Summary: Chapter 101
Jeavons believes Christopher likes math
because, in math, straightforward answers exist for every problem, unlike in life
. Christopher disagrees that math problems always have straightforward answers, and uses the Monty Hall problem as proof.
Does Christopher take his A level math test?
Christopher continues to bring up his maths A level exams
and Mother apologizes for this. The next day Mother drives Christopher to work and Mrs. Shears insults her. Siobhan meets with Mother and then arranges for Christopher to take his A level after all.
Why does Christopher say maths and not math?
Jeavons's observation just after his discovery of his mother's secret affair, Christopher
implies a contrast between math
, which is “safe” and yields straightforward answers even to complex problems, with the much more complex affairs of his life.
What is the symbolic importance of Christopher taking the math A test?
For Christopher, the A-level math test represents
a way for him to validate and feel proud of himself
. Because of his condition, Christopher is socially inept and attends a school for children with disabilities.
Why does Christopher use logic?
Whenever Christopher feels overwhelmed by the world around him, he turns to logic
for help to understand it and to reason out his next steps
. For him, logic is the path to truth. Christopher expresses his emotions in a limited way.
Why was Christopher so confused?
The letter confuses Christopher
because Mother never worked at a factory or lived in London
. The letter has no date, but on the envelope it bears the postmark “16th of October 1997,” eighteen months after Mother died.
What did Christopher find out on the super good day?
Christopher explains that he ranks the day according to the number and color of the cars he sees on his way to school.
Three red cars in a row equal a Good Day
, and five equal a Super Good Day.
Why does Christopher's mother lose her job?
Christopher tells Mother he must return to Swindon to take his A-level math test, but Mother says she doesn't know if that's possible. … A few days later, Mother is fired from her job
for taking leave
. Christopher demands to be taken to Swindon to take his A-level test.
Why is being in the underground station so stressful for Christopher?
The problem is the underground system is confusing and noisy, which causes him
to feel sick
. He sits on a bench near the train track for five hours trying to cope with sounds of the trains, the crush of people, and his fear of trying something new.
What was Christopher's dad's first name?
Christopher's father (
Ed Boone
)
Who Should Christopher live with?
Boone should be
the parent who Christopher lives with. Despite his sometimes short tempered personality, Mr. Boone has demonstrated himself to be reliable, knowledgeable and above all the one who has been by Christopher's side everyday to support and guide him through life.
Why are the exams so important to Christopher?
Because he's
the first student from his special needs school to ever take
an A level, the test proves to him and the world that he doesn't have to lower his expectations for himself just because he's autistic. He can use his different way of seeing the world to succeed.
What does Christopher want to be when he grows up?
What does Christopher want to be when he grows up and why?
An Astronaut
because he likes being alone and in small spaces.
Why can't Christopher tell lies?
Christopher explains that he cannot tell lies
because telling lies is illogical
. A lie, he reasons, means you say something that happened that didn't happen, which violates logic since only one thing ever happens at a particular time and place.
Why can't Christopher look at strangers?
Why can't he look at them? “
I do not like strangers because I do not like people I have never met before. They are hard to understand
.
Why does Christopher say a metaphor is a lie?
Christopher believes that
metaphors are lies since they do not reflect actual facts
. Further, his name is a metaphor, which means “carrying Christ”. His mother said his name was a nice name because it was a story about being helpful, but Christopher wants his name to mean himself.
