There are several reasons I teach Mark Haddon’s Curious Incident of a Dog in the Nighttime in my classroom both a whole class novel and literature circles. Students can relate to the teenage narrator who navigates the struggles of high school and his family life. Although Haddon doesn’t specific identify Christopher has having Asperger’s syndrome, he does imply this through his behaviors and mannerisms. Christopher’s honest and literal descriptions are captivating, and at times humorous for readers. Christopher’s coming of age or Bildungsroman story is heartfelt and engaging.
Engaging Characters
There are so many dynamic characters in this novel. Right from the beginning of the novel, readers are drawn into story and Christopher’s motivation to solve the mysterious death of his neighbor’s dog.
Haddon creates an eclectic cast of characters in the novel, from Christopher’s family to teachers at his school. Each character contributes unique perspectives to help Christoper solve the crime.
From the very beginning, Christopher and his father’s relationship is something special and sets the tone for the story to follow. The characters are relatable and students find themselves understanding his struggles with his family and desire to exert his independence.
Mystery Skills
The premise of the novel is Christopher’s pursuit of the mystery of his neighbor’s dead dog. During his pursuit to discover the truth, he a uncovers long-hidden secrets about his own family.
Little by little, readers are introduced to a variety of clues through Christopher’s very literal and methodic approach to the mystery.
While the structure and organization varies slightly from the typical mystery plot, my students enjoy identifying common features of a mystery:
- Central crime to be discovered
- Clues
- Red herrings
- Detective
- Details and description
- Solution
As the story unfolds, students are able to connect the dots along with Christopher to uncover the truth.
At the end of the unit, I have my students write their own mystery story using the same skills and strategies at Haddon.
Literary Analysis
Not only does the novel capture students attention as a mystery, but it is filled with many opportunities to explore language and literary analysis. As the novel progresses, Christopher struggles to become independent and facing challenges along the way.
While Christopher approaches his world from a very literal and mathematical lens, there are opportunities to explore language analysis using:
- Allusion
- Digression
- Foreshadowing
- Irony
- Metaphor
- Simile
- Symbolism
Major Themes
There are several major themes that emerge in the novel. These themes allow students to investigate and discuss the novel at a deeper level. Major themes that occur in the novel:
- Independence
- Identity
- Loss
- Honesty, truth and deception
- Love and trust
- Family relationships
