Source: https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-2-the-policeman-and-siobhan [Revision notes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes.md) › [GCSE](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse.md) › [English Lit](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature.md) › [AQA](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa.md) › [English Lit: AQA GCSE The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time.md) › The Policeman & Siobhan # The Policeman & Siobhan English Lit: AQA GCSE The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, topic 3.1.2 ## The Policeman's Entry Despite the horror of what has happened to Mrs Shears’ dog, Stevens creates comedy from the entrance of the police officer. ### Humour - policeman's frustration ![Humour - policeman's frustration](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-08/d575bb01-78fc-4a3b-a04a-d33880dddf2c/policeman-police-.png) - The policeman’s dialogue with Christopher contains several comic moments, particularly the officer’s frustrations when dealing with Christopher. - E.g. the policeman’s sardonic (sarcastic) response to Christopher telling him that the dog is dead (**“I’d got that far”**) and the policeman’s ironic response to Christopher beginning to groan in distress (**“Terrific”**). - Such moments create dramatic irony as, while the audience can detect the policeman’s sarcasm, Christopher does not seem to. ### Humour - literal responses ![Humour - literal responses](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/df357add-708f-45c9-8be1-2b3807d41145/Comedy-Laughing-Laughter-Man-Chuckle.jpg) - Christopher’s literal responses to the policeman’s questions also create humour. - E.g. when Christopher is asked what he is doing in Mrs Shears’ garden, he responds by saying, **“I’m talking to you”**. - When the policeman asks Christopher why he is in Mrs Shears’ garden, he responds to the literal meaning of the policeman’s question, another sign of his autism. ### Climax - Christopher hits ![Climax - Christopher hits](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-07/16e63fe9-4de6-49f2-9d01-6916a6161335/Punching-PunchBag-Fist-Fight.jpg) - The scene builds to an unexpected climax with a sudden moment of physical comedy – Christopher **“hits”** the policeman in response to being touched. - Both characters’ reactions to this moment, **“neither entirely sure what to say”**, adds to the awkwardness and therefore the comedy. ### Humour - threatening Christopher ![Humour - threatening Christopher](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-08/e5c6600d-cbcf-4c7b-af14-340ff217036f/angry-.png) - The policeman’s loss of dignity and composure creates a further comic moment, as he is unable to stop himself from threatening Christopher: **“if you try any of that monkey business again you little shit I am going to seriously lose my rag”**. ### Relationship with adults ![Relationship with adults](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/ec0e84b7-4606-4c3d-86bf-05ceec437b42/argue-arguement-couple-angry-anger-shout-.png) - Already, Christopher’s behaviour has caused two adults to lose their temper with him. - Christopher’s relationship with the adult world will become a key theme of the play. ## Christopher and Siobhan After the scene in Mrs Shears’ garden, there is a short scene in which Siobhan addresses the audience, reading from Christopher’s notebook. ### Purposes of these scenes ![Purposes of these scenes](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2019-04/3490ec84-49b2-46f7-b8c1-9023c964e4aa/notebook-pen-paper-write-journalist-reporter-report-notes-.jpg) - In these scenes, Siobhan’s reading from the notebook allows her to be used as a narrator, revealing Christopher’s thoughts to the audience. ### "I find people confusing" !["I find people confusing"](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/e6a1b233-8587-4864-88c2-5db4ce7bc7c6/question-mark-1872665_1920.jpg) - The key quotation in this short scene is Christopher’s opening sentence: **“I find people confusing”**. - It reveals Christopher’s difficulties in communicating with those around him because of his difficulty understanding and interpreting language that is not strictly literal and clear-cut. - Again, Stephens foregrounds a key aspect of Christopher’s autism: his difficulty ‘reading’, and therefore responding appropriately to, other people. ### Fluid narrative ![Fluid narrative](https://image-v2.cdn.app.senecalearning.com/2018-08/9a18cb23-5ad4-48c8-a5cd-e1d586602b0a/police-station.jpg) - After a brief exchange of dialogue between Christopher and Siobhan, the scene transitions instantly to the following scene set in the police station. - As Stephens signals at the beginning of the play, **“scenes run into one another without interruption”** regardless of shifts in time or place, and Stephens now returns to the main plotline. ## Test yourself on The Policeman & Siobhan - What's the climax of the scene with the policeman? - What literal response does Christopher have when the policeman asks why he is in Mrs Shears' garden? - What is Siobhan reading from? - How does Stevens describe scene changes at the beginning of the play? [Practise this topic for free](https://app.senecalearning.com/classroom/course/c51c35b0-2300-4be9-84a2-7df3eda285e1/section/4cc283c6-5564-473d-8eec-9bd76cf2b19d/session) - Previous topic: [3.1.1 Discovering the Dead Dog & Christopher's Autism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-1-discovering-the-dead-dog-and-christophers-autism.md) - Next topic: [3.1.3 The Police Station & Ed's Entry](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-3-the-police-station-and-eds-entry.md) ## English Lit: AQA GCSE The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time contents ### 1 Introduction & Context - 1.1 Novel & Play - [1.1.1 Mark Haddon's Novel (2003)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/1-1-1-mark-haddons-novel-2003.md) - [1.1.2 Simon Stephens' Adaptions (2012)](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/1-1-2-simon-stephens-adaptions-2012.md) - 1.2 Christopher's Autism - [1.2.1 Christopher's Autism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/1-2-1-christophers-autism.md) - [1.2.2 End of Topic