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If Mrs. Shears is a neighbor who clearly knows Christopher and his father well, why is she so cold towards him?
Why does Christopher have such a difficult time believing in the concept of Heaven?
What do you think of Christopher's casual view of violence?
What socio-economic level is this neighborhood in based on the neighbors that we meet? What evidence tells us this?
What do you think of Christopher's logic in his plan to find the killer?
There are neighbors that Christopher is afraid to talk to and that his father forbids him to talk to. Why aren't they the prime suspects?
What does Christopher's interaction with Mrs. Alexander tell you about Christopher? What does it tell you about Mrs. Alexander?
Do you agree that Mr. Shears should be the prime suspect in Christopher's investigation? What's up with his father's reaction to hearing Mr. Shears' name?
If Christopher is so smart, why is he in a school for students with special needs? Why does he want to set himself apart from them?
Are Christopher's goals for his education and adult life plausible?
Christopher promises his father that he will stop those things he's been doing to investigate the death of Wellington. From what you know of Christopher, will he keep this promise?
120 comments:
Christopher is an extremely intelligent individual in areas such as math and science. He understands logic. He is in a school for special needs students because he does not understand the emotional sides of things. As he showed with the smiley faces in the beginning of the book he understands happy and sad but not the more complex emotions of those around him. Without the ability to understand these emotions, social settings such as school are difficult for Christopher. He is in a special needs school to help him learn those things.
Chrisopher's reaction to his mother's death is very concerning despite his personality and probable disability. What I don't buy is his father's explanation. His father is easily connected with his son so why he can't just say it is strange to me, or the fact that he does not cry or personally get upset about it. I also don't understand why Mrs. Shears acts so bitter towards Christopher if they already have a history with each-other. She should know how Christopher is so this does not make sense about why she would be this way.
I think that Mrs. Shears is cold towards Christopher and his father for a couple of possible reason. Christopher said that after his mother’s death Mrs. Shears spent time at his house cooking dinners and such. I think that the father and Mrs. Shears both wanted companionship, and since they were both alone they gravitated towards each other. The first reason that I think Mrs. Shear would be cold towards the father is an affair that went bad. The second option would be a friendship that had gone sour. Relationships that go ‘cold’ or really bad mean that the people had to have been very close. For example, when best friends fight they end up hating each other more than any other person. This is why I have to assume Mrs. Shear and Christopher’s father must have been very close.
I think Christopher has a hard time believing in heaven because he can’t see it. Christopher believes in the concrete facts of science, and science hasn’t found a place for religion. Heaven and religion are very abstract ideas that Christopher have a hard time understanding. Religion is all based on belief in the unknown and Christopher doesn't believe in the unknown. He understands that there are some things that people don’t know, but he believes that science will figure it out. He understands death and is perfectly content with not believing in heaven.
Christopher's reaction to his mother’s death seems casual. I believe Christopher reacted this way because he likes logic and he sees his mother’s death as a fact. Later Christopher explains what happens when a person dies.Christopher sees death as a natural part of life and sees no reason to grieve. Also because Christopher sees things logically, he has trouble believing in heaven. Christopher doesn’t believe in heaven because he is unable to see it in space. He explains that there is nothing outside the universe.
Christopher is in the school for kids with special needs because he has special needs. Christopher stops functioning if there is too much information, too much changing, or if there are too many people around him. If Christopher is put in a place or situation that he has experienced before, he seems fine. On the flip side, Christopher doesn’t like interacting with new people or new places. He like to know everything about his environment, and in real high school there would too many things happening for Christopher to function normally. As a senior in high school, I still run across people I’ve never seen before, and I don’t know all the people in my grade. If Christopher were in my shoes he would probably be on the ground groaning within the first half hour of public school. Christopher wants to distance himself from his class mates because he doesn’t understand their behavior. He is a very logical thinker and his classmates act in such a manner that Christopher cannot see their logic. They act in a disorganized way, and Christopher, who imagines himself as a computer, loves strict organization.
Christopher, for all intents and purposes, has the mind of a genius. He is incredibly intelligent and is able to work numbers like a wizard. The only thing preventing him from attending a normal school is that he is unable to socialize with other children, and overall is very intrapersonal. If placed in Christopher’s shoes, it would be easy to understand why he would act so distant and want to set himself apart. Imagine knowing more than your own teacher, yet being treated like you know next to nothing. Compound that by being surrounded by those who have no capability of understanding you or your knowledge. It would be a very undesirable situation, of which nobody wants to be in. He must feel like Leonardo DaVinci; a genius of the time, yet unappreciated and thought to be insane because no one could understand his inventions. Hopefully, like DaVinci, Christopher becomes appreciated in time.
I think Christopher has a hard time believing in Heaven because he sees things in great detail and he always wants to know the reasons behind everything. Christopher has such incredible knowledge that he probably has a hard time with faith. Christopher strikes me as the type to need to see something to believe it. He probably never believed in Santa or the tooth fairy either. Usually people that are as good at math and science as Christopher don't believe in religions. I think that they are so smart that their minds can't work that way; they can't believe in something that they can't prove.
I think this neighborhood is an upper middle class neighborhood. Everyone is older, either very nice or very mean, and don't know too much about each other but know the gossip about everybody. When I read this book I think of the neighborhood in Desperate Housewives or some other crazy show like that. I think Christopher's interaction with Mrs. Alexander was funny. It shows that sometimes she can speak too much without realizing it. After Christopher questions her, she tells him the truth on why she said what she did, proving her to be an honest woman. I thought Christopher's father's reaction to him mentioned Mr. Shears was odd, and after you find out why his dad got so mad you understand. After he reacts so harshly he tells Christopher that they are no longer friends with Mrs. Shears and throughout the entire book he tells Christopher to stop playing detective work... getting some major hints about who killed Wellington.
Christopher’s mother has died of a heart attack. One would think that the death of his mother would leave him a distraught mess of a child, but he is not. Christopher seems to be unfazed by the loss of his mother while his father can’t seem to even say that she has died. In regard to his mothers death he is told that she is in heaven in which he replies “but when Mother died she didn't go to Heaven because Heaven doesn't exist.” To me this was shocking just because it was such a blunt statement. Due to his fascination of math and science, the idea of heaven just does not belong. In Christopher's world everything thing is a fact that can be proven by math or something you can find in a science book and the idea of Heaven can not be proven, therefore to Christopher it is not real.
I didn't understand Christopher's reaction to his mother's death. Most people would freak out or be upset in some way, but it was almost like it didn't phase him. He didn't even go to the funeral. He seemed more concerned that his father apologized even though it wasn't his father's fault. While on the subject, I think it's hard for him to grasp the concept of Heaven because he is such a logical thinker. He's the type of person that wants proof and knows enough about science and maths to understand that heaven is a concept and having your coffin deteriorate along with your body is reality.
I didn't understand Christopher's reaction to his mother's death. Most people would freak out or be upset in some way, but it was almost like it didn't phase him. He didn't even go to the funeral. He seemed more concerned that his father apologized even though it wasn't his father's fault. While on the subject, I think it's hard for him to grasp the concept of Heaven because he is such a logical thinker. He's the type of person that wants proof and knows enough about science and maths to understand that heaven is a concept and having your coffin deteriorate along with your body is reality.
Truth be told, everyone has to address the concept of Heaven at some point in their lives, whether they want to or not. With that being said, many extremely logical people struggle to grasp concepts that require belief in something larger than themselves or faith on a much grander scale. Logic is often defined as reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity—the concept of Heaven is the exact opposite, a place where one pictures life after death or the abode of a God. No one could argue the fact that Christopher is an extremely logical person—the type of person who needs everything to have a place, and everything must be in it. Consequently, it is obvious why Christopher struggles with the concept of Heaven due to his extreme need for order and logic.
I think some of Christopher's goals are plausible. Although he is in a special needs school, there is no doubt that he is intelligent. Once Christopher puts his mind to something, he tends to get it done (even if it's just dinner). Scores don't lie, and most agree that he has the ability to do A-level maths. His father has faith in him, and fought for the opportunity to test at that level. Christopher obviously understands science and math like no other and would have no problem understanding University material. Sure, he's eccentric and has a hard time understanding people, but there are tons of intelligent people, professors even, like that. However, I'm not as supportive of his astronaut dream. He likes to be away from chaos and dreams about outerspace, but his lack of understanding other people/commands hinders this goal. Christopher needs someone to take care of him, and that's a little difficult in space. Plus, I don't think they'd trust him up there alone, and he dislikes tight places with other people.
