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What significant differences do you see in this narrator in comparison to other narrators you have experienced? How do these differences affect the way in which the story is told? How do these differences affect the reliability of the narrator?
Why do you think Christopher fantasizes about being the only person left in the world?
The novel's title alludes to Silver Blaze, a Sherlock Holmes mystery.When asked if there was any part of the evidence that seemed noteworthy, Sherlock Holmes mentioned "the curious incident of the dog in the nighttime." The police officer reminded Holmes that the dog had done nothing that night. According to Holmes, "That was the curious incident." Because the dog did not bark when the crime was being committed, Holmes deduced that the the dog knew the person committing the crime. This fact narrowed down the suspects and led to the case being solved. So based on what you know so far, what makes the allusion to this Sherlock Holmes story important in the title of this novel? Why is it significant?
Christopher clearly has some form of autism, and due to this, he has a unique perspective on things. How has his unique perspective opened your eyes to details or ideas that you haven't seen or thought about before?
Christopher seems to be a very likable character. What about him makes him so likable? Or if you disagree with this, what makes him unlikable for you?
Do you feel sympathetic towards Christopher? Empathetic? What makes you feel that towards him?
What did you think of the father's reaction to Christopher's arrest?
108 comments:
The allusion to the Sherlock Holmes story seems to suggest to me that the dog in the story also knew the person who committed the crime. This is significant to the story because if the dog knew its killer, it is likely that Christopher also knows the person. As to the reliability of the narrator, I find it extraordinarily easy to believe him.Christopher says he doesn't lie but he also shows us that he doesn't lie. I really like the way he tells the story because of its honesty and the conversational tone of it. It doesn't feel so much like a written story, more like someone is telling it to me. I also find Christopher to be a refreshing character because he explains everything. It helps the reader to understand him.
I believe that Christopher is a likable character because the way he thinks. He has a logical mind like a detective and he is descriptive and observant of his surrounding. However, Christopher also has that special childish side that makes him seem human. Christopher seems to do things based on logic, but then he has an illogical side. For example he writes the book in chapters, but the numbers of the chapters are prime numbers only. It seems that Christopher does this because he likes prime numbers. He choose feelings over logic which makes him seem like a realistic character. Also I feel Christopher is a likeable character because the reader has sympathy for him. He is an autistic child, but he is extremely smart. It seems like Christopher’s autism is holding him back. As for Christophers reliability as a narrator, he seems reliable for the most part. Christopher says he can not tell a lie, but he later talks about a “white lie” which makes me question christopher’s reliability.
The narrator is very similar to others in the fact that Christopher has his own way of thinking. The way Christopher speaks, acts, reacts, and just goes about his day isn't similar in a spot on copy of someone else's behavior, but he is his own person that the reader must then attach themselves to which many novels have been known to do. The difference is that he does have this strange way of thinking that makes you go farther to understand him than you would with other narrators. I do find his way of thinking funny though, Christopher personally reminds me of a 15 year old Sheldon Cooper from Big Bang Theory. It's just the fact that Christopher looks at things so uniquely like no one else, and despite it being annoying at points, it makes him feel better than others. Unfortunately, Christopher does not know when to keep it from others and act like they are just as good him. It's this flaw that makes me both love Christopher and hate him.
I really like Christopher. He’s sweet and his no-nonsense attitude is refreshing. Christopher’s mind sees things differently and finds the most logical answers to every question. He reminds me of Spock because of his logical and methodical approach to everything. After reading the book I find the way ‘normal’ people think very odd. For example, Christopher hates the colors yellow and brown, and while his aversion to the colors are a bit extreme he has actual reasons for not liking them. I don’t like orange all that much, but if someone asked me why I don’t like it, I wouldn’t have an answer. Christopher makes more sense than me.
I think that the father reacted normally to his son’s arrest in the beginning. His son, who is autistic, was just arrested. I would be extremely mad at the arresting officer. Christopher’s behavior in Mrs. Shears’ yard was not 100 percent normal and that should have been obvious to the policeman. The father had every right to be angry. What doesn’t seem normal is the father’s behavior afterwards in the car. The father was very concerned with Christopher keeping out of other people’s business. This seemed odd to me. If I was arrested, the last thing my parents would be telling me to do is to stay out of other people’s business. Why is the father so adamant about this?
Based on the beginning of this book, we can see that Christopher appears to be autistic or have some form of Aspergers. Like most cases, he has a very wide vocabulary and tends to go on and on explaining little details. His intelligence is expanded far beyond other kids his age and he really focuses on why and how things are the way they are. He notices everything small that most people wouldn't even think about. He gets off track a lot, yet he likes to be very organized; everything has a place and must happen the same exact way every time. Christopher doesn't really know the difference between what is wrong and what is right. He doesn't always see the problem in things that would normally be a "no brainer" for others. He is very honest when he is asked a question, but he has a hard time explaining himself. He cannot bear loud noises or to be asked multiple questions or be accused of something. His brain starts to spin when there is too much going on and he is easily confused. Growing up knowing many autistic kids, I know what signs to look for and Christopher has many, if not all of them in only the first few pages. He is a very smart boy who is dealing with a serious case.