Test - Introduction & Context](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/1-2-2-end-of-topic-test-introduction-and-context.md) ### 2 Form, Structure & Language - 2.1 Dramatic Devices - [2.1.1 Writing About the Text as a Playscript](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/2-1-1-writing-about-the-text-as-a-playscript.md) - [2.1.2 Dramatic Devices](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/2-1-2-dramatic-devices.md) - 2.2 Genre & Structure - [2.2.1 Genre](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/2-2-1-genre.md) - [2.2.2 Structure](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/2-2-2-structure.md) - 2.3 Language - [2.3.1 Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/2-3-1-language.md) - [2.3.2 End of Topic Test - Form, Structure & Language](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/2-3-2-end-of-topic-test-form-structure-and-language.md) ### 3 Text Summary & Analysis - 3.1 Part One - [3.1.1 Discovering the Dead Dog & Christopher's Autism](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-1-discovering-the-dead-dog-and-christophers-autism.md) - [3.1.2 The Policeman & Siobhan](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-2-the-policeman-and-siobhan.md) - [3.1.3 The Police Station & Ed's Entry](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-3-the-police-station-and-eds-entry.md) - [3.1.4 Mother's Death & Beginning the Investigation](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-4-mothers-death-and-beginning-the-investigation.md) - [3.1.5 Ed's Frustrations & Revisiting Mrs Alexander](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-5-eds-frustrations-and-revisiting-mrs-alexander.md) - [3.1.6 Remembering Judy & "Fight" Scene](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-6-remembering-judy-and-fight-scene.md) - [3.1.7 Judy's Letters](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-7-judys-letters.md) - [3.1.8 Ed's Confession](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-8-eds-confession.md) - [3.1.9 End of Topic Test - Part One](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-9-end-of-topic-test-part-one.md) - [3.1.10 End of Topic Test - Part One 2](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-1-10-end-of-topic-test-part-one-2.md) - 3.2 Part Two - [3.2.1 Preparing to Run Away & Train Station](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-1-preparing-to-run-away-and-train-station.md) - [3.2.2 On the Train & Arriving in London](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-2-on-the-train-and-arriving-in-london.md) - [3.2.3 On the Tube & Arriving at Judy's House](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-3-on-the-tube-and-arriving-at-judys-house.md) - [3.2.4 Policeman, Ed Visits & Tensions](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-4-policeman-ed-visits-and-tensions.md) - [3.2.5 Back in Swindon & New Beginnings](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-5-back-in-swindon-and-new-beginnings.md) - [3.2.6 The End & Maths Appendix](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-6-the-end-and-maths-appendix.md) - [3.2.7 End of Topic Test - Part Two](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-7-end-of-topic-test-part-two.md) - [3.2.8 End of Topic Test - Part Two cont....](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/3-2-8-end-of-topic-test-part-two-cont.md) ### 4 Themes - 4.1 Themes - [4.1.1 Independence](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/4-1-1-independence.md) - [4.1.2 Parenting](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/4-1-2-parenting.md) - [4.1.3 Order & Disorder](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/4-1-3-order-and-disorder.md) - [4.1.4 End of Topic Test - Themes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/4-1-4-end-of-topic-test-themes.md) ### 5 Recap: Main Quotes - 5.1 Part One - Quotes - [5.1.1 The Dead Dog & Christopher's Autism - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-1-the-dead-dog-and-christophers-autism-quotations.md) - [5.1.2 The Policeman & Siobhan - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-2-the-policeman-and-siobhan-quotations.md) - [5.1.3 The Police Station & Ed's Entry - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-3-the-police-station-and-eds-entry-quotations.md) - [5.1.4 Mother's Death & Investigation - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-4-mothers-death-and-investigation-quotations.md) - [5.1.5 Ed's Frustrations & Mrs Alexander - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-5-eds-frustrations-and-mrs-alexander-quotations.md) - [5.1.6 Remembering Judy & "Fight" Scene - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-6-remembering-judy-and-fight-scene-quotations.md) - [5.1.7 Judy's Letters & Ed's Confession - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-1-7-judys-letters-and-eds-confession-quotations.md) - 5.2 Part Two - Quotes - [5.2.1 Preparing to Run Away & Train Station - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-2-1-preparing-to-run-away-and-train-station-quotations.md) - [5.2.2 On the Train & Arriving in London - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-2-2-on-the-train-and-arriving-in-london-quotations.md) - [5.2.3 On the Tube & Judy's House - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-2-3-on-the-tube-and-judys-house-quotations.md) - [5.2.4 Policeman, Ed Visits & Tensions - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-2-4-policeman-ed-visits-and-tensions-quotations.md) - [5.2.5 Back in Swindon & New Beginnings - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-2-5-back-in-swindon-and-new-beginnings-quotations.md) - [5.2.6 The End & Maths Appendix - Quotations](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-2-6-the-end-and-maths-appendix-quotations.md) - 5.3 Themes - Quotes - [5.3.1 Independence - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-3-1-independence-quotes.md) - [5.3.2 Parenting - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-3-2-parenting-quotes.md) - [5.3.3 Order & Disorder - Quotes](https://senecalearning.com/en-gb/revision-notes/gcse/english-literature/aqa/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time/5-3-3-order-and-disorder-quotes.md)