The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Chapter 73 Quotes
How we cite the quotes:
Quote 1
It is permitted to move the chairs and the table in the kitchen because this is different but it makes me feel dizzy and sick if someone has moved the sofa and the chairs around in the living room or the dining room. (73.2)
What does this mean, that moving things in the kitchen is "permitted"? Why does Christopher get to make the rules?
Quote 2
These are some of my Behavioural Problems
A. Not talking to people for a long time [...]
K. Not noticing that people are angry with me. (73.2)
These two things illustrate "isolation" in very different ways. The former suggests a disinterest in other people, while the latter implies a disregard for others.
Quote 3
And I said, "I have been out." This is called a white lie. A white lie is not a lie at all. It is where you tell the truth but you do not tell all of the truth. (79.3)
If you ask us, Christopher has a pretty narrow definition of lying. (We can break it down like this: adding things – or exaggerating – is lying, and is not okay. But taking things away – omitting things – is not lying, and is okay.) And, hey, even by his own definition, he might not be lying, but he certainly isn't telling the truth.
Quote 4
Sometimes Father would say, "Christopher, if you do not behave I swear I shall knock the living daylights out of you," or Mother would say, "Jesus, Christopher, I am seriously considering putting you into a home," or Mother would say, "You are going to drive me into an early grave." (73.4)
Okay, we admit – love is pretty complicated. If Christopher has heard these things from the two people in the world who love him most, it has to be difficult to get a handle on just what it means to love someone.
Quote 5
I used to have lots of Behavioural Problems, but I don't have so many now because I'm more grown up and I can take decisions for myself and do things on my own like going out of the house and buying things at the shop at the end of the road. (73.1)
This is the first time we hear about Christopher's behavior having generally improved over time. A few other times, he mentions specific lessons he's learned (about not hitting people, for one thing), but this comment is interesting because it represents his having gained freedom by restraining himself from actions he's learned are unacceptable.
Quote 6
People say that you always have to tell the truth. But they do not mean this because you are not allowed to tell old people that they are old and you are not allowed to tell people if they smell funny or if a grown-up has made a fart. And you are not allowed to say, "I don't like you," unless that person has been horrible to you. (73.2)
Christopher has a point: we're all taught to tell the truth. But then we're also taught to not say things that hurt people's feelings. This is the aspect that escapes Christopher – that sometimes telling the truth just isn't very nice. And seriously, what would be the point of telling an old person that they're old? Surely they know this themselves, and don't need to have it pointed out by someone else. Why does Christopher sound so personally affronted by this contradiction?