The allusion to Sherlock Holmes and Silver Blaze is major foreshadowing in the novel. It is implied by Sherlock Holmes that the dog did not bark, because it knew who the person committing the crime was, thus inferring the criminal was someone close to the victim. Now when we apply this concept to the novel as a whole, we as readers can infer that the person causing the problems for Christopher would also be someone close to him. If we assess possible “suspects”, an outstanding figure comes to mind: His father. All children feel oppressed by their parents at some point in their lives, and parents more often than not hide things in order to “protect” their children. Also, Christopher’s Autism prevents him from reading people and their emotions, which would make it all the more easy for his father to trick him. Finally, in terms of literature, it would be the saddest and most ironic twist possible at this point, and would make for the best story.
As soon as you start reading the book you can tell Christopher has a form of autism. I actually think this makes him more reliable as a narrator because he sees things in detail, when we just see the whole picture. I think Christopher fantasizes about being the only person in the world because people with autism don't like to be in big crowds. They usually take a while to get used to people and have a meltdown when they are aurrounded by a ton of strange faces. I felt really bad for Christopher in the beginning of the book when he hit the police officer. That is a common reaction by autistic kids and he couldn't explain that. I also found it very frustrating that he couldn't explain the dog situation to the cop or to Mrs. shears; he was simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I like Christopher because the way he is telling this story is basically just his diary. He puts every single one of his thoughts into this book. He doesn't leave out details so you can tell he's very observant and that makes him a reliable narrator. I think Christopher fantasizes about being the only person left in the world because not many people think like he does. He probably feels alone and having so many people around him is a constant reminder of that. Being totally alone would probably be easier on him. I feel empathetic for Christopher because although I don't share the same story as him, I definitely understand how confused he feels when he can't explain something, such as hitting the police officer. If you don't like something at all, you're going to react harshly to it and not really know why. It would be very confusing to be arrested for a natural reaction like that.
It is obvious that Christopher has some form of autism; but with that being said, just because someone has a learning disability, it doesn't necessarily make them a more reliable narrator—no matter how convincing their argument may be. For example, Christopher appears to enjoy over-analyzing the minutest detail, regardless of its true importance. In general terms, if someone over-analyzes something—even something as small as where they set their pencil, they could be perceived as having OCD, which could lead to their repetitive rearrangement of their thoughts and never being able to reach a conscious decision—something someone else may be able to complete in a much shorter length of time. However, on the other hand, if that same person is constantly rushing to make decisions and often regrets those same choices in the near future, they could be seen as lacking attention-to-detail, “having too many things on their plate,” or simply not caring. The line between paying too much attention and not paying enough is very, very, very fine, and finding that delicate balance is an issue that almost everyone struggles with on a daily basis.
I find Christopher extremely honest and genuine about his feelings, which I happen to like about him. When he feels scared, uncomfortable, or any other emotions, he has a unique but effective way of expressing himself. One of my favorite lines in this novel is, " I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them" (12). Christopher understands so much about life, regardless of his disability.
The way Christopher thinks is truly something special. He has an eye for details that most people would not even notice such as how his father always up the steps by twos and always starts on his right foot. These minor details help him learn who people are without actually having to talk to them. At this time in the book we learn that Christopher is not as comfortable with humans as his is animals which leads him to investigating the murder of Wellington, the black poodle who had been stabbed with a pitch fork. When Christopher first finds Wellington, dead in his front yard, he grabs the dog and hugs him as if he was alive. This could not have been worsing timing. Mrs. Shears, Wellington’s owner, walks out and finds Christopher holding her dead dog and a few curse words, exclamations and punches later Christopher is being loaded into the back of a cop car. Christopher explains to the cops that he didn’t kill the dog and he didn’t mean to hit the cop and is released to his father. I believe that Christopher is a likable character by the way that he talks to people. He is so gentle, curious and misunderstood that he sends off an innocent vibe that I can’t help but like him.
I really like Christopher because he is very simplistic and innocent. The way he acted when he found the dead dog was so sweet. You can tell he really cares about things. He see's the little details that we thik to be insignificant. He also has a very good memory, like when the cop asks him how old he is, Christopher tells him that he is 15 years and 3 months and 2 days. Not many people can say that right of the top of their head. I feel that so far the way he describes things in detail to himself and writes notes of everything that pops into his head that he is pretty reliable. He doesn't overthink thigs. But in the same breath, he may just see the surface of things when he needs to dig a little deeper.
