Question

Re-read Chapter 37 of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. Then answer the

following questions. When possible, cite evidence from the text. Highlight your responses.
1. What claims does Christopher make about lying? How does he define a lie? Include a
quote/citation from the text.
2. What explanation does Christopher give for his definition? What's his reasoning? How d

Answer 1

In Chapter 37 of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher explains his definition of lying and why he chooses not to lie.

Step-by-step explanation:

1. In Chapter 37 of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher states that lying is telling someone something that isn't true. He says, "A lie is when you say something happened which didn't happen. But there is only ever one thing which happened at a particular time and a particular place. And there are an infinite number of things which didn't happen at that time and that place." (Haddon 211). This shows that Christopher believes lies are statements that don't match with what actually occurred.

2. Christopher explains his definition of a lie by pointing out that there can only be one true version of events. He thinks that everything else that people say about what happened is a lie. His reasoning is that people can only know what they personally experienced, so any other information they provide is not reliable. He says, "This is why I don't tell lies." (Haddon 211) because he wants to be truthful like his hero, Sherlock Holmes.