Mother's Death & Investigation - Quotations
English Lit: Edexcel IGCSE The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, topic 5.1.4
Mother's Death and the Investigation - Quotations
Key quotations from Part One:
Explanations: Christopher's mother
- “Died two years ago”.
- She's “has had to go into hospital”.
- She has “a problem with her heart”.
- This line takes deeper significance later on in the novel.
- “She’s had a heart attack… It wasn’t expected”
- Ed breaks the news to his son about his mother's death in a succession of short, blunt statements.
Christopher's response
- “What kind of heart attack?”.
- Fails to acknowledge his father’s guidance that “now isn’t the moment” for such questions.
- This short, powerful exchange reveals the severity of Christopher’s condition: he appears to be detached and emotionless, unable to process the information that his mother has died, or respond in an appropriate manner.
Ed: "I'm really sorry"
- The final line in this flashback takes on deeper significance after the truth about this episode is revealed at the end of Part One.
Christopher's investigation
- “Did you see anything suspicious on Thursday evening?”
- Christopher’s formal approach to his investigation is humourous and mirrors the question/answer interrogations Christopher will have read in detective stories or seen on TV.
Warnings from adults
- Number 10 suggests he should speak to his father and advises him to “be careful”.
- When Christopher tells Siobhan that Mr Shears is his “prime suspect”, her single-word response, “Christopher”, can also perhaps be interpreted as a warning not to continue with his enquiries.
Test yourself on Mother's Death & Investigation - Quotations
What is Ed's language like when he tells Christopher about his mother's death?
How does Christopher respond when his father tells him about his mother's heart attack?
Which question does Christopher use during his investigation, showing his formal approach to the matter?