The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Lesson 21 - Worksheet

In lesson twenty-one, students delve into the emotional landscape of the characters in Chapter 227 of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time". The 'Do Now Activity' encourages students to engage in a thoughtful analysis by linking characters to the emotions they may be experiencing, choosing from a list that includes anger, pride, shock, anguish, fear, and remorse. Students are tasked with selecting up to two emotions per character—Ed, Judy, and Christopher—and justifying their choices with references to the text. This exercise not only deepens their understanding of the characters' internal states but also hones their analytical skills and ability to support arguments with textual evidence.

The worksheet pushes students to stretch their analytical abilities even further with a comparative exercise. They are asked to juxtapose Christopher's dream with that of his mother's, as described in Chapter 113. By completing a table that focuses on the location, other people involved, and underlying feelings of each dream, students explore the similarities and differences between the two characters' subconscious expressions. This comparison serves to illuminate the characters' inner worlds and may offer insights into their motivations and relationships within the narrative. The activity promotes critical thinking and a deeper engagement with the novel's thematic elements.