Christopher, though intelligent, is at a huge disadvantage because of his lack of human understanding and comprehension. In a way, most people can relate this back to themselves. For example, most people have been betrayed by a friend or love one at least once in their lives. They think they know everything that is going on, but are still surprised by the other’s humanly motives or weaknesses. It is frustrating, and often hurts the person or people involved deeply. In other words, not being able to read a person or understand how they truly feel leads to suffering, hate, loathing, etc. Christopher often wishes he was the only person left in the entire world so he wouldn't have to deal with daily misunderstandings about human emotions, which I personally relate to, especially after having a bad day involving close friends or family.
I love reading through Christopher's perspective. His autism makes his character interesting, dynamic, sensitive, and all around more likable. I like how Christopher sees details that others wouldn't normally notice. He is very black and white. Although his likes/dislikes may appear to make him complex, his reasoning is actually very simplistic and straightforward. He doesn't like brown because it reminds him of dirt (among other things). This makes me see autism in a different way, and I actually appreciate Christopher's mindset and innocence. His behavior problems may get in the way, like on a Black Day, but they don't dictate his mind or life 24/7.
I think the significance of the Sherlock Holms allusion is significant to this novel because it is the same concept that Holms had. The dog did not bark what it was murdered which implies that the dog knew whoever killed him. I felt bad for Christopher when he was being interrogated and got arrested by the cops. Christopher, obviously, did not kill the dog and did not deserve to go to jail. I thought his dads reaction was quite strange. I know that would not be the reaction that my dad had. Christopher's dad didn't even want to discuss it at all. I suppose his father knows that Christopher may not have killed the dog and just wants to move past his little incident.
Christopher is a unique boy that sounds smarter than the average person. To me he is a likeable character in the book because I have always been attracted to people who strive to learn new things. It is also obvious that he has social problems, and signs of some type of Autism. Christopher’s wide range of vocabulary and knowledge, as well as his attention to detail is very interesting. As I read this book I was amazed by the number of things I learned that I did not know. I made a list of some of the things I learned that Christopher randomly talks about throughout the novel.
• Embolism- blood clot blocks one of the blood vessels from taking blood to the muscles in the heart
o Can be prevented by taking aspirin and eating fish
• Aneurysm- blood vessel breaks and blood fails to get to the muscles in the heart
• Red Herring- clue which makes a person come to the wrong conclusion
• Singularity of a black hole- impossible to find out what is on the other side because the gravity of a black hole is so big that not even electromagnetic waves can get in or out of it
• Yellow fever- disease that comes from tropical America and west Africa
o Caused by bite of mosquito
• Star constellations- Lepus, Taurus, Gemini, Orion
• Negligible- small enough where you don’t have to take them into account when calculating
I think Christopher becomes a likable character to many readers because of the way he thinks. It's different from how we think so we find it intriguing as we get to know him better. I find it interesting how he bases his days off red or yellow cars in a row as he heads to school. I also find it interesting how he knows his exactly how many years, months, and days old he is. Not many people know that kind of thing, we usually just say the year. Also Christopher is so innocent and sweet, he enjoys his school and loves his pet rat which again interests me. Christopher is so different than what I am use to which makes me like him even more.
Christopher's narrations compared to others is very grounded. While other narrators will give their every thought of the situation at hand, Christopher is straight forward. Its obvious that Christopher will tell the events exactly as they happen without mixing in a personal or biased opinion. This makes the story feel more like a journal or a diary. It makes the story more centered around Christopher because it lacks in depth descriptions of the other characters, rather focusing on Christopher likes, dislikes, and memories. I think that this unique way of story telling makes the narrator reliable to a certain extent, because we don't really know how much Christopher understands about the world around him; but we do know that the events described are exactly as they went.
Although the narrator in this novel has some form of autism, you can tell he is very intelligent and really thinks about everything that is happening around him and the situation he is in. He is completely opposite of Billy from Slaughterhouse-Five, who time travels all the time, had a serious head injury in a plane crash, and suffers from PTSD. Christopher also seems a lot more reliable from his explanation on why he always tells the truth (if only everyone in the world had the same mindset as him). This perspective of his reminds me of how different everyone on earth is. I never realized that we tell someone’s emotions just by how much air they blow out of their nose, or the way their mouth is because it is something I do without thinking. He also opened my brain to how people can be smart in different ways. Christopher seems to be book smart and not street smart, which I also would consider myself to be sometimes. After hearing his whole theory and ideas about prime numbers I started think to myself… maybe I’m not as smart as I thought, I barely know prime numbers under 100!
I find it very interesting that the narrator is characterized a bit differently than any other that we would expect. Christopher can be a relatable character in many different ways: by the way he views things, his beliefs, his family life, and his learning style. However, other narrators readers may experience also have characteristics they find in common with, but maybe not to this surprise. Absolutely everything on his mind, his truth, and his experiences are told verbatim. As a young boy, in a situation as a murder mystery. On a side note, the title plays an important role as a Sherlock Holmes quote, because Christopher is trying to solve the case and think like the master of all murder mysteries.
