Cars

Cars are emblematic of the private order that Christopher places on the world to make it intelligible to him. In many ways, they are his own break from logic and simply a set of rules of his own creation. He uses the colours of the cars he sees as indicators or signs of luck as to whether he’ll have a good day or a bad day. If he sees the wrong colour cars, he won’t speak to anyone all day, and if he sees the right colour, he’ll take more risks. He draws a number of red cars, his sign of good luck, on his mother’s get-well card when he thinks she’s in the hospital, hoping that the cars will help her get better. This is as near as Christopher gets to believing in the supernatural.

Cars Quotes

And I colored all the cars in with red paint to make it a Super Super Good Day for Mother. Chapter 53

The next day I saw 4 yellow cars in a row on the way to school, which made it a Black Day, so I didn’t eat anything at lunch and I sat in the corner of the room all day and read my A-level maths course book. Chapter 89

So because it was a Super Good Day I decided to walk into the park with Mrs. Alexander even though it scared me. Chapter 97

A-Level Test

The A level tests for residents of England are the Advanced level qualifications that are subject-based qualifications that can lead to university, further study, training, or work. People can normally study three or more A levels over two years, and which are usually assessed by a series of examinations. Christopher would be the first student from his special needs school to ever take an A level. The test proves to Christopher, and the world, that he doesn’t have to lower his expectations for himself, and may be his ticket to a better future. Christopher is at his most stressed, even refusing to eat, when he is living with his mother in London and in Swindon and he thinks he might not be able to take the A level. Once Christopher is able to complete the test, a stressful situation that may cause others to struggle, he receives a top score on the exams. This delivers some confidence about his ability to become a scientist as he has passed another hurdle on his way to becoming an adult.

A-level Test Quotes

I am going to prove that I’m not stupid. Next month I’m going to take my A level in maths and I’m going to get an A grade. (Christopher Boone) Chapter 71

And when Mother came into the spare room before I went to sleep I said, ‘I have to go to Swindon to take my A level.’
And she said, ‘Christopher, not now. I’m getting phone calls from your father threatening to take me to court. I’m getting it in the neck from Roger. It’s not a good time.’ Chapter 233

Sherlock Holmes

The title of the book is itself taken from a Sherlock Holmes story, preempting the idea that the novel will be typical of the detective genre. Throughout the text, Sherlock Holmes embodies Christopher’s personal values of logic and mental detachment. Christopher tries to copy Holmes’ methods when trying to solve the two mysteries presented to him, the dead dog and the truth about his mother. Additionally, Holmes represents Christopher’s ability to succeed in life. Holmes is an odd character who does not interact with the world in a particularly conventional manner. Christopher sees in Holmes a validation that his own values are worthwhile, even if other people don’t understand how his mind works.

Sherlock Holmes Quotes

‘The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes.’
But he notices them, like I do. Also it says in the book:
‘Sherlock Holmes had, in a very remarkable degree, the power of detaching his mind at will.’
And this is like me, too, because if I get really interested in something, like practicing maths, or reading a book about the Apollo missions or great white sharks, I don’t notice anything else and Father can be calling me to come and eat my supper and I won’t hear him. Chapter 107

Dogs

The novel begins and ends with the two dogs, Wellington and Sandy. Wellington’s death symbolises Christopher’s loss of trust and in many ways his loss of innocence. Before Wellington’s death, Christopher wholeheartedly trusted his father, believing he was safe with him. After the investigation begins, it is inadvertently revealed that Christopher’s father has lied, and even killed the dog. In Christopher’s worldview, this means his father could potentially murder him because he couldn’t be trusted.

Later in an effort to restore the broken trust with his son, Ed buys Christopher a Labrador dog, Sandy, who comes to symbolise hope. In raising Sandy, and having to come to Ed’s house to see the dog, Christopher will slowly learn to trust his father again.

In addition to this, dogs make sense to Christopher as he can understand their moods; he believes he always know what a dog is thinking as it has four moods, happy, sad, cross and concentrating.

Dogs Quotes

The dog was dead. There was a garden fork sticking out of the dog. (Christopher Boone) Chapter 2

I like dogs. You always know what a dog is thinking. It has four moods. Happy, sad, cross and concentrating. Chapter 5

Also, dogs are faithful and they do not tell lies because they cannot talk. Chapter 5

And he said, ‘It’s a bloody dog, Christopher, a bloody dog.’
I replied, ‘I think dogs are important, too. Chapter 41

And people who believe in God think God has put human beings on the earth because they think human beings are the best animal, but human beings are just an animal and they will evolve into another animal, and that animal will be cleverer and it will put human beings into a zoo, like we put chimpanzees and gorillas into a zoo. Chapter 199

The Swiss Army Knife

The Swiss army knife symbolizes security. In many ways it is a false hope, as Christopher holds it with the saw blade drawn whenever he feels threatened in a crowd or is frightened of being touched. The small saw blade in reality is not as life-saving as Christopher may think. Whether the threat is real or imagined, such as in the crowded train terminal in London, Christopher thinks if someone hit him and he kills them, it will be self-defence and he won’t go to prison. In a way, this is a link to logic that sits comfortably in his worldview.

Swiss Army Knife Quotes

So I took out my Swiss Army knife.
And he said, ‘Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Whoa,’ and held up both his hands with his fingers stretched out in a fan, like he wanted me to stretch my fingers out in a fan and touch his fingers because he wanted to say he loved me, but he did it with both hands, not one like Father and Mother, and I didn’t know who he was. Chapter 211

Diagrams

As an illustrator, diagrams are important to author, and also emblematise a sense of order in Christopher’s mind. Whenever he feels anxious and worried, Christopher draws a diagram or a map to calm himself; he maps the station in case he gets lost, he draws diagrams of maths problems to see how they are solved. Diagrams mirror the logical, structural way in which Christopher views the world, and they help him create order when the world seems filled with chaos. He suggests that they make him feel better because there is something in his head that has an order and a pattern. As Christopher’s world becomes more challenging for him, there is an increase in the amount of diagrams, signalling to the reader Christopher’s desperate attempt to impose order and communication. The many diagrams give readers valuable and tangible insight as they can see on the page exactly what Christopher is imagining.