Christopher's view of heaven is the same as anyone else who looks toward science to prove anything. He is very logical. He does not understand how the people would make it to heaven, which is how many people look at it. He wants hard evidence, he wants to be able to see the body going to heaven. He doesn't quite understand the concept of the soul rising to heaven but the body staying on earth. I am a believer of heaven, but I do not judge people who don't. I know it is a difficult concept to grasp and many people do not understand or believe other things. Christopher is one of those people.
Christopher acts rather detached when told his mother died, perhaps this was foreshadowing to a later event in the book, but it's likely that he didn't really understand. Death is a difficult concept to grasp especially for someone who is so involved in a world of logic. Scientifically, death is defined as the cessation of all vital functions of the body. That being said, there is no explanation where the factor that makes a person a person go. Energy is needed to make a body work properly, energy is neither created nor destroyed, so when a person is deceased where does that energy go? Through logic, this could be worked out, but there's still a mystery about these things that cannot be just reasoned through. I believe this is why Christopher appears so apathetic about the ordeal, because of a lacking of hard facts.
I think Christopher has such a hard time believing in the concept of Heaven because he is a logical person. He wants hard evidence and an exact answer. That is why Christopher loves math and is very good at it, because it has an exact answer every time. He depends on science and facts and it is not proven that Heaven exists and Christopher isn't one to rely on faith for belief of something. There are many people like Christopher around the world that have a hard time believing in Heaven. Christopher is just one of those people out there that would like cold, hard evidence before believing something such as Heaven.
Christopher seems very nonchalant about his mother being dead, and he talks about it with ease. As far as believing in Heaven, I really enjoy Christopher's point of view and perspective on religion in general. He has many outstanding points. He asks the type of questions that much younger kids typically ask, such as, "But where is God?" (33). I believe the innocence commonly found in this question is replaced with a wise-guy type of attitude. Christopher already doesn't believe in God or religion at that, but he seems curious and interested in finding core proof that God exists. He loves having facts and using his logic.
Heaven, a hard concept for not only Christopher to believe, but me as well. Christopher’s curiosity pushes him to ask about Heaven and God to the reverend, but the reverend gives no clear answer to any of Christopher’s questions. Christopher’s explanation of God seems much more believable . He says “I think people believe in Heaven because they don’t like the idea of dying, because they want to carry on living…” (Haddon 33). Most people refuse to believe that one day you will be a speck of dust in the world, and that is all. When our loved ones die we want to send them to Heaven to be in a “better place” and where we can one day see them again. We are so used to living that when we die, we want to continue to live. Christopher believes that life after death is fiction because he thinks scientifically and realistically. He also mentions that it is hard for him to imagine things that haven’t happened to him yet, therefore a place like Heave seems unrealistic to him.
I believe that even though Christopher is incredibly intelligent and works well on his own, he needs to learn how to work well with others. In life, there will always be communication or interaction with others. He doesn't act well with his emotional side, especially in front of people. Most of the other students in the special needs school are there for different reasons, for learning and working with others. Christopher wants to set himself away from them because he knows how smart he is, and I think he puts himself above them. The good part about this situation, though, is having Siobhan, a teacher, to help him with personal issues, which is the main reason why he's there in the first place.
Christopher's interaction with Mrs. Alexander is definitely a strange one. Christopher is extremely guarded and it is actually very brave of him to even approach her. It tells you that Christopher is very guarded and he likes routine and not new things. This is obvious in his fear before speaking to her and the way that he freaks out and leaves while she is inside. Mrs. Alexander is very sweet to Christopher, and she comes off as very caring when she tries to "do chatting" with Christopher. The problem is, he doesn't understand how humans interact or make small talk so it is hard for him to talk to her. Christopher definitely doesn't like anything that is out of his comfort zone so it was courageous of him to ask any strangers in general. Mrs. Alexander seemed different, and you can tell there is something very caring in her by the way that she talks to him. She is only trying to be friendly.
Christopher is the kind of kid who needs to see things to believe them. He cannot see Heaven, therefore, he doesn't not believe in it. He doesn't understand how things work unless someone tells him or shows him exactly how it goes. Heaven is the kind of place that cannot be described. Christopher needs exact details to see the perspective of things. He (a lot like myself) has a hard time believing in things without having seen them personally. I think this also goes along with the idea of him having Aspergers. If you tell Christopher something, he will not just take your word for it. Being a "detective" he likes to figure things out. He doesn't just go with the flow. He is also very big on science. There's the whole controversy between science and religion and how the world started and what things are possible and what are not and it is a very real concept. Christopher has a hard time opening his mind to the idea of religion, because according to science, nothing adds up. The things he is being told don't appear to be scientifically possible. Christopher is a lot like me in many ways. He is a very intelligent kid, but once his mind is set on one thing, he is not going to change it, although he will get to the bottom of things and find the facts. It's just the way his mind works.
I think that Christopher handled the news of his mother's death the way any other young boy with a possible disability would handle something. Having a brother with mild autism myself, I know from experience that people with autism have a hard time becoming emotionally attached to something and expressing their emotions. So the fact that Christopher was not sobbing over his mother's "death" just shows symptoms of a possible disability and doesn't show lack of love towards his mother; just that he handles his emotions differently. Christopher's father, on the other hand, I have no excuse for his behavior. I thought it was wrong of him to lie to Christopher whether his intentions were to protect his son or not, it still wasn't right. His reaction to Christopher finding out was strange to me. It was obvious that his father was upset but I feel that because of Christopher's disability, his father assumed that it wouldn't bother Christopher as much because he possibly wouldn't be able to completely understand the situation and that's wrong too.
I do think that Christopher is smart mathematically and logically so his goals of doing well and getting in a good college in a different could be possible as long as his talent for math is good enough. But the reason he feels smarter but still has to go to a special needs school is because he is obviously impaired when dealing with human emotions, social interactions, and understanding other people as most other autistic kids are. They cannot connect emotionally but usually can excel in a certain area of learning (like math) and I think that is why Christopher is such a logical person and loves numbers and order.
Christopher has a hard time with the concept of heaven because he thinks things only logically rather than emotionally. He thinks things happen for a reason rather than God having a purpose for certain things happening in our lives. This is much like how Sheldon Cooper despises his mother’s views on certain things because she always brings God into many of their conversations. He views the universe in a much different way than people that believe in an ultimate higher power. He thinks the universe works the way it does because of science and there will always be quirks in the system.
Life is messy, it has its good and bad times but we have to live with both, light can’t exist without dark much like good can’t exist without evil. Both forces keep the universe in balance but constantly shape our lives. One who has never heard about heaven before or even religion for that matter would definitely have a hard time believing it the first time you talk about it with them.
Christopher doesn’t really trust people hence him keeping a Swiss Army knife in his pocket as he investigates the suspects. Then again if I were him I wouldn’t really trust anyone knowing full well one of them killed Wellington in the middle of the night for a still unknown reason. As for Mrs. Alexander I think she might know something Christopher doesn’t hence her bringing him cookies and tea. That or because she is elderly and he is such a young , she just wants to help him out knowing full well he can be handicapped at times. She might know about what he is going through and is trying to brighten his day. She could know more than what she is saying about his home life maybe because after all his mother did die so she might have some sympathy for him. He is a rather different child none the less and maybe he just needs someone to talk to, she’s trying to be a reliable adult he can confide in because he doesn’t really seem to get that from his father. Christopher doesn’t even stay for the cookies though because he fears she is calling the police on him, heck I would have stayed if someone was offering free cookies.
If there is no concrete scientific evidence on a particular subject, it doesn't exist according to Christopher. He can't believe in heaven because he can't see it and there's no concrete proof. Christopher is a very logical person, and can't understand the logic behind heaven. He knows that when people die, their brains cease to function, and their bodies decay. If this is the case, how can people go to heaven? This is the question he had basically asked when he was told of the existence of heaven. Judging by what I've seen thus far, he probably would take a while to accept the concept of heaven even if it was presented scientifically because he is so unwilling to accept change.
Christopher's father forbids him from talking to some of his neighbors because they do drugs and are generally not good influences for him; however, Christopher doesn't seem to know why these people are so shady and unlikable. Even though he may understand that drugs are bad, he doesn't know why. He doesn't know them in any way, and he only doesn't talk to them because his father made him promise that he wouldn't interact with them. Another factor may be that he doesn't know whether they knew Ms. Shears or not.
I believe that Mrs. Shears is cold towards Christopher for two reason; one, that she is unwilling to accept and understand Christopher, and two, that their is bad-blood between the Shears' and Boone's. Which brings about Mr. Boone's reaction to Mr. Shears' name. The reactions of those two adults lead me to believe that their was an affair and/or relationship gone wrong. In relation to Mr. Boone, I thought it somewhat rude of him to make Christopher promise to stop investigating Wellington's death. Even though it is a bit usual, Mr. Boone shouldn't discourage Christopher for branching beyond his barriers to do something he cares about. After all, for someone who is autistic and generally refuses to talk to strangers to decide to go against that pattern, that's a pretty big deal. Also, I believe that Christopher will not disobey his father because he does not break promises. "I did know what it meant when you say you promise something. You have to say that you will never do something again and then you must never do it because that would make the promise a lie"(p.50). However, for Christopher's sake I hope that he works around those promises so that he still abides by them but can still continue on with that "ridiculous bloody detective game".
