2.2.1

Genre

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Genre

The play can be seen as following the conventions, structures and themes of a variety of genres.

Detective/mystery

Detective/mystery

  • Part One of the play follows the typical structure of a mystery story with a crime committed at the beginning and a detective embarking on an investigation to solve the mystery and apprehend the guilty party.
Detective/mystery (cont.)

Detective/mystery (cont.)

  • At the beginning of Part Two, Siobhan mentions how Christopher enjoys “Sherlock Holmes stories”, and the very title of the play is taken word for word from a Sherlock Holmes story, The Adventure of Silver Blaze.
  • However, the play only functions as a mystery story for half of the play as Wellington’s murderer is revealed at the end of Part One.
Coming of age

Coming of age

  • The play is perhaps more usefully seen as a coming of age story (or ‘bildungsroman’) which follows its teenage protagonist, Christopher, on his journey towards independence and adulthood.
  • At the end of the play, Christopher lists his various triumphs (“I went to London on my own… I found my mother. I was brave”), highlighting how much he has grown and developed during the events recorded in the play.

Genre

The play can be seen as following the conventions, structures and themes of a variety of genres.

Quest

Quest

  • The two parts of the play can be read as separate quests.
    • In Part One, Christopher must venture out into Swindon to investigate the death of Wellington. As is typical in quests, he must overcome obstacles (in this case, his father’s lies and disapproval) to succeed.
    • In Part Two, Christopher’s journey to London in search of his mother can also be seen as a quest, with the various adult authority figures, such as the Station Policeman, posing problems that he must defeat.
Comedy

Comedy

  • Even though the play deals with serious topics such as domestic abuse and mental illness, there are many moments of laughter, from the verbal comedy and dramatic irony created during Christopher’s interactions with the adults in the play, to the slapstick comedy of Christopher’s escape from the Station Policeman while on the train to London.
Comedy (cont.)

Comedy (cont.)

  • Audiences and readers are left to judge for themselves whether the play has the ‘happy ending’ associated with comedies, but Christopher’s reconciliation with his mother and father provides hope and the promise of a new beginning.
Domestic/family drama

Domestic/family drama

  • The relationship between Christopher and his parents is at the core of the play.
  • Stephens examines how Christopher’s autism places the Boone family unit under severe strain, leading to his mother’s breakdown, his parents’ separation and Christopher running away from home.
  • The play deals with sensitive issues such as domestic abuse, alcohol abuse, relationship breakdowns and depression, all of which are typical ingredients of contemporary British domestic drama.
Jump to other topics
1

Introduction & Context

1.1

Novel & Play

1.1.1Mark Haddon's Novel (2003)1.1.2Simon Stephens' Adaptions (2012)
1.2

Christopher's Autism

1.2.1Christopher's Autism1.2.2End of Topic Test - Introduction & Context
2

Form, Structure & Language

2.1

Dramatic Devices

2.1.1Writing About the Text as a Playscript2.1.2Dramatic Devices
2.2

Genre & Structure

2.2.1Genre2.2.2Structure
2.3

Language

2.3.1Language2.3.2End of Topic Test - Form, Structure & Language
3

Text Summary & Analysis

3.1

Part One

3.1.1Discovering the Dead Dog & Christopher's Autism3.1.2The Policeman & Siobhan3.1.3The Police Station & Ed's Entry3.1.4Mother's Death & Beginning the Investigation3.1.5Ed's Frustrations & Revisiting Mrs Alexander3.1.6Remembering Judy & "Fight" Scene3.1.7Judy's Letters3.1.8Ed's Confession3.1.9End of Topic Test - Part One3.1.10End of Topic Test - Part One 2
3.2

Part Two

3.2.1Preparing to Run Away & Train Station3.2.2On the Train & Arriving in London3.2.3On the Tube & Arriving at Judy's House3.2.4Policeman, Ed Visits & Tensions3.2.5Back in Swindon & New Beginnings3.2.6The End & Maths Appendix3.2.7End of Topic Test - Part Two3.2.8End of Topic Test - Part Two cont....
4

Themes

4.1

Themes

4.1.1Independence4.1.2Parenting4.1.3Order & Disorder4.1.4End of Topic Test - Themes
5

Recap: Main Quotes

5.1

Part One - Quotes

5.1.1The Dead Dog & Christopher's Autism - Quotations5.1.2The Policeman & Siobhan - Quotations5.1.3The Police Station & Ed's Entry - Quotations5.1.4Mother's Death & Investigation - Quotations5.1.5Ed's Frustrations & Mrs Alexander - Quotations5.1.6Remembering Judy & "Fight" Scene - Quotations5.1.7Judy's Letters & Ed's Confession - Quotations
5.2

Part Two - Quotes

5.2.1Preparing to Run Away & Train Station - Quotations5.2.2On the Train & Arriving in London - Quotations5.2.3On the Tube & Judy's House - Quotations5.2.4Policeman, Ed Visits & Tensions - Quotations5.2.5Back in Swindon & New Beginnings - Quotations5.2.6The End & Maths Appendix - Quotations
5.3

Themes - Quotes

5.3.1Independence - Quotes5.3.2Parenting - Quotes5.3.3Order & Disorder - Quotes

Practice questions on Genre

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    When is Wellington’s murderer revealed?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What does 'bildungsroman' mean?Multiple choice
  3. 3
    What does Part One of the story follow the typical structure of?Multiple choice
  4. 4
    What provides hope and promise of a new beginning at the end of the play?Multiple choice
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Dramatic Devices

Structure