The allusion to Sherlock Holmes seems like foreshadowing to me. As other people have said, the dog probably knew the person who killed it. When Christopher's father told him to not get into other peoples business in the car I thought that was strange, and my guess is that the dad killed the dog. So hopefully the dog knows Christopher's father or my hypothesis doesn’t really work. So far I really like Christopher and do not like his dad at all. Why wouldn’t he let him visit his mother in the hospital? It’s very odd to me. I also think the Sherlock reference is relevant because Christopher is trying to be a detective like him and figure out the murder case.
Christopher doesn't just seem to be very likable, to me he is likable! I love the way that he tells the story. Unlike most authors who write books, Christopher tells us that he doesn't like to include unnecessary words or phrases when he is telling his story. This really drew me to him because I like the fact that he is straight up and blunt about everything. I know it's not exactly his choice, due to his autism, but I still enjoy that about him. Another thing that I like about Christopher is his love for dogs and that he shares the idea that dogs are still living things and deserve to be cared about. He is a very loving boy. The final and most important thing that I love about Christopher is that he cannot lie. I, for one, hate liars more than anything. Christopher is incapable of lying and honestly he just spills the truth. I love that about him. That's a trait that is very hard to come across nowadays. Overall, Christopher is mainly harmless and seems to still have a big heart.
I have never read a novel where an author as been so specific to detail. The things that I see in Mark Haddon's work that's different from other author's work is his ability to explain things without overdoing it. I feel like I am completely part of this novel as it takes place and to me, it is so easy to relate to. The differences in his work affect the way the story is told because I saw in the author's description that he used to work with autistic individuals. This, I believe, affects his reliability because the readers will know that the author knows what he is writing about, having worked with autistic individuals in the past.
Christopher is a very likable character. That could be due to attention to detail and the way he is able to explain what's on his mind. Although it may be blunt and come across as a little rude, it's already obvious that he has some form of autism. Although this may make him unlikable to others, they shouldn't take this offensively since he does have good intentions in the end. In all cases of individuals with autism, I feel that it is improper so feel sympathetic towards them. The individuals are happy even if it is "in their own little world". These individuals do not want you to feel bad for them because they don't know any different.
Christopher's unique, autistic views about life are really interesting to me as a reader because I have never read a book that goes this in depth about the mind frame of someone with mental defects. His specific understandings and limited knowledge of certain things like facial expressions and verbal metaphors must make him so disconnected from others socially but in his mind I don't really think he sees it that way. I think he is such a likable character because of all of his quirky ways of doing things that are so different from the way we think as normal people, logical and orderly, yet still quite random.
It is just me or do others get the impression that Christopher is much like Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory. He just gives off a personality much like him such as not being able to read others’ emotions very well much like Sheldon not being able to discern others emotions clearly or being able to detect sarcasm (holds up sarcasm sign). They also both hate to be hugged and only use prime number for the chapter numbers which I think is really funny, though rather irrelevant. Also both Christopher and Sheldon seem to use logic to figure things out, and base many things based on known facts of the situation. Such as Christopher deducing the killer of Wellington had to be someone the dog knew because it never barked. Both characters are genuinely smart people but others seem to doubt those claims based upon quirks in both their characters. I personally think that their way of thinking would help either of them on a mystery case such as this. People are likely to think they are handicapped thus not assuming them to be a threat. The only issue with comparing Christopher to Sheldon is that now all I can imagine Christopher as is a mini Sheldon.
The Father’s reaction to Christopher arrest seems why too pleasant in my opinion. If I were to get arrested my parents would probably ground me for life, or kick me out. My parents would never let me live it down is I got arrested for something stupid like that. Really though the Father just doesn’t really seem to care which is greatly disturbing. You should care if your kid gets arrested and at least discuss it with him, what he did and how he needs to reflect upon his actions in the future. Christopher even wants to apologize for what he did, how can you just ignore that? Usually one doesn’t talk about the wrong things one has done because of embarrassment etc, but he wants to discuss it, I give Christopher credit at least he was man enough to try to apologize. What is wrong with the dad though, there is something we don’t know about going on here.
Upon opening The Curious Incident of the dog in the night-time, I noticed a few things right off the bat. For starters, I saw that it wasn't the typical book in terms of organization. The chapters are all prime numbers, fairly short, and they tell a different kind of story. Due to that this book's narrator, Christopher, is autistic, we get a new perspective on things through how the story is told. No "fluff" or symbolic and artistic language is found, but instead everything is simple. Also, we see different ways to look at and interpret things. Christopher is one character that would be hard for anyone to dislike, and I think that this is because he is innocent, curious, and simple, even though he is practically a genius and has a certain way he likes things. I feel that he is a reliable narrator because he says things as they are; he doesn't interpret them differently depending on the emotions related to them because he himself cannot understand emotions. My favorite quote from this section is, "I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them"(p.12).