I found it very odd how okay Christopher seemed to be with his mothers death. Since he is such a creature of habit I had anticipated that his mothers death would have greatly affected him in some way. However, by his lack of emotion (and the fact that he didn't even attend her funeral) I feel like he was not all that greatly effected by her passing. I also found it concerning that his father never allowed him to visit her in the hospital. I was actually angry at Christopher's father for not allowing him to visit his own mother in the hospital with a heart condition. I assume it has something to do with Christopher's form of autism and maybe his father thought he couldn't handle it? Possibly. I still feel like that was a very fishy situation and I will be curious to find out more about his mothers passing.
Christopher has such a hard time believing in heaven because it is something that doesn't have proof in his eyes. He also states, "I think that people believe in heaven because they don't like the idea of dying, because they want to carry on living and they don't like the idea that other people will move into their house and put their things into the rubbish". (p.33) Upon finding out about his mother's death, Christopher reacted very strangely in that he didn't react at all. Instead, he thought of how she could've had a heart attack and that it was surprising because she was so young. On a different note, Christopher is basically a genius, yet he is in a school for kids with special needs. This is because he is autistic and as we've seen he needs help: he doesn't like new people, there is a certain way things need to be done, and he sometimes reacts violently/unexpectedly, like he did when he hit the police officer. I think that Christopher wishes to set himself apart from the other kids at school though to show that he is not like them because he believes they are stupid. After all, he wants to go to college and further his studies in both math and physics and this is something that I believe is quite plausible for him.
Christopher is a very intellectual and intelligent person in the likeness o mathematics and science. He reminds me of somebody I personally know who has autism that goes to a technical school to excel in hands on things. He understands more simple emotions rather than the complex emotions. He doesn’t read into people well at all. That is why he is in a special needs school, to help him with his emotional skills. He doesn’t believe things until he sees them. He is a very basic but yet extremely smart individual. In some ways I think that he has an advantage with gaining happiness easier than me per say because he doesn’t read into things too much.
Christopher doesn't believe in heavan because he can't see it so therfore it isn't real. He explained that when he is given rules or directions. He need things to be specific because he only sees things in black and white. like when Siobhan tells Chirstopher that he cannot hit Sarah in anyway. He needs people to tell him exactly what it is that he can't do and so if he isn't told like that then he decides he can do it anyway, where we understand that if we are told generally that we cannot do something, or if it is just common sense, we know not to do it.
He thinks very ligically which explains why he doesn't belive in heaven. If he can't see it for himself, it isn't there. People with autism think of things as one way or another, no inbetween, which is what christopher does.
Christopher handled the news of his mothers death just like any other growing boy. Christopher was not as close to his mother than he was to his father, but that doesn't take away the fact that she's his mother. Kids with autism can have trouble with expressing emotion the way that they intend to. Christopher didn't even attend his mothers funeral, showing that he's lacking the love that he should for his mother.
Christopher's casual view of violence can be attributed to his lack of understanding of human emotion. Christopher punched a girl named Sarah because she had pulled his hair. To Christopher, this seems like a logical and straightforward response; however, to a reader, it seems like Christopher passes off violence as a casual thing. Christopher only sees violence as a way to protect himself from other people who may try to harm him, not as a bad thing. Christopher's emotions do not "get the best of him," Christopher just acts in the most logical way in his eyes, which seems to be violence in many circumstances. Earlier in the book when Christopher hit the police officer, he said he didn't want to, that the police officer would not stop touching him, so Christopher hit the police officer. I think Christopher's casual stance towards violence is mainly due to his autism and his inability to perceive emotions.
Knowing how the book concludes, I think Christopher's reaction to his father's explanation of his mother's death is reasonable. Even though Christopher is a very intelligent and logical fifteen-year-old, he lacks the very foundation of life: communication. He understands that his mother is no longer in his life, but he never went to a funeral or visited her in the hospital. He even says himself that it is improbable for his mother to have a heart attack at such a young age and good health. He can't read body language or gage a person's dishonesty. Also, whenever a situation is uncomfortable, he resorts to violence or simply leaving: both which are alright in his mind. I think Christopher views violence as he does, because it has always worked in his life. He knows that the uncomfortable situation he is in will change if violence is put in action. As a logical person, this hypothesis has been tested and proved numerous times in his life, so Christopher concludes and accepts this theory as an acceptable approach to life.
When I read this section, I was really shocked that Christopher wasn't suspicious of his neighbors that do drugs or that he isn't allowed to talk to. For me, they would be the prime suspects. If they are already sketchy, problematic people, they would be the first people I expected to do it. Christopher isn't good with strangers though and if he is scared to talk to someone he most certainly won't. I think he let those people get off too easily. Although he cannot physically speak to and question them, he should still keep them in mind. He clearly has social issues though so maybe he isn't catching onto the details.
One of Christopher's interesting traits is his unwillingness to imagine. He can, and he describes it sometimes, but he always talks about how it seems like lying. Maybe this is why he can't believe in any sort of cosmic force. He doesn't like to imagine when it's on a small scale. How hard would it be for him to imagine something uninhibited minds have trouble with?
Another thing I find interesting about Christopher is the ways in which he contradicts himself. He's all about logic and order, but he detests everything to do with the colors yellow and brown. There doesn't seem to be any reason for it, when everything else he does has some sort of reason. It's very odd.
Christopher’s having a hard time believing in the concept of heaven because he liked cold hard facts and things that can be proven. You need to have faith to believe in heaven and I don’t believe he can wrap his mind around the concept. This is why he loves math so much, and why he is so good at it. There’s always one definite answer to a problem and it can be proven. That’s just how his mind works. Christopher’s interaction with Mrs. Alexander tells us that he is not a trusting person at all. He wasn’t positive if she would come back outside, so he just left instead of finding out for himself! This interaction tells us that Mrs. Alexander is a nice lady who just wanted to talk to, and get to know Christopher. I believe she is a character that the reader can trust.
Christopher is extremely smart, but the way he thinks about things sets him apart from the kids at a normal school. He is obviously advanced in math, but thinking too hard about things makes his head hurt, which would not be a good quality for a student to have at a normal school; it also takes him awhile to think about things and actually understand them. Christopher has a tendency to think illogically about things which is another reason why he goes to a special needs school. A kid at a normal school wouldn’t believe whole-heartedly that five red cars in a row is equivalent to a Super Good day, while 4 yellow cars in a row make it a Black Day. A normal child could possibly think things along these lines but Christopher takes his thoughts to extremes. If it’s a Black Day he won’t even speak to anyone or eat by anyone at his lunch table. Even though Christopher promises his father he will stop the investigation, there is nothing in his personality that makes me believe he will stop something he is so passionate about.
I think the reason Christopher is in a special needs school even though he's tremendously intelligent because he doesn't know how to act amongst others. He is very reserved when it comes to getting to know others besides his family and people he already has relationships with.He also has a temper which can result in physical disputes as we read what happened between himself and the police officer along with his Father. I think Christopher's goals for his education and adult life are very plausible. It shows how driven and ambitious he is even though he has special needs. I think he recognizes his talents and truly believes he can succeed in life doing what he loves, and that is something everyone should consider. It's one thing to be talented, but it's another thing to recognize this talent and want to share it with the world.
In my opinion Christopher is in a special needs school because he lacks social cues. He is extremely smart and advanced as are most children with disabilities but he lacks the ability to interact appropriately with others. Christopher also has an extreme temper, although this doesn't contribute to the reason of why he is in special needs school it still contributes to why he is lacking in the social department. His temper is hard for him to control and will scare others who do not already know him. He deals with emotions and the things around him with extremes. It's either all good or all bad with most things in his life. When it comes to emotions he also needs proof which is why he struggles with faith and religion. You aren't able to see faith or prove a heaven. I believe many people disabled or not though struggle with this concept. I believe his reaction to his mothers death is reasonable and logical, seeing how he deals with emotions. Although I find it reasonable I also struggle with being in disbelief. People with disabilities like structure and form habits, Christopher's mother being dead would greatly change his life and routine.
