apologises for hitting him. Seeing this scene on stage is shocking for the audience and they see that Ed can have an explosive temper. It is important to remember that Ed is not a villain. Although his use of violence cannot be condoned, he is only human. The audience can empathise with him losing his temper. His wife left him for a neighbour, his relationships with both his wife and Mrs Shears did not work out and he is caring for Christopher by himself. He has a lot to be stressed about, which may explain his temper.

Judy Boone

Judy is Christopher's mother. At the start of the play, Christopher thinks that she died, two years ago after going to hospital. The audience finds out that this is not true when Christopher discovers a number of letters she has sent to him during his investigation of the killing of Wellington the dog.

Through these letters the audience discovers that Judy struggled to cope with Christopher and his unusual behaviours. Her relationship with Ed was under enormous strain and she felt that she wasn't as good at coping with Christopher as Ed was. She left the family home in Swindon and went to live in London with Roger Shears with whom she was having an affair. Judy is honest and open about her shortcomings to Christopher and she reveals that she has a fun-loving and romantic outlook on life.

Judy is not like Ed. She struggles with Christopher's behaviour whilst he copes with it. She mentions the time they went to the department store and Christopher had an episode - she could not help him and found the whole incident very upsetting. She also hints that she would like an easier more 'normal' life, presumably without Christopher. This is very sad, but Stephens does not make Judy the villain – the audience can sympathise with her as she still loves Christopher dearly.

To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.

This video can not be played

Explore the different ways that Judy is presented in the play

Character trait and explanation	Evidence	Analysis
Honest Judy is honest in the letters she writes explaining her feelings and failures to Christopher.	"I'm not like your father. Your father is a much more patient person. He just gets on with things and if things upset him he doesn't let it show."	It must be hard for Judy to be this honest – she admits failure in her lack of patience and openly explains to Christopher why she left. Ed avoids being this honest with Christopher until the end of the play. She clearly knows herself well too, like Christopher does.
Romantic Judy reveals that she has an active and romantic imagination - the audience discover this as she describes how her life could have been in a flashback sequence.	"If I hadn't married your father I think I'd be living in a little farmhouse in the South of France with someone called Jean. And he'd be, ooh, a local handyman."	Judy shows her romantic view of the life she could have had if she had not married Ed. This sadly shows that she was not satisfied with life as she knew it, she couldn’t just "get on with things" like Ed could.
Struggles to cope with Christopher In another reflection of her honesty Judy admits that she found it hard to cope with Christopher at times. She describes how she felt after an argument with Christopher resulted in her having broken toes.	"And I remember looking at the two of you and seeing you together and thinking how you were really different with him. Much calmer… And it made me so sad because it was like you didn't need me at all."	Judy feels, rightly or wrongly, that Christopher is calmer around his father. This realisation comes after she lost her temper and Christopher threw a chopping board and it hit her foot, breaking her toes. She felt as if Ed and Christopher were better off without her.

Siobhan

Siobhan is Christopher's teacher.

Christopher talks to her about his problems and she reads the notebook in which Christopher records his investigation and writes his stories. She is very encouraging and gives him advice about what he should and shouldn't do.

She acts as an interesting as sometimes she can a scene as she reads from Christopher's book, and at other times she can appear as a calming voice in Christopher's head to guide him through a difficult situation.

Character trait and explanation	Evidence	Analysis
Encouraging Siobhan offers Christopher encouragement as he is writing his book.	"But you can still be very proud because what you've written so far is just, well it's great."	We see that Siobhan is a very encouraging teacher and wants Christopher to feel proud of his achievements. She eventually encourages him to turn his book into a play to perform at school.
Calming When Christopher is trying to navigate the London Underground Siobhan appears as a calming voice in Christopher's head, helping him to cope with the challenge.	"In your head imagine a big red line across the floor. It starts at your feet and goes through the tunnel. And walk along the line. And count the rhythm in your head because that helps doesn’t it?"	Siobhan helps Christopher stay calm through this difficult situation by reminding him of strategies that they must have discussed in class. This also shows that Siobhan knows Christopher well because she relates the problem to rhythm which must be something Christopher can use to make things easier for himself.
Dramatic device Siobhan acts as a dramatic device – she is a narrator, or a voice in Christopher's head. This means that the action can move location and time rapidly and fluidly. Sometimes she can also be Christopher's voice as she reads from his book.	"Sometimes when I want to be on my own I get into the airing cupboard and slide in beside the boiler and pull the door closed behind me and sit there and think for hours and it makes me feel very calm."	Siobhan is reading from Christopher's book and so is acting as his voice and giving the audience an insight into some of his behaviours. This means that all of this information about Christopher can come from a variety of places, not just from him.

Roger Shears

Roger Shears becomes the prime suspect in Christopher's investigation of the murder of Wellington the dog. He is the only person Christopher can think of that might not like Mrs Shears, as they are divorced.

The audience meets Roger when Christopher goes to London to find his mother. During Christopher's stay at their flat, he is initially reluctantly accommodating but increasingly loses his patience with him, becoming more and more sarcastic and eventually losing his temper with Christopher.

Photo from a stage production of Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time showing Roger Shears, Christopher and Judy — Image caption,
Roger Shears (right) loses his temper with Christopher

Character trait and explanation	Evidence	Analysis
Lacks understanding Roger can be quite sarcastic about the way Judy looks after Christopher. He lacks understanding of Christopher's behaviour.	"A gold star. Well that’s very original I have to say."	Roger shows a lack of understanding of Christopher's behaviour and does not appreciate that he needs encouragement to eat at this point in the play. Although strategies like this seem childish, they might help Christopher.
Short-tempered At first Roger accommodates Christopher when he arrives at the flat but eventually he grows tired of the strain he puts on his relationship with Judy, which results in him aggressively grabbing Christopher.	"You think you're so clever don't you? Don't you ever, ever think about other people for one second, eh? Well I bet you’re really pleased with yourself now aren't you?"	Roger asks Christopher this series of questions whilst he is drunk. They reveal how little he understands Christopher and his unique behaviour. Christopher is very clever but he is not arrogant and, whilst he doesn't actively do things for others, he is not selfish.

Mrs Alexander

Mrs Alexander is an elderly lady who lives on Christopher's street. He sees her as a stranger and visits her during the course of his investigation.

She is kind and welcoming whenever she sees Christopher but the audience might see her as a gossip when she reveals to Christopher that his mother had an affair with Mr Shears.

Character trait and explanation	Evidence	Analysis
Kind Mrs Alexander is very welcoming and kind when Christopher first visits her during his investigation.	"I'm afraid marzipan is yellow too. Perhaps I should bring out some biscuits instead. Do you like biscuits?"	Mrs Alexander kindly tries to accommodate Christopher by offering him biscuits when she discovers he doesn't like the colour yellow and so won't eat Battenberg cake. It is likely that she is so kind because she is lonely and will do anything to get a visitor to stay.
Gossip Mrs Alexander is at first reluctant to discuss Mr Shears with Christopher but eventually she discusses his mother's affair directly with him. This could be seen as gossiping.	"I am going to say something to you and you must promise not to tell your father that I told you this."	Mrs Alexander knows that she should not be discussing the details of the affair with Christopher so she tries to make him keep it a secret. It could be argued that she feels that she is doing the right thing but it is not very responsible of her to discuss this information with Christopher.