Christopher is what I like to call a very balanced character. This means that while he may be very skilled in one department, he is rather lacking in another. On one hand, he is an extremely logical character who has a great sense of observation; however, he has a few odd quirks. He seems to choose emotions and feelings over logic. He mentioned that the entire reason he uses logic is to feel safe because he doesn't like change. He also seems very childish at times, which makes him more human in my opinion. Despite seeing the impaled dog in the middle of someone else's yard, he still went over to hug it.
The father had a fairly interesting reaction to Christopher getting arrested. He had to cover for his son's lack of understanding of the world to get him out. Even though he was furious, he didn't show it in front of Christopher. Even though he understands his son's predicament better than anyone on the police force would, he can't help getting frustrated. It's the human thing to do. It confused him that Christopher would enter someone else's property to approach a dog that was impaled by an anonymous person. It probably also baffled him that he would hit the officer.
Christopher sees thing in a very similar way that many narrators do, but he has his own unique way of thinking. The way that he goes about his business about himself is unlike the exact same another person would but he is a person that you really need to get to know in order to fully grasp the meaning of the novel. It is pivotal that you can connect with him on another level, because he does tell the story after all. Christopher has a very different way of thinking, and he makes you go into the novel a very strange but pleasing and refreshing way. Also, Christopher’s autism prevents him from reading into people. He is very much like a Jim Parsons.
First off, this book is one of my favorite books of all time. When I first read it a couple years ago, I was intrigued by the narrator's standpoint in his life and how the author could show a character in a genuinely authentic appeal. Because of Christopher's autism, we know everything we are told is the factual truth. The only flaw being that we only know the facts that are presented to Christopher. Many could be lying or joking with him, and he won't perceive that. With that in mind, reading a book through the eyes of Christopher shows understanding and empathy of his condition that only books could have supplied. Overall, I really love the way Haddon set this book up, pushing the reader to be aware of the reliability of the narrator.
The biggest difference that I've experienced from this narrator compared to others is how perfectly Haddon captures the autistic mindset of Christopher. Christopher always makes clear of what he thinks about certain things and then explains more. Although Christoper could be talking about one thing and then get completely sidetracked about something related but at the same time different to the previous subject. Haddon has done a fantastic job with letting readers know what goes through an autistic mind, but at the same time telling a story.
The most likable trait of Christopher, to me, is how straight forward he is. There is no doubt when it comes to his feelings and his motives; we don't have to read into his character to realize what he is about. I think that many people like his character because he represents something that we desire: a lack of filter when it comes to speaking his true feelings. Don't we all wish we had the courage to say what we truly feel? I know that I do. I feel sympathetic for Christopher because so much of the world is confusing to him; it is like he has this huge disadvantage in the world. It is like joining a large game of Ships and Sailors and not knowing the rules when everyone else does. There's all these directions but they don't mean anything to you, but everyone else has a cipher in their head that lets them decode the instructions and eventually be more successful. I am excited to see how me responds to other situations in the rest of the book.
Christopher's statement on page 12, "I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them," describes Christopher's position in the world. Christopher lives through logic, not emotions. Even though there is logic to life, Christopher cannot figure out all the rules due to his autism. Christopher has a hard time interacting with people and interpreting peoples emotions. Not everything in life can be solved like a math problem which is frustrating for Christopher. Prime numbers have a pattern but the rules can never be fully explained. Similarly, Christopher has a logical pattern for his life but he struggles to comprehend deeper feelings and emotions that are part of the rules for life.
Christopher is probably one of the most likable characters I have encountered in a novel before. I liked him immediately and knew I would enjoy this novel due to his interesting points of view. What makes Christopher likable to me is his innocence. It is the equivalent of a child’s, but his mind is at the same time so much more advanced. Christopher is incredibly intelligent, and this mixed with his naivety create a world that most people have never experienced. Even though he says he will not be funny in his book, Christopher’s raw observations about people and things and also his opinions on them are very humorous, which makes his character more likable as well.
I love Christopher. He is amazing. His brutal honesty has a sort of charm to it. It's funny. Part of it I suppose is that he isn't really mean or cruel, just misguided. And maybe he's just unable to think in any other way. One of the things I find interesting about Christopher is his love of the binary. Whenever an answer is right or wrong, it comforts him. But whenever an answer gets complicated and gray, he is discomforted. That's a theme I see developing throughout this novel: No matter how much we like life to be easy, it's messy and complicated and hard.
I love how the story is told from the perspective of an autistic boy. There’s so much truth in what he says because he tells things simply how he sees them. He tells events exactly how they happen without looking into the situation too much. He also doesn’t think too much about things because it makes his head hurt. I think Christopher is a very likeable character because of his innocence as savannah stated earlier. He reminds of a little kid when he says he cannot talk to strangers because that’s what we are told over and over again as children. As we grow up, we talk to strangers constantly without even thinking twice about it.