Christopher's father's explanation about his mother's death is very difficult to believe. What father won't let his son visit his dying mother while she's at the hospital? And why didn't he insist on having Christopher go to the funeral? Even if Christopher didn't particularly care to go to her funeral, you would think that his father would encourage him to make the effort. His father doesn't seem very good at the whole parenting thing. From what I've read so far, he doesn't seem to make much of an effort to guide Christopher and make sure he understands everything going on around him. Using my own super Sherlock Holmes deductive reasoning, I'm going to assume that Christopher's father has been lying to him about everything. The dog, his mother, and who knows -- maybe his entire life. [cue dramatic music].
Even though Christopher is tremendously intelligent, he still needs to go to a special needs school because of his lack of social skills. The social aspect of school is almost, if not equally, as important as the educational aspect because it allows one to grow and form emotional bonds that will be necessary for later in life. Not to mention that high school is one of the most hectic and confusing times of someone's life, which will no doubt frighten Christopher. Fighting through a crowded hallway or dealing with the loud noises in the lunchroom will only make him uncomfortable and nervous, which is why a special needs school is better suited for him. There, his teachers can make sure he feels he is in a safe environment and nurture him as well as educate him. Also, at a special needs school, all the other students struggle with disabilities as well, giving them a common ground. If Christopher attended a regular school, he would no doubt be harassed for his disability. As much as I would like to believe that we are moving forward and thinking more open-minded, there are still a few ignorant people who would tease or bully people like Christopher.
This situation regarding Christopher's mother seems really fishing. I only say this because his father told him she went into the hospitable sick, got better. then died. Yet he never went and saw her or went to the funeral. When Christopher starts talking about Mr. Shears and how badly his father reacted to his names cause me to think since he left around the same time the wife died that they may have been together and ran off. I only say this because Mrs. Shears came to live with them yet nobody else really came to show support unless he just left that detail out. I may be completely off but with all the contacts that they are giving this is just what it makes me think had happen with out exactly using the words.
Even though Christopher is really smart he still is in a school for special needs. It not his intelligence that is special its his mental state. Christopher doesn't understand facial expression that people make to express his feeling. Which is one of the things I love in a character because he isn't blinded by his emotions he's a logical person. Though without using his emotions he get deceived has a cold heartless person when he really can’t help it and does try his best to read people's faces for emotions. He said though its hard because our facial expression change so fast that he cannot catch them all. So hes not in a special needs school for intellect problems but for like communication because he doesn't communicate well with others and make friends as he has said he doesn't like people he prefers animals especially dogs.
i don't think that his mother actually died i think that she left them. which makes her a very bad person. i think this because of the conversation that he had with mrs Alexander she seams very shifty and like she didn't know that she had died. which is weird considering she is sort of a gossip and talks to all the people on the street. i find it very interesting his fathers reactions to the morning after he got arrested drinking and crying and when his mother "died" there is a serious difference in emotion. one is distant and one is sad. i love the little hand thing that they do. also i love that he hit the cop. powerrrrrrrr
When Christopher’s father made him promise he would stop his investigation about who killed Wellington make me think that he would do something so out of character for himself and disobey his father. To many kids things is just the norm going against your parents. Christopher is one of those people who everything is so literal and no way around it. A promise is a promise. Especially since he thought Mrs. Shears should go to jail for lying that he killed her dog because lying gets you thrown in jail. My gut is saying that he would still continuing to be the detective he wants to be to find the truth but maybe incognito instead of out in the open asking lots of questions to neighbors who could tell his father what he is up to.
he should really be a lawyer because he found a loophole in his promise to his dad now he has to talk to people instead of just asking for information. which is going to make his tireless pursuit a little bit harder. i wonder if hes attracted to people because he talks about wanting to get married but live away from people so it makes me wonder if he really wants a wife or just someone to talk to. i think there is some interest in siobhan but im not sure if they are just friends or shes just helping him with school or what but there appears to be more interest that normal.
Christopher is a very intelligent person. His meticulous way of thinking and processing helps him to achieve in school. Although when it comes to the school work itself Christopher has no problems he does have other problems that keep him out of regular school. If Christopher were to be in regular school he would not be able to complete his school work as he does in his special needs school because there would be to many obstacles. He wouldn't be able to focus because of the crowd of students, he wouldn't get the one-on-one attention that he needs from teachers, and the other students wouldn't understand his difficulties. All of these things would result in him not getting his work done and would defeat he point of him being in regular school. In his school for special needs children Christopher thinks that he is above the other children there. He frequently is calling them stupid and downgrading them. He wants to put himself above them to show that he isn't like the other students in his school.
Christopher's father's explanation of his mother's death is very suspicious. I strongly believe that there was more going on there than what he said. Christopher never saw his mother in the hospital, and she apparently died of a very unlikely cause. When Chis's dad said that she had a problem with her heart, it made me think that it might not be a literal or physical problem. Maybe she was depressed and took her own life? There is also a description that makes me think that there was something going on between Ed (Chris's father) and Mrs. Shears. On page 28, there was a scene where the father was sitting and Mrs. Shears stands next to him and holds his head to her bosoms and makes a remark, "Come on, Ed. We're going to get you through this." To me that sounds like more than just cooking spaghetti and tomato sauce, to me that sounds like carnal relations. Christopher has such a hard time believing in heaven because it is something that scientists cannot definitely say is there. Later in the novel, we learn that he despises people who believe in the supernatural, and to him it would appear religion is a supernatural belief. I think he might also not believe in heaven because no one that he loves ever told him that it exists indefinitely. Chris believes that he father never lies to him because they love each other. Take the example of him blindly believing that his mother died even though there was no proof and he wasn't able to go to the funeral, the same could have happened if he was raised in a religious household. Since he was not raised to have a place for heaven somewhere outside the universe, he relies on the facts of science
For most people Christopher's reaction to his mother's death would have been shocking but Christopher doesn't understand complex emotions so although he probably felt sad he does not understand grief. Also, he knows that he can not do anything to change the fact that she is dead so he does not feel mourning will do any good. I believe Mrs. Shears is cold towards Christopher for two reasons. First of all, she probably puts some of the blame on Christopher for his mother taking away her husband, also from what they tell about her spending a lot of time around the house before because Christopher's father was lonely, I suspect Mrs. Shears expected more than Christopher's father wanted. Christopher has such a difficult time believing in Heaven because he thinks extremely logically and since he can not find an explanation for how Heaven could exist in his head, it cannot exist to him. I don't see Christopher's view on violence as casual as much as I see it as him justifying violence to protect himself. He uses violence like hitting and holding his knife when someone touches him. When Christopher is touched, he feels extremely uncomfortable and violated and feels as if he is in danger.
I think that Christopher has such a difficult time believing in heaven because he is such a logical thinker. He thinks really far into ideas and concepts. The idea of heaven, which seems far-featched and not very logical to him, is just hard for him to wrap his head around. For this reason, he just decides not to believe in heaven. Christopher's conversation with Mrs. Alexander tells me that Christopher fails to understand the idea of human interaction. His father tells him not to talk to strangers, so he doesn't. He doesn't realize that a harmless conversation never hurt anybody.
Christopher is a person who responds well to intelligence as well as logic. For this reason I believe Christopher has a hard time believing in the concept of heaven (Before I say anymore I want it to be known that I am not insulting religion nor disproving it but more-so expressing my opinion). Again, this is another reason as to why I am able to relate to Christopher. While some people are able to believe in heaven, others aren't because they need a evidence as well as a scientific explanation as to how heaven could be real. While maybe like me, Christopher would like to believe in a place like heaven, it simply doesn't make sense in his mind.
I think that Mrs. Shears and Christopher’s father had an affair that went south. Since this part of the book it has been revealed that Christopher’s Mom and Mr. Shears had an affair, but I still think the other affair could have happened. Christopher is in the school for special needs children because of his social issues. He wants to set himself apart from them because he knows he is smarter than them and he doesn’t want to be compared to them. I think Christopher feels like he isn’t that smart since he is with all those other kids. Sadly I don’t think that Christopher could become a Astronaut. This amount of training and pressure would be too much for him. I do think that Christopher can still be successful and earn a degree in physics.
The drama in Christopher’s neighborhood is equal to that of some Hollywood production. He is a boy with a life-altering illness, something that no one fully understands, and he lives with his single dad who is keeping HUGE secrets from him. We get our first clue when we read of Mrs. Shears animosity towards Christopher, masked by the death of her Poodle. We could view the death of Mrs. Shears’ Poodle as a “red herring” that distracts us from the secrets the neighborhood is hiding. It is revealed by Mrs. Alexander that Christopher’s mother was having an affair with their neighbor Mr. Shears, Mrs. Shears’ husband. With some more snooping Christopher finds letters dated after his mother's death, in his dads room! What kind of parent tells their son their mother is dead when she isn't? How selfish could you possibly be to take that away from him? Christopher’s mother isn't innocent either; leaving your husband and leaving your autistic child are two different things entirely. As an adult and as a mother she should have never left him, she never even tried to see him for all we know! In my opinion, Christopher definitely deserves better from both of them.
