Summative Assessment
The Secret Sharer and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Rationale

For my English course we studied two texts, The Secret Sharer by Joseph Conrad, and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. I decided to write on The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time because I think the book has an interesting and unique plot.
I have chosen to write three diary entries. This text type is appropriate because diaries are personal and reveal feelings that contribute to the furthering of the plot.
The purpose of my characters diary entries is to reveal their inner emotions and feelings. The intended audience for the diary entries are the characters themselves, as only they will read their diary.
I will write three diary entries in the characters of Christopher, Father and Mother.
I have deliberately used swear words in Father’s diary entry as he swears a lot throughout the book, and it reflects his personality.
As Mother misspells many words in her letters to Christopher, I use clumsy spelling in her diary entry, to present her the way the reader knows her from the book.

Father’s Diary
Hello Dairy,
I can’t believe Christopher is still poking around in other people’s business after I told him several bloody times to mind his own f*&%ing business. I have to think of something fast. He’s a clever boy. He could find out, he could find out about everything. I can’t let that happen. Maybe if I hadn’t killed that bloody dog in the first place, none of this would have happened. I yelled at him today when I got home about how he should mind his own business.
I know he understands, but he just doesn’t want to listen. He’s curious and I lose my temper quickly, I know that. Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on him. Anyway, the chances of him finding out about his mother are tiny. It couldn’t happen. I wouldn’t let it happen. He knows not to go in my room. He’s busy investigating the death of that bloody dog anyway.
Maybe I shouldn’t be so hard on him. He’s a good boy, I know that – and he’s pretty damn smart too. He just doesn’t understand when I say things in a stern voice, so I yell and shout at him. I feel guilty sometimes, but sometimes he deserves it.
If he ever finds the letters he’ll never forgive me. This is my greatest and only fear. I constantly tell him to stay out of my room. He doesn’t seem interested in going in it, which is good. I only remember seeing him in my room, and that’s because Toby got out of his cage. Bloody rat.

Christopher’s Diary
Dear Diary,
I don’t really know what a diary is, but Siobhan says it’s a book in which you write your feelings. She said that people have diaries so they can write down what they feel. She said it would be good practice for me.
Today I saw three red cars in a row, which means it was a quite good day. I did some math when I got to school and solved some math puzzles Siobhan brought for me. Then I continued reading my book on the Apollo spacecraft. It made me feel happy because it reminded me of how I’m going to become an astronaut when I grow up. I stopped reading at 2:43 and talked to Siobhan about the different things you can do using prime numbers. Father picked me up from school at 3:12.
When I got home, Father went into his room and I continued investigating Wellington’s death. I walked around the block, passing Mrs. Shears’ house twice. I don’t think she likes me much since she found me in her garden. If Father caught me investigation one more time, he swore that I’d get the worst of punishments. Then I went upstairs to feed Toby and let him run around my room.
Later, Father left the house to go pick something up, so I started looking for clues in the house. I didn’t go into Father’s room because Father said I mustn’t ever go into his room, instead I looked for clues in the living and dining rooms. I didn’t find anything. Soon, I got bored, so I went to watch a documentary on African wildlife on television. Then Father came home and brought us pizza for dinner. I think Father felt angry when the came into the house because he was frowning and swearing under his breath. I didn’t ask why.

Mother’s Diary
Dear Diary,
It’s been hard moving to London without Christopher, I miss him so much. Every week I send him a letter telling him what’s hapening here in London and how things are going.
Till now, I’m sure I’ve written at least 15 letters, but I stil can’t believe my poor baby isn’t here with me anymore. He still hasn’t answered any of my letters and I’m starting to get worried. Why isn’t he answering? Is he angry with me for leaving Swindon? This thought upsets me because I never meent to hurt his feelings. I hope he reads my letters, and forgives me. I’d visit him but Ed told me I’m never to set foot in their house again. I’m scared of going back to Swindon. I’m even scared to call and ask for Christopher.
I try to talk to Roger about my feelings and how it frustrates me that I stil haven’t heard from Christopher, but he doesn’t care. He just nods and changes the topic. That’s what I hate about him, when it comes to Christopher, he doesn’t care. I wish he’d be closer with him, and support me more. It makes me feel lonley when all he cares about is his work and football.
Last night I sent Christopher another letter. I told him about our new house and the neighborhood, telling him that he’d love it here. There’s a big shoping mall around the corner with a shop that sells model spaceships. I know he’d love it. Every time I pass that shop, I smile to myself and remember him. Maybe one day he can visit me and we can look at the different modells together.