As a reader I just want to see Christopher do well and succeed! I find myself feeling sympathetic towards Christopher because he can’t help being autistic, and he can’t help people to understand him too much either. The cop didn’t understand him which is why he got hit, and why Christopher ended up taking a little visit to the jail. I sympathize for Christopher’s dad also. He’s raising an autistic child alone. Raising a child by yourself is enough of a task, add autism to the mix and you can only imagine how Christopher’s dad feels. I admire his patience and devotion when it comes to raising his son.
This book is definitely my favorite out of the two assigned novels. This is so because I find the narrator to be relatable and very appealing. I enjoy how Christopher can be describing his investigation of the murder of Wellington to us at one point and then start discussing the logic behind different things. I think Christopher is similar to Billy because they're both underestimated by others. They don't realize what they're capable of mentally and physically. At first, I don't even realize Christopher has autism. I thought he was extremely bright and intelligent for his age and found him very inspiring and admirable. He's very driven and ambitious when it comes to modeling the actions of a detective, and I truly believe his intentions are good when it comes to helping others which is also very inspiring.
When I first start reading the book I feel that Christopher isn't like most children his age. He is wise beyond his years when it comes to intelligence, he notices small details that others may not care about or even pick up on. The farther into the book I got I began to learn that he was mentally disabled. I feel that in the real world people with disabilities don't always have a filter which makes them brutally honest, because of this I believe that he is more reliable. Sometimes he can get himself into trouble which I find amusing because he doesn't intend to be cruel when he is. I feel that the reader may get misled since we only know what Christopher knows which he may be misguided or misled. I believe that Christopher sees and thinks differently from most characters. Overall I enjoy reading the book. I find that it is able to keep me focused on what may happen next.
Reading from Christopher's perspective makes the book immediately enjoyable. Right from the beginning, you can tell that Christopher is an honest and simple person. He carries the innocence of a child but his understanding of the world can sometimes be more complex than an average adult's, which makes him a unique character. He clarifies right away that he doesn't approve of lying, so it's safe to say that he is a reliable narrator. Of course, this reliability is limited because the way Christopher perceives his surroundings might not actually be the reality.
Christopher is very different from other characters I have ever read. But strangely I think him because in your head you're already judging him a psychopath but really he just a little different. When I started reading this book I just couldn't put it down because of Christopher and how he sees the world. I just the little things like prime numbers, disliking anything yellow or brown, food not touching. This is just some of the things I try and wrap my head around because I could never become this extreme in things like the no touching rule uh I could never be like that I love to hug. But with all Christopher's problems I would see myself really liking him and all the things that he does. Not only that but he reminds me a little bit of my brother who thinks everyone is stupid and he just above us all with his intelligence.
I feel a little bit sorry for Ed Boone because he has had to raise Christopher by himself with all his antics for 2 years. It also would be a real struggle not to be able to understand what is going through his child's head as he make his decisions. Because we all can see he that his thinking is different from most people and reactions. When Christopher got arrested I feel as though Ed was mad but saw it coming. I know it's said to say but when you look at Christopher and his ability not to communicate with people can lead others and himself to misconception what the situation is about; which in the arrest kinda happened. I also think though he also fascinated because stuff doesn't faze him. Christopher has a kinda simple mind so he doesn't have to worry about the complexity of our world because to him it straightforward.
i love that the narrator is unreliable, it makes you have to think about what he is actually saying, he leaves little hints. like when his mother "died" he showed very little emotion in general and didn't know how to comfort his father about it. i like the conversation he has with siobhan about writing a book about the dogs murder. she discourages it because people care more about people than they do about dogs. and then he tried to get a kid to fetch a stick the next day. no one cares about dogs getting murdered and yet we are reading this. also two thumbs up for referencing another book in the first five. pages
i don't feel that sympathy is right for this situation, you shouldn't feel sorry that some one is disabled they don't want your sympathy. sympathy is horrible it removes their pride. i think that empathy is the right thing to feel for this situation. we should want to understand the people who are different from us and help them with assimilating to our society. he wants to be an astronaut, will he be one? maybe its possible, Arnold Schwarzenegger became the governor of California anything is possible. i think since he is taking higher math there is a good reason that he could.
i like the explanation of good and bad days, and super good and bad days. how he thinks its funny that people see a sunny day and think its good or a rainy day and think its bad even tho it has nothing to do with their actual day its just like the cars thing for him. some random thing that has nothing to do with the rest of your day makes it good or bad. i also love his obsession with prime numbers the chapters made me laugh because i didn't notice until like thirteen but my page number was like eleven. and jesus christ is prime...... coincidence.... i think not!!!