Christopher is a person who avidly believes in order. Everything must have an order to it in order for him to feel safe and secure. He has a difficult time believing in heaven because it does not have an order. Who gets to go? How often does one get there? How long do they stay? Variances such as these mess with Christopher's order, therefore blocking him from believing in Heaven.
I do not believe that Christopher will keep his promise to his father. He is a teenage boy, and as such is headstrong. While he cannot lie by making things up, he lets himself tell white lies by simply omitting facts. He also bends his rules by closing his eyes on the way to school so he won't have a third "Black Day" in a row.
I do not think that Christopher's goals for his career are plausible. Becoming an astronaut is a prestigious and selective career, and few are accepted. They also have to meet rigorous testing and standards, and I doubt that Christopher would be able to withstand it.
I think Christopher does not believe in the concept of heaven because Christopher is the type of person where he has to see something or the factual evidence behind something. Also, I think Christopher's logic to find the killer is right on it makes sense for the killer to be close to Mrs. Shears. Because no one would kill a dog for no reason. However, I do find it strange he doesn't talk to neighbors he doesn't know. How does he know none of them hold a grudge against Mrs. Shears.
Christopher’s father makes him promise a few very specific things in regards to the Wellington murder. From what I’ve learned about Christopher so far, I think he will keep his promises and not do any of the things his father ordered. However, Christopher is very logical, detail oriented, and persistent, which makes me come to the conclusion that he will not give up his detective work. I feel that he will find other ways to research and look for clues in ways that will not violate his promises. Christopher is very passionate about this dog murder, and I am excited to see where the rest of this novel will lead. Like Christopher, I am a curious person and enjoy a good mystery, so naturally I am intrigued as to find out the details about and motives of the person whoever murdered an innocent dog.
Christopher has such a difficult time believing in heaven because he can not see it. Because Christopher can not see, touch, smell, or solve the equation of an afterlife, he finds no reason to believe in it.
As for Christopher's father's reaction to the name of Mr. Shears, Mr. Shears ran away Christopher's mother to start a new life. Christopher, however, does not know this yet. So Christopher's father has lost the love of his life to Mr. Shears, and he has ultimately changed their family forever.
Christopher is in a school for special needs because, in my opinion, for his behavior. I believe him to be pretty spectacular in math and physics, but his life skills, social skills, and decision-making abilities suffer. Going to a special needs school can help him with ailments like these at a much slower, easier pace than an ordinary child in public school. I don't know if he could ever change his behavioral problems, but his brain is amazing. I think it could take him far, and possibly have him reach his dreams. If he could get into university, it could all start from there.
I thought Christopher had a casual reaction to his mothers death. A logical reaction rather than an emotional one. He thought about the different types of heart attacks and which his mother most likely had. This is strange to me. Mostly because if a family member that close to me died i would be inconsolable for a lengthy period of time and would not think about it so much because that would make things worse.
I think Christopher will keep his promise to his father. However, i think he will try to find loopholes to get around the specifications of the promise.
I don't think that Christopher believes in heaven because with his disability, he can't imagine places like that. It's hard for him to picture what heaven is or what it would look like. Since he can't physically see heaven, he thinks it can't be real. Afterlife is a hard subject for Christopher to comprehend. I think that he's in a school for special needs children because of his social skills. He is very factual, so I think he would excel in math and science. But when it would come to English, especially poetry and expressing his feelings, he would have a very hard time with that. He also would have a hard time making friends and being around so many kids because it's hard to relate his life to others.
Christopher has a very confused view about heaven. He wants to see how a body can physically make it to heaven. He doesn't understand how one can get there. He is also having trouble with understanding how the soul rises to heaven while the body stays here on earth. People have different views about it but I am one who believes in heaven and I don't judge people who do not believe in heaven because that is a personal opinion. It all depends if you were raised in a religious household and if you believe in God.
Mrs.Shears most likely doesn't understand Christopher's condition and pushes them away due to this understanding. I've seen the same thing happen first hand to my cousin, aunt and uncle. My cousin has cerebral palsy and is paralyzed from the waist down, along with having limited movement around the rest of her body. On vacations with them, people around us either act one of two ways, very nice and offer help at every turn, or completely ignore us and look at my cousin as if she is some sort of animal. She's just like us but with limited movement. Same thoughts, ideas and emotions, but she's constricted. People act strangely because they don't understand what's going on, not because they are cold people.
Christopher is in a school for special needs because of his thought process and because of other kids. Yes, he is a very smart kid, but he thinks in a very logical fashion, which means his school curriculum would have to be adjusted accordingly. Things like drawing conclusions in English would be difficult for him. The other reason is because of other students at regular school. Kids are cruel, and he would more than likely be used and toyed with by other students. I know that if I had a son/daughter with a mental disability I would send him to a school for special needs. A mental disability is stressful enough for a kid, he/she wouldn't need kids picking on them to pile onto that.
Christopher has such a difficult time believing in the concept of Heaven because there is no proof of its existence. He is a very logical person and likes to have hard answers so when he can’t get a hard answer or proof of the answer he has a difficult time in believing the concept. That’s why he likes math and science and excels in them. He does so well and likes them because he can get an exact answer every time. He is not the only though that has a hard time believing in heaven though because there is no evidence of it. There are plenty of people around the world that have a hard time wrapping their head around the idea that there is a heaven. Christopher depends on facts from the science part of things to have proof that something like heaven is real but when he doesn't have that he doesn't understand and wonders why and how someone can believe in something that may or may not be real.
Christopher is unable to grasp the concept of heaven. This is one of those grey areas where there really aren't any right or wrong answers. Christopher likes things to be shown to him and proven, however, heaven is something that you have to have faith in. Even though I believe that his disability intensifies his inability to comprehend something such a heaven, he struggles with the idea just as millions of other people do. It's hard to trust in something that no one has actually ever witnessed. I personally believe in heaven, but I understand others that don't.
Knowing Christopher and his way of always having to understand why things happen and what causes them, I do not think that he will fufill his promise to his father of not investigating the death of Wellington. Christopher is a very observant child and I believe that if anyone were to figure out who killed Wellington, it would be him. It is obvious that for the most part Christopher has a lot of respect for his father and would never want to hurt him, but then again, Christopher feels he has a deep connection with the dog. If I was in Christopher's position, I would do the same because I can understand why anyone would want to seek justice for something or someone they loved. Even though Christopher had been warned by Mrs. Shears, his own father, and even the police, nothing can stop his curiosity of finding out exactly what happened. I feel a lot of that is because Christopher is also autistic and that's just how he is wired. With that being said, I believe he will find out exactly what happened to Wellington.
Christopher's dreams of becoming an astronaut when he is older and wanting to be in a more advanced math class, are very plausible in my eyes. Good for him that he is autistic and still is so intelligent with that much ambition. It just comes to show that not even a disability or lack of social skills can stop anyone from being successful. In regards to wanting to become an astronaut, Christopher describes exactly why that would be the perfect occupation for him, and it makes perfect sense. Christopher's phenominal math and science skills, along with his very reserved personality make him a perfect fit for the job. I hope to see by the end of the book that Christopher eventually achieved such greatness. Christopher is a very bright young boy with his whole life ahead of him and I don't think his autism will get in his way.
I don't believe that Christopher is in a special needs school because he has issues learning intellectual courses. I believe that he's in there because he has trouble recognizing social cues. An example of this is when he was talking to Siobhan and she was showing him the drawings of the faces. Christopher easily recognizes the expressions for happiness and sadness but any emotion that is more vague than these two are almost completely unrecognizable to him. When Christopher told us about how he was told that he was not allowed to punch Sarah no matter what she did to provoke him and he spoke about it in such a logical manner is when I realized the reason for him being a special needs school. Lacking the ability to pick up on social cues is a very serious matter. It can get you into a lot of trouble if you're not careful. Christopher knows that he is in a special needs school and he also knows why all the others are there as well. He calls them stupid, but then says that he's not supposed to call them stupid. What I found funny was that Christopher believes that the politically correct term for the other students at the special needs school is stupid. But, Christopher separates himself from the rest. He knows that he is intelligent, at least when it comes to math and physics, and that's what he wants to pursue. I, for one, believe that he is completely capable of achieving this goal.
I honestly didn't know what to expect from Christopher when he learned of his mothers death. I tried to figure out his reaction before hand and then when I read it he was just curious about which type of heart attack it was. Most people would be destroyed by the loss of a parent, i'm not saying it didn't affect him, but he didn't react because he didn't understand. As bright as he is the social skills are obviously a challenge. I guess now I understand why he acted the way he did a little bit. It's also saddening to me though that he doesn't understand feelings, especially feelings for someone like your mother. On to the Heaven part, It's something you don't really know if it's there or not but believe it is to sugarcoat that death is basically just nothingness. a ceasing to exist. Kurt Vonnegut had a bold depiction on his belief of death in Slaughterhouse Five. And being challenged Christopher likes things neat and orderly, he has to see to believe because he doesn't understand faith. He understands logic.
