The tone of the curious incident of the dog in the night-time remains detached and neutral throughout the novel. The tone is significant because it shows a reader the mindset that someone like Christopher may have.
Borrowed from Chad Dorman
Chad One way the tone is established is through how Christopher describes objects or events in the novel. Christopher’s descriptions are always direct and clear, never lingering on biases or emotions. In chapter 73, Christopher states that he used to think his parents would divorce “because of the stress of looking after someone who has Behavioral Problems like (he has,)” (Haddon, 45) and goes on to provide a list of said behavioral problems, including citations to elaborate or give explanations for several. The use of descriptions in this way throughout the novel are a very unique way to set the detached tone, and are fitting for Christopher’s character, as he would only see fit to provide a reader with information he found necessary to understand a scenario.
Image taken by Caroline Coyle
Similarly to the descriptions, the novel uses images to further establish the detached tone. In chapter 227, Christopher is finding his way to his mother’s home in London. During the scene, Christopher provides a picture of a map of the area, and a copy of the map showing the route he was to take. Where another protagonist may have simply described their route as long, or daunting, Christopher tells the story he views it. Though he experiences discomfort due to the strange people and strange places, he presents his journey with neutral terms because he comprehends logic and direct information, not emotions.
By writing a novel with a detached tone, Haddon shows that a compelling narrative can be told from the perspective of a character that doesn’t feel strongly about the events they take part in. Haddon has stated that he believes that “genuinely understanding another human being involves talking and listening to them and finding out what makes them an individual,” and he helps create that understanding in his readers by writing the novel with Christopher’s detached tone.