The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Christopher says that all the children at his school are stupid but that he's been told that he should say that they have learning difficulties or special needs. He says that he is going to prove that he is not stupid by taking A level Maths next month and by getting an A grade. He is the first pupil to take an A level at the school and the headmistress didn't want him to take it at first because she had they didn't have the facilities and she didn't want Christopher to be treated differently because then everyone would want to be treated differently. Christopher's father complained and said that he would pay the £50 for an invigilator and she agreed. Christopher says that after he has taken A level Maths he is going to take A level Further Maths and Physics and then go to university.

It is significant that Christopher thinks the people in his class are stupid because it at once differentiates the people within his school and makes sure that none of us fall into the trap of seeing all the pupils at Christopher’s school in the same way. It is made very clear – and is very clear from the novel – that Christopher is highly intelligent and unique, even if he is incapable of functioning in a mainstream school.