I think Christopher is a very likable person because of his logical way of looking at life. I can appreciate this because it is how I think sometimes when emotions can't be a factor. I am sympathetic towards Christopher in regards to his behavioral problems but other than that I envy him. He is a genius, he doesn't lie, and he does what is logical. More people need to follow his example and live better ethical lives. Who knew finding a dead dog would lead to Christopher finding out his mother is really alive and runaway with another man, the owner of the dog.
I just wanted to point out that the general consensus on this page is that Christopher is a likable narrator. I think this is a bit off, since most have explained that it is because of the logical way he presents the story. In reality, if Christopher was a person in our life, I don't think we'd all have the same reaction! We may say that he is intriguing and interesting, but if this was a day-to-day occurrence, what would be your genuine reaction? Yes, I do agree that he is a great character, and maybe that's what everyone else meant as well! Yet, it's weird to see how reading about a character and meeting the real-life version can produce different emotions. Another thing is that many have found Christopher very relatable. Does this strike anybody else as odd? What can we, middle-class honors students in America, have in common with Christopher? I understand that we are all human and thus can relate to each other effortlessly on most occasions. I think the real reason we find Christopher so likable is because his refreshingly different look on life that takes away the emotions that we get so often frustrated with.
I think the reliability of the narrator improves a lot due to how Christopher feels about telling lies, he does not lie. I personally find Christopher a likeable character because of the way he sees things and people. He thinks in a very logical manner. I don't feel sympathetic towards Christopher and I don't believe we should. He's a very intelligent human being and I know just from my experiences that someone feeling pity for you is not such a good feeling. I do however feel disturbed by how characters in the novel react towards Christopher, especially strangers.
This narrator is significantly different to me in comparison with many other narrators that I have experienced. First of all, Christopher, the narrator, seems to not have much understanding of how other people feel and emotionally react to things. In other words, he does not have much understanding of human emotion. Christopher definitely does look at things in a very unique perspective. He doesn't see or hear about things on TV and just assume that they are supposed to be that way. For example, if aliens did exist, he mentioned that they probably wouldn't be these green, slimy creatures with big heads, riding in a flying saucer. He said they could look like robots or just something totally different, because nobody knows.
Compared to other narrators that I have read before, this narration is obviously very different. There is a constant jump from one area of focus to another. Right from the start of reading this novel, I connected it to the style of Slaughterhouse Five. You must pay very close attention because just like in Slaughterhouse Five, there is a lot of shifting from one aspect of the story to another. Although Christopher is not transferring from one time period to another, his mind still seems to wonder and focus on random observations. It is clear that Christopher has some sort of autism, and it is interesting learning how his mind works. I liked the way Christopher explained his reasoning for having a good or bad day. Although illogical, it still resembles people today who decide what their day is going to be like based on the weather. I enjoy learning about Christopher’s day to day thoughts and how he goes about them. Im sure throughout the book will learn to have a better understanding about how the autistic mind works and how to communicate with someone who is autistic.
I find Christopher to be an extremely likable character and I sometimes even find it easy to relate to him. Although not to as much of an extreme as Christopher, I have always found comfort in being alone and enjoying time to myself. Although it would be difficult to be friends with him, I find Christopher to be a likable character because of how intelligent he is as well as how he has such a unique aspect on the things that go on around him. The only thing I don't understand when it comes to Christopher is how other people treat him. I feel that his neighbors as well as the police should have been more understanding of how he behaved due to his obvious autism. I find it extremely odd especially that they would throw him in jail for "assaulting" a police officer. Either way, I think Christopher is a unique and interesting character that I can sympathize as well as empathize with.
Christopher seems to be a likable character so far. Although difficult to understand/deal with sometimes, he seems like a very honest kid. I thought it was interesting when christopher states, “It is because I can’t tell lies.” His mind perceives the idea of a lie to be an incorrect representation of what actually occurred in a moment of time. He states that only one particular thing can happen at a time, and there are no other alternatives. I understand what Christopher is explaining, and this is what makes him so special. The idea of total truth in today's world is practically impossible. Lying, for some people, is one of their everyday characteristics. On the other hand, I can see where some may say they would find Christopher unlikable. Sometimes the constant truth can hurt some people, or result in some sticky situations. Also, it may take some getting use to, like Christopher’s Father had to. You can see where Christopher's persistent attitude sometimes causes his Father to get frustrated. The autistic mind does show many positive attributes, but some that may be too positive for normal minds to handle.
It is obvious from the very first few pages of the novel that Christopher has autism, and that has made me as reader look at him in a different way. Christopher has given me a kind of perspective that makes me sympathize with him and justify some of his actions just because I know he has a disability. Many of the things Christopher says to his elders would be considered very rude and uncalled for, but since he doesn't have quite the same mindset as everyone else it's justified. I do, however, greatly admire Christopher and his intelligence. Even though he has autism, he is still one of the brightest characters in the novel so far. I find it great that Christopher wants to be an astronaut when he is older because I know he would be a perfect candidate due to his personality traits, preferences, and excellent math and science skills. I truly believe that by the end of the novel his intelligence will take him far and he will find out who killed Wellington.
