Mark Haddon

Transcription

This is a story about a boy named Christopher who lives with his father in Swindon, England. Christopher has a behavioral disability, yet he is very intelligent and observant and hopes to pass his advanced math exams. He is told that his mother passed away due to a heart attack and attends a special school of children with special needs. One night, he discovers a neighbor’s dog, Wellington, with a garden fork stuck through him. After the owner, Mrs. Shears, discovers Christopher over the dead dog’s body and calls the police, Christopher gets arrested. He wants to figure out who killed the dog so he begins writing in a notebook given to him by his teacher, Mrs. Siobhan. Christopher begins by going around the neighborhood and asking people questions. However, he isn’t successful with the questioning and his father tells him to stop. Furthermore, his father becomes very upset with him and assaults Christopher after discovering that he learns about his mother’s affair with Mr. Shears. After his father takes away his notebook, Christopher looks for it in the house, only to discover a series of letters addressed to him from his mother. In the letters, he learns that his mother left them for Mr. Shear and that she is alive and working in London. The news makes Christopher sick. Christopher decides to run away and live with his mother in London. He goes to the train station, buys a ticket, and boards a train. Just as the train leaves, a policeman sees him and tries to get him off the train. The train leaves the station and so the policeman decides to escort Christopher off the train at the next stop to take him back to the police station where his father is waiting. However, Christopher manages to hide in the train and he eventually arrives in London. Christopher eventually gets to his mother’s house and his mother is surprised to see him. He explains why he never wrote back and is invited to stay with his mother and Mr. Shears. Christopher’s father arrives the next day and they all argue over who Christopher will live with. Christopher chooses his mother and so his father leaves. However, over the next couple of days, his mother and Mr. Shears begin fighting. This results in Christopher and his mother moving back to Swindon. Christopher and his mother move into a small apartment and Christopher spends some time with his father. To make things better, Christopher’s father gives him a dog. In the end, Christopher passes his math exams and his relationship with his father slowly becomes restored.