In the novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” by Mark Haddon the main character Christopher changes greatly during his adventure. Christopher is very different to normal people as he has Asperger’s Syndrome, a mental illness which deprives him of his social abilities and emotional interpretation. Christopher changes from an innocent unknowing boy to one of newfound truths and knowledge. At the start of the book he is very shy and protective of himself, only talking to those that he trusts. The author writes “It takes me a long time to get used to people I do not know.
For example, when there is a new member of staff at school I do not talk to them for weeks and weeks. I just watch until I know that they are safe”. Christopher is very protective of himself he keeps a Swiss Army Knife for safety, with Chris’s type of autism he communicates in a very unique way and can get overwhelmed when people talk to him. In his mind things need to be done a specific way and he does not like to take orders. If people start to ask him too many questions his brain cannot interpret the information properly and he can have a meltdown, in part of the story he hits a policeman because he is asking him questions too fast.
Throughout the novel he tries to not hit/punch people because he knows it is the right thing to do and to stay out of trouble. He also becomes braver as he must overcome all his fears in order to fulfill his goals. The first reason Christopher changes is the problem that arises in the beginning of the book, the murder of Wellington a black Poodle of his neighbor’s. Christopher decides, because he likes dogs to find out who kills the dog. Because of his autistic condition he sees the world in a different view to other people, he sees everything in a different way, he is much more observant and the unusual aspects of things.
This bought about the change because it is for this reason Christopher writes the book “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time”. Writing this book is what eventually leads to the first and most important turning points in the story. Christopher’s real change happens when Christopher finds a stack of letter’s his ‘supposedly dead’ mother – “Mother died 2 years ago. ” – writes to him whilst finding the book he was writing. This happens because his father tells him not to mind other’s business – “Father said, ‘Just try and keep your nose out of other people’s business. ” – and in result of not following his dad’s orders gets his book taken away. During his ‘detective work’ Christopher finds out the real reason as to why Wellington’s owner’s husband left as he was one of Chris’s main suspects. He finds out that his mother was having an affair with him. So when Christopher goes to find the book he finds the stack of letters – “One other possibility was that Father had hidden my book somewhere in the house. ” -. All this leads to his change because if it wasn’t for his realization that his mother was alive he would have stayed and nothing would have differed.
It is what leads to Christopher wanting to find his mother, and on this journey he experiences new danger and he learns how to cope with the real world. I believe the finding of the letters is very important as it helps the readers to sympathize with Christopher it also makes you sad especially because he is autistic and cannot understand why his father would lie to him. Although the finding of the letters was important and even more important event is him finding the killer of Wellington.
Shortly after finding the letters his father comes home and finds Christopher lying and shivering on his bed he says to him “I’m sorry, Christopher. I’m so, so sorry. ”. And later after he makes up with Christopher again he confesses the truth: “… Nice as pie one moment … Sink its teeth into your leg the next … Maybe if I’d just given it a kick it would probably have backed off. But, s****, Christopher, when that red mist comes down… Christ, you know how it is. I mean, we’re not that different, me and you. And all I could think was that she cared more about this bloody dog than she did about me or you.
And it was like everything I’d been bottling up for two years just…’” This confession made Christopher feel unsafe, like his father was a threat, a danger and he could no longer live with a dangerous man. So he decides to run away and find his mother all the way in London. So starts his little journey from a little town Swindon in England to London. I believe this is the key turning point in the novel where Christopher goes out into the real world and makes decisions that were once restricted by his illness all by himself.
I think the novel “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” portrays how even a person that is autistic or ill in general can change their self. It does take courage and will power but Christopher being limited and restricted by his Asperger’s breaks free of his bonds and shackles. He was once scared or the world outside his normal routine but with his newfound knowledge he now ventures into this new place willingly in order to be reunited with his mother once again.