Christopher wanted to solve a murder and he will. He found a loophole in his promise to his father (clever). He definitely has many job opportunities with his skill set, the only set back is his social skills. But either way the kid is extremely intelligent. Can't deny that finding the loophole won't place more challenges for him though like having to communicate with people. Maybe it will be better for him though, help him come out of his "shell." As for Mrs. Shears I think she pushes him away for his disability for one. The fact that he is different bothers her for some odd reason as well as he is carrying the blame from her for his mothers actions. I don't like Mrs. Shears especially for the fact that she blames a kid who can't help who he is for her problems.
I found Christopher's reaction to his mother's death quite strange. He didn't seem to react when she was in the hospital, but he also didn't seem to react to her heart attack. I know if I had lost my mother I would be destroyed emotionally, and I think all kids would feel the same. I think Christopher lacks the skills to define how he is feeling towards certain situations. He thinks that since she is dead he can't do anything because she is dead. He thinks so literally, so he doesn't believe she is with God or in Heaven, he just thinks she is dead so there is no reason to be sad.
Christopher's reaction to his mothers death is understandable. Given his disabilities, it's hard for him to grasp concepts and emotions, and that is also why I believe it is hard for him to understand Heaven. He is very intelligent and he believes in logic and reason, which Heaven is neither. I believe in God and Heaven even though there is no solid evidence to back it up, while Christopher cannot grasp this concept because it is not actually there, it is a belief. Christopher's plan to find the killer could very well be plausible, as he is very observing and intelligent as we noticed from the opening chapters.
It is amazing how my thoughts have severely changed about little Christopher. My last post described how I thought he seemed like a likable character. I was wrong. Christopher is an annoying know-it-all. I understand that he has autism, but he is very into his own self knowledge. He seems to think that he knows everything about anything and is not afraid to show it. Maybe this is a trait linked to autism. Also, it is very sad to think that Christopher does not talk to anyone. Without the killing of Wellington, he may have never met some of his neighbors. Most people who embody the characteristic of a “know-it-all”, want to share their knowledge with the rest of the world. Although I am not very fond of those people, it is strange that Christopher is not like that. I should not say that Christopher is an unlikable character, he just gets on the annoying side sometimes.
Christopher was blamed for killing Wellington. Christopher, who reads many Sherlock Holmes novels, wants to investigate to see who actually had killed him. Christopher's father, on the other hand, does not want Christopher meddling in other people's business. I can't be the only one who thinks this sounds suspicious. Why is his dad so upset that he wants to find out who killed the dog his son was accused of killing? Wouldn't that patch up his friendship with Mrs. Shear? Of course, Christopher would find a loophole to his father's rules. Since Christopher hates lying, he doesn't consider it lying if he isn't doing exactly what his father told him not to do, even though he knows his father would disapprove.
In this part of the novel, we really get a taste for Christopher’s personality and behavior. Due to his mental disability, he may have several behavior problems, but it seems as though they only happen if he feels threatened. On top of his hidden behavioral problems, Christopher is very shy and awkward when it comes to meeting new people such as Mrs. Alexander. Even though Mrs. Alexander seems like a nice lady with arms open to meeting him, Christopher considers her to be a complete stranger, and tries to avoid her whenever he can. Another noteworthy trait for Christopher is his intelligence. He is very smart in math and can solve complicated multiplication very quickly. One of the things Christopher can’t do very well, however, is keeping a promise. He can’t stay out of other people’s business like his dad told him.
My second large observation when reading this chapter is the lack of grieving from Christopher after his Mother’s death. He seems to have many memories with his Mother and shown love to her. Why does he show no sign of sadness or frustration at the spontaneous death of his own Mother? This should be a major turning point in the novel. Beside the fact that his own Mother died and he could care less, Christopher goes total Sherlock Holmes on his neighbor’s dead dog. Why does he care more about his neighbor’s dead dog Wellington than his own Mother? Some may question that his relationship with his mother wasn’t the best, and thats why he did not grieve as much. I believe that statement is false because he clearly explains stories he had with his Mother and even wrote her a get well card while she was in the Hospital. I hope to find more information about this mother-son relationship throughout the novel.
Christopher is obviously a very intelligent boy, so this cannot be the reason he is in a school for kids with special needs. He is there because he is very introverted, so he does not know how to react to other people in real world situation. School is a place with lots of different people with lots of different emotions, which are too much for Christopher to understand. This is proven when he is shown the faces and the only ones he can understand are happy and sad. Christopher also has behavioral problems and needs to be told EXACTLY what he is expected or else he will be confused. This is why Christopher is in this kind of school.
Based on the reasons Christopher gives Mr. Shears seems like the best possible suspect. Christopher's chain of reasoning was 1.) Why would you kill a dog? a) Because you hated the dog. b) Because you were mad. c) Because you wanted to make Mrs. Shears upset. 2.) I didn't know anyone who hated Wellington, so if it was (a) it was probably a stranger 3.) I didn't know any mad people, so if it was (b) it was also probably a stranger 4.) Most murders are committed by someone who is known to the victim. In fact, you are most likely to be murdered by a member of your own family on Christmas Day. This is a fact. Wellington was therefore most likely to have been killed by someone known to him. 5.) If it was (c) I only knew one person who didn't like Mrs. Shears, and that was Mr. Shears who knew Wellington very will indeed. Based on this reasoning I totally agree that Mr. Shears should be the prime suspect in the investigation. It seems like the best answer with the circumstances presented to Christopher and the reader. But once Christopher brings up Mr. Shears name to his father he gets a terrible reaction. As to why this is at the time I was thinking it's just because his father hates Mr. Shears most likely due to some falling-out they had or some other incident. Although you do find out why later in the book.
I didn't find Christopher's reaction to his mothers death that strange. Part of his disability is struggling emotionally. It doesn't mean he didn't miss her an grieve for her, I just don't think he shows it or really knows how/understands. We find out later that Mrs. Shears is so cold to Christopher because her husband and his mom ran off together. I think Christopher has such a hard time believing the concept of heaven because he is a very logical person, logically the concept of heaven is very hard to believe. I don't think Christopher really has a solid plan in finding the killer, he just wants to help.
I think in Christopher's eyes Mr. Shears is a pretty good prime suspect. Christopher is in a school for special needs kids because he is very ahead of average school kids his age and needs classes that challenge him and teach him something. It also helps with the fact he is emotionally lacking and needs special attention. I think Christopher doesn't see the neighbors he isn't allowed to talk to as a threat because there's no motive, they have no reason to have had killed Wellington. Christopher doesn't seem like he's going to follow his dads instructions to stay out of other peoples business.
When Mrs. Shears acted so cold towards Christopher when just shortly before she was comforting him, i was immediately reminded of the movie the parent trap. In the movie, there is a character named Meredith who is only after her fiances money and secretly treats his kids like crap.The situation is almost similar here because why would Mrs. Shears treat Christopher badly and not his father? What's going on here? It was even more shocking for me to hear the Mrs. Shears almost called the police on Christopher, i couldn't imagine one of my close neighbors ever doing that to me. I think that Christopher struggles believing in the concept of heaven because to him there is no logical evidence that it exists. When he mentions that it could possibly lie on the other side of a black hole, it made me laugh because he says the only way the dead could get there would be by rocket which is even more illogical. It's odd to me that Christopher considers all the other children at his school stupid, because Christopher may even have more of a disability than others. He is dealing with a mild form of Autism versus someone who has a hearing or vision problem. Not to say some needs are more important than others, but to me it seems Christopher's may be worse. With this being said, i think it may be near to impossible for Christopher to achieve the scores he wants on his A-level math test. Then again, i have to remember how particular Christopher is and how much potential he has to prosper in anything he sets his mind to do.
I think Christopher has a hard time believing the concept of Heaven because he does not understand it. His mind works very differently from everyone else’s. He has such a different mind and thinks in such different ways from everyone that he just can’t wrap his brain around the concept of Heaven. I think that this is similar to Christopher’s casual view on violence. He doesn’t fully understand violence and what harm it can do to people and things, so he thinks casually of it. He has a hard time wrapping his mind around a lot of concepts and things that to us are very simple, but to Christopher are very complicated. Christopher is in a school for kids with special needs because he has a hard time communicating with other people. His relationship and communication skills are below everyone else, so he needs help in those areas. He is very intelligent, but has bad communication skills, so I don’t really know if he future plans are going to work out well.
