Study Guide

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time Chapter 5

By Mark Haddon

Chapter 5

("Hey, What happened to Chapter 4?" Shh, just give us one minute – everything will become clear.)
Christopher pulls the pitchfork out of Wellington's side and gives the dog a hug. He says he likes dogs because it's easy to know what they're thinking, and they only have four moods. Sounds easy enough.
Just then Mrs. Shears, Christopher's neighbor and Wellington's owner, comes running out of her house, screaming. She accuses Christopher of killing the dog, and just keeps screaming.
Christopher is frightened by her screams: he places his hands over his ears, rolls into a ball, and lies down on the grass.