I find Christopher's reaction to his mother's death as slightly disturbing. Although he clearly cared for his mother, he appeared to be more concerned about what kind of heart attack she had. On top of that, I find his father's explanation to be slightly too unrealistic. The main thing that stood out to me is the fact that his father refused to keep eye contact with his son, which could mean two things:
1. He doesn't want to show his son his weak side.
2. That his father can't lie to Christopher's face.
Personally, I think that the second option is more likely. This is mainly due to the fact that "a heart-attack" seems like a quick excuse. Also, Christopher's father is unable to tell his son what kind of heart-attack his mother had, despite being in the hospital with her. Lastly, I also think Christopher's father is lying because he won't allow for Christopher to see his mother in her last moments.
Christopher is in a school for special needs because he has a form of autism. In social situations he does not react like most people do and that can be very difficult. In a regular school he wouldn't have an environment that fits to his needs, and that would put his learning at risk. So even though he is very smart and advanced, the special needs school can accommodate him better and give him the education he needs. In most cases of autism the children have social problems but excel at something else. Some are really great musicians, and others are good at math and science like Christopher. I think it’s interesting how the brain works.
My thoughts on Christopher's reaction to his mothers death were confused on why he did not show any emotion. It seemed like he did not even care. It made me angry that his father would not take him to see his mother in the hospital. I also noticed his father was dancing around the idea of the mother being in the hospital very sick. I am not buying the heart attack story she was far too young for that. Christopher never really writes about his mothers life, only her death which concerns me. I thinks its cool how each chapter he switches from going to finding the person who killed Wellington to his mothers death
I think Christopher's reaction to his mothers death was pretty weird... He didn't seem sad, angry, or like he had any kind of emotional reaction. He just carried on with life like nothing happened. It made me angry that his father would not let him see his mom when she was in the hospital. On one hand, it would hurt to see your loved one in so much pain, but on the other hand he should have let Christopher see his mother one last time before she died. Christopher's plan to go to college and get a degree in math/physics seems semi-plausible because he is very smart in those subjects. However, I think he would struggle in the other classes he would need to take that don't involve those subjects. He would probably have a hard time adapting to the life of being in college and making friends because he is so different. This would also make it hard for him to find a wife that would be willing to give up all of her time to take care of him. Overall, his plan of getting the degree seems like it could MAYBE happen one day, but i don't think his other plans will ever come true.
I think Mrs. Shears is cold toward Christopher and his dad because its probably something that encountered during the mothers death. As she was over there house often after the incident maybe there was a dispute between Mrs. Shears And the father. And ever since that incident the grudge has not been fixed. I think Christopher's dad doesn't like her because he wants nothing to do with that dog. He does not even want his son involved with any of that investigation. I believe that Mrs. Shears is a prime suspect because we can say for now that the dog was not barking and that means that the dog was comfortable around whoever killed him. Also the garden fork was exactly the same one that Christopher puled out of the dog. And another key evidence is when she saw the dog she didn't even touch it?? now thats a little suspicious to me
I think that Christopher has a hard time of believing in heaven because he doesn't see how it is humanly and physically possible to go to a different dimension after you die. Christopher has a fixed mindset on scientific reasonings. He has a hard time believing that God has special powers unlike anyone else because of the evidence that has been recorded throughout the history of humanity.
Christophers casual view of violence is that it is okay if there is a reasoning behind it. He constantly has a plan of hurting someone if they do something to him. Such as, carrying the swiss army knife to use as self defense when he talks to the neighbors.
Christopher's interaction with Mrs. Alexander proved that he is not very social. It seemed like he had a hard time having a normal conversation. He ended up being paranoid of being with her and left.
The way Christopher interacted with Mrs. Alexander kind of shocked me. It's not hard to tell that Christopher is opposed to exposure to new things. This act surprised me because of this and showed me that he has a brave side to him. It's not much, but it's there. You can feel the fear in him before he speaks to her and his bravery broke when he ran when she was inside. It makes me happy how kind Mrs. Alexander treats him though, she seems like a very nice lady. It bugs me though, as I read I couldn't stop thinking how I wish Christopher would just understand that she is trying to be nice to him so he can lower his guard and make a friend. I think it would be very beneficial for him and his social experience with talking to new people. People underestimate how important it is to have friends in life.
Christopher is really smart. Especially in math and physics. But he's in a special school because of his social skills. This is common with autistic people. They understand logic, but have issues with people skills. You see this when he has trouble with emotions. He knew that the smily and frowny faces meant, but had trouble with all the others, and reading them off people. Though, he is nice, and is friendly with all his neighbors. I think he could accomplish his goal of being an astronaut. He excels in the areas he needs to, and it's not like the autism is holding him back with his education.
I would consider Christopher a no-nonsense kind of person. He sees the world as it is and lives in the facts. Because of this he doesn't believe in Heaven. The idea of a place not in the Universe is just nonsense to him. But what does make sense, is his plan to find Wellington's killer. His neighbors are the most likely people to know anything about what happened. He is also very wise to rule out the bad neighbors. This is because they are drug-abusers and would have no reason to hurt Wellington or Mrs. Shears. They are too busy committing their own crimes to deal with their neighbors. Christopher's guess that Mr. Shears did it would be a logical one to make at that point in time, but we later learn that it would be implausible for him to kill Wellington, because he had moved away with Christopher's mother.
I believe that his dreams for university are possible but his astronaut dream is much less likely. A lot of physical attributes are required to be an astronaut and I don’t think Christopher has what it takes. His dreams to go to college are more realistic because of his intelligence. He does well in school and can support himself in college. He wants to get an A on his A grade maths, and considering math and science are his strongest subjects, it is possible for him to achieve this goal. Another point is his autism can easily affect his ability to go into space. This disability limits him drastically in his dream for astronaut stardom.
I think Christopher is too rational to be sad about his mother's death. His father told him that she had a heart attack and since Christopher is so smart he could tell there was something off about that. So he comes up with different scenarios that explain why her heart attack happened. His rational personality is also why he has a hard time believing in heaven. He just can't picture where it would fit in if it's not part of the galaxy. I like the logic in Christopher's plan to catch the killer it's just that he is not good at questioning people. This is partly because he knows he is not allowed to be in other people's business and partly because he doesn't have people skills. If it weren't for these things I think he would be able to catch the killer. I also think it's spot on for Mr. Shears to be a prime suspect because it makes the most sense out all of his ideas.
I’m 50/50 on Christopher’s “plan.” The logic in the killer knowing Mrs. Shears makes sense, but going around asking doesn’t seem to be the smartest idea. He could make himself a target and easily be caught by his father. Being caught could end his investigation and could cause him to get in more trouble than he already is in. This is why he has to be careful with his subjects. However, he is clever to know that many murder victims know their killers personally. So, I do believe going around searching all the neighbors can make it easy to find the culprit and Christopher is smart by doing this.
I think that Christopher’s reaction to his mother’s death is quite strange for me to understand, but he may not have the coping skills or social skills to express his emotions. I thought it was strange that one day the mother was doing fine and then the next week was dead, and I thought that it was strange that Christopher’s father didn't take him to the hospital at least once to see his mother, I know the heart attack was sudden, but if she was finally doing well why wouldn’t he at least bring Christopher in to say hi and see that his mother was doing better. I really like Mrs. Alexander, she is so kind to Christopher even though he doesn’t really like her because she was a stranger and he doesn’t like new people. It took a lot of courage for Christopher to walk door to door to ask questions about a dog, but it shows that he really does care about things. Mrs. Alexander seems like a good person to talk to just because she already knew so much about Christopher when he knocked on her door. It seems that Christopher is in a special school because of social issues more than his mental issues, he is very bright and he can think he just doesn't read social cues well, which causes him to do the “groaning” and not wanting to talk to new people. I think that Christopher wants to show people that even though he is labeled with a disability he can rise above what everyone thinks about autistic kids.
No I would have to disagree with Christopher's idea of Mr. Shears being a prime suspect. His lack of presence in Christopher’s community makes it silly to assume he’d be the killer. It would be out of his way to come back and kill his ex-wife's dog. However, I do believe Mr. Shears has something to do with Christopher’s family due to his father's reaction. Upon hearing Mr. Shears name, he begins to freak out. This causes the reader to have some suspicions about Mr. Shears and why hearing his name would have such an effect on Christopher’s father.
Chris acts like violence isn't a big thing because of the way he uses logic. Sarah pulled his hair so he punched her to him that was the logical thing. He doesn't use violence to hurt people but to protect himself instead. He doesn't comprehend human emotions like that. Now with the heaven thing it doesn't seem logical to him so rejects it. It goes against his logical beliefs thats why he turns it down and it doesn't seem real to him.
I didn't like Christopher's father's explanation for his mother's death. It seemed off and the fact that he wouldn't let Christopher see her or give a good answers to him was off too.
Christopher's logic in finding the killer is pretty good. He tries to think of many different ways that the murder could have been accomplished.
Christopher is a kid with special needs but he doesn't want to be seen that way. He wants to prove he can be a better person. This is why he is trying really hard to get into A Maths and get an A grade.
I think the reason why Christopher cannot/has a difficult time believing in heaven is because autistic people, or at least the few that I know are very factual. Not there? Can't see it? Hasn't been proven? It doesn't exist. My little brother is in love with documentaries. We watch AT LEAST seven a week, and I think he loves them so much because they're so factual, and he likes that it is straight forward. Heaven in my opinion could have a lot of grey areas, and maybe that is another reason why Christopher doesn't like it. He is a very black and white.
Christopher is ridiculously smart, but the reason behind him being in a special education school would be because of his autism. Autistic people tend to be more mathematical and scientific, but less capable of communication, English or reading. A lot of autistic people have a difficult time with large crowds, loud noises, or just understanding day to day things like common courtesy or holding their tongue when something rude pops into their minds. A reason why he is so hell bent on setting himself aside, becoming an individual is because he doesn't want to seem like just some other special education person who cannot succeed in life.
Christopher promises to stop all investigations because the slight part of him that understands human emotion and the reason behind it understands and has figured out that his father really wants him to stop with the investigations. Now, I really don't think he is going to stop investigating. He is headstrong and gets whatever it is that he puts his mind to done, even if it's the last thing he does. He's a strong and stubborn personality.
Christopher’s reaction to his mother’s death did come as a shock to me. His mother died at a very young age, and every time Christopher has questions about what kind of heart attack his mother had, or any sort of detail of her death, his father pushes the idea away and closes up. This, I feel, would make things even harder on the boy, but in all reality he didn’t seem to be upset in the least bit. He doesn’t seem to show any sort of sympathy, or even show up to her own funeral. When he said that his mother didn’t go to heaven because it didn’t exist surprised me in one sense, but not another. Usually grieving people like to say that their loved one died and went to heaven, even if they don’t believe it, or in heaven itself to help cope with the grief. This is more evidence as to why I believe Christopher was not sympathetic or upset about the loss of his mother. The reason why I am not surprised is that he is a logical person. Most people who look scientifically and logically at religion are at a loss because some things cannot be justified or explained.
Part of me feels as though Christopher's mother didn't actually die. I think she may have just left his father and instead of explaining it, he just told Christopher she had died. It would explain why he couldn't visit her in the hospital or go to her funeral. I could be wrong, but it seems really odd for Christopher's father to be acting like that towards him about his own mother. I think that's why Mrs. Shears used to come over so much. Maybe since Mr. Shears and Christopher's mother had an affair, his father and Mrs. Shears also had an affair after. It's possible. She used to stay the night, cook for them, and clean the house. She's either very supportive, or it was totally an affair.
For a child with some type of autism I believe Christopher handles it pretty well in my opinion; you have to remember it could always be worst.I have had the pleasure to work with kids with autism in the past so I feel for Christopher's dad and at the same time think he is doing a wonderful job and the best he can. Everything his father does for him from the small things to telling Christopher to leave the investigating alone is all for the greater good for Christopher's well being. I have wondered about the whole reaction with Mrs.Shears and have wondered the same thing. I believe personally that it might of just been the final straw for Mrs. Shear and she could just not handle or better yet just did not have the patience for someone with the needs such as Christopher has. Christopher lives in a lower middle class neighborhood. Unfortunately it is probably highly unlikely that a child with such a mental status would be able to be an astronaut.
I thought Christopher's reaction to his mothers death was appropriate because he is young and with his autism he doesn't fully understand. Everything seemed sketchy though, his father never took Christopher to the hospital to visit his mom, and didn't take him to the funeral. The neighborhood that Christopher and his father live in is a lower middle class neighborhood, because of the drug dealers next door, the neighbor with the beer shirt on, and the map shows that some of the houses are adjoined. I think that Christopher's logic to find the dog's killer would be okay if he was older and part of the police department with the resources to interview neighbors, but I like that he's at least trying to prove that he's innocent. The strange neighbors aren't prime suspects because based on the Sherlock Holmes books Christopher had read, the killer is someone the victim knows and dislikes, and the neighbors seem to keep to themselves and not interact with other neighbors. Mrs. Alexander isn't like most of the neighbors and is very friendly and willing to help Christopher. Based on how Christopher's father reacts when he hears Mr. Shears mentioned, there must be something why he doesn't like him, so maybe he is the type of person to kill a dog. I love Christopher's ambition and that he wants to become an astronaut, which is why he wants to set himself apart from the rest of the kids at his special needs school and get a good education to live a normal life.
Christopher is in a school for kids with special needs because it’s where he will learn best. In public school, things are not catered to an individual’s needs, and that’s what he can get differently at the special needs school. It’s not like he would have a difficult time understanding the information, because quite honestly he could be top of his class easily. What is difficult for him is seeing things that he doesn't understand, and many things in public school do not function normally or in an organized, logical fashion, which is exactly what he needs to function. Anything different would very possibly end with him on the ground groaning because he doesn't like something.
I think that Christopher is doing some very solid detective work. Everything that he has done trying to solve this case is based off of things a real detective would look into. He knows that the killer is usually someone you know. So he decided to go around to people's houses in the neighborhood to ask them questions. This is exactly what a detective would go and do after a murder. So I think that his plan to find the killer is pretty good.
Christopher isn't the only person to have a difficult time believing in heaven. It's a very foreign concept, a place we go to once we die that isn't necessarily on Earth is kind of hard to imagine. It's just one of those things you either believe in or you don't. There isn't really any "proof" that can accurately say "yes, there is a heaven". There are near death experience books that describe heaven but people are always so skeptical. The majority of the time, if you believe in God, you believe in heaven. But, that can always vary. It's just personal preference, I suppose.
I feel like there are many missing pieces in the puzzle of the death of Christopher’s mother. Why did his father not tell him what sort of heart attack his mother had? Was it really that difficult? Why, when his mother was sick in the hospital, did his father never take him to see her? Maybe this is why Christopher wasn’t upset about his mother’s death; because it was illogical. There a possibility that he sees the flaws in his father’s story, which is maybe why he didn’t go to the funeral either. He did come up with different scenarios as to what actually happened to his mother and this is his way of trying to understand the logic behind her death.
Christopher is in a school for special needs because of his social issues. He wouldn't be able to fit in very well at a regular school. He needs extra help and for someone to explain some things when it comes to dealing with other people. He wants to set himself apart from the other kids there because he believes that he isn't like the rest of them. Christopher is a very smart kid however he does t know how to talk to and act with other people. So in this way he isn't like the other kids at his school.
Christopher's interaction with Mrs. Alexander shows just how cautious he is about strangers. He won't go inside her house and is nervous to chat with her. He only came to talk to her to find out information about Wellington's murder and her wanting to talk to him caught Christopher off guard. He especially got nervous when she went into her house to get the tea and biscuits because he wasn't exactly sure what she was going to come out with or what she was going to do. It shows just how lonely Mrs. Alexander is. Not just because she invited him in for a chat, but when she was at the store and ran into him again she was very much interested in talking to him. It was wise of Christopher to not go into her house since he barely knows her but I'm glad he did decide to stay and talk to her at the store.
The neighbors that Christopher is not comfortable talking to and the ones his father forbids him from talking to are prime suspects because Christopher does not know them. There is more mystery for the people who are strangers to Christopher, leaving more reason to place the blame on them. He does not know their history or personality, which allows for his mind to come up with scenarios about them. Like anyone would do to a stranger. Some scenarios make them seem more plausible than others.
Being that his father does not like them and his on instinct tells him to stay away, Christopher's defenses are peaked against these people. Unknown is unsafe. Unsafe can relate to criminal, and criminal was what the murder of the dog was. Therefor, they're the prime suspects.
I think Christopher is admirable for wanting more for himself in his education. He strongly believes that he can take the advanced math classes and I think he should be able to try. Especially if he wants to put in the time and effort. Christopher is very smart and I think it's very possible for him to be able to go onto university and pursue a degree in math or physics. He's not letting his mental disability keep him down. I'm glad his father went and fought for him because things like that are important. Christopher could be whatever he wants to be as long as he works for it and wants it.
Christopher's plan to find the killer is undeniably basic. From every murder mystery children's novel begins with interviewing people in the area. The neighbors that Christopher's father forbids him to talk to and the ones he is afraid to talk to are not prime suspects because he does not know anything about them. Although they very well could be prime suspects, they are not because Christopher can not determine so.
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