Regarding Christopher's arrest, I feel that his father handled the situation the best it could be. He knows that his son is autistic, so I thought it was very touching that right when he arrived at the jailhouse he gave his son their "sign of love" since he knows Christopher does not like to hug people. In my opinion, Christopher's father had the perfect balance of kindness and being stern when it came to discussing Christopher's actions to him. Like any father would, his father was just looking out for what's best for his son. Sometimes certain situations call for some "tough love." If Christopher was my son, I would sternly tell him that he is not to go near Mrs. Shears house again as well. Even though Christopher's intentions with the dog investigation are good, they could still once again land him in some trouble.
Christopher is clearly autistic and probably has Asperger's, which along with some symptoms of autism, gives Christopher some social restrictions. We see he has trouble with touch, sight, hearing and taste starting in the beginning of the novel. We see examples of these things in the way he reacted when the police officer grabbed his arm and the way he and his father “hug”. He also has an irrational dislike of the color yellow and brown, and eats strange dinners consisting of baked beans and broccoli and warm strawberry milkshakes. What’s more is that Christopher likes white noise and finds solace in it and things like it when upset. Socially Christopher is withdrawn, cannot make friends, and spends more time alone than with friends or family. We also see a lack of empathy in him, most evidently when he talks about his mother and her death. Although Christopher’s Autism seems very odd to us, we can almost envy the way that he doesn't have to follow our society's rules on the way we should behave. I like Christopher and all of his unconventional ways of going about life, and I envy the part of him that just simply does what he wants no matter what anyone says or does.
Christopher is such a unique person, he is quite intelligent in book smarts but in street smarts he lacks knowledge. He shows how smart he is by explaining specific equations to solve problems throughout the novel. But in other times he determines how good or bad a day will be because of the color of cars, which has no logic behind it. Christopher also points out that people think it will be a good or bad day by just looking at the weather, when it won’t matter because the people will be working in an office all day anyway. So in a way everyone is illogical about certain stuff and Christopher wants the reader to see this. I also find the fact that Christopher is an atheist to be different. In most of the books that I’ve read the characters believe in an afterlife or the author doesn’t even touch on the subject. I like that the author went outside of the box and wrote about an atheist autistic kid.
A large difference I see between this narrator, Christopher, and other narrators, is Christopher's matter of fact way of stating things. He very thoroughly describes the things he sees, such as his jail cell and the objects from his pockets that he gives to the police officers. Christopher has a hard time interpreting other's emotions, so his narrating is largely devoid of emotion. Another difference is how Christopher jumps from subject to subject. For a moment he will be talking about the matter at hand, such as Wellington's murder, and the next he will be talking about the color of cars that determine his day.
The allusion to Sherlock Holmes in this novel is extremely important, as it gives us an excellent insight into the crime. As stated by Holmes, the dog did not bark during the crime, leading him to deduce that the dog had known the perpetrator. Similarly, Wellington had not barked during his death, which lets us deduce that Wellington most likely knew his killer. Anyone aware of this allusion would now be able to narrow down the suspect list as they read the novel.
I think Christopher wants to be the only person in the world because he doesn't like to be confronted with new people or new situations. Because of this he wants to keep his same routine day in and day out. Christopher doesn't like new situations because he notices every minor detail and it stresses him out to the point he can't think. If Christopher kept the same routine he can relax and enjoy himself.
The allusion to Sherlock Holmes is interesting because, in quite a few ways, Christopher is much like Sherlock himself. In reference to the BBC show "Sherlock", it seems that Mr. Holmes actually has some form of autism. Like Christopher, he is almost completely unable to accurately determine the exact emotions of the people around him and has a great many issues with deciding the best reaction for the current situation. But, unlike Sherlock, Christopher is incapable of lying. It's not even his morals that hold him back, it's the sheer ideas that a simple lie creates in his mind. For Christopher, a single lie, or even the truth, unfurls an entire web of situations that are not currently happening and therefore are also lies. It makes me wonder what his childhood was like. Children learn very young how to lie, almost as a sort of defense mechanism, to get themselves out of trouble. Lacking the ability to lie, I'm curious as to how Christopher grew up.
I concur that Christopher is a likable character. I do not always like the way that he thinks, because it is not very human, but that interests me. I like him because he is fair. He is fair with others, he does not take too much or bend any rules. I like him because he likes space a lot, and he's quite kind. If he gets mad or violent, it's because he can not help it and others have pushed him to fair. But ultimately, if someone has done something wrong, he wants to correct it. I like that about him. And I like that he asks many questions with intentions of learning. Not many people love to learn as much as Christopher.
The most significant difference I see in the narrator of this book in comparison to other books that I have read is that he is autistic. This affects the book in a few ways that are significant to me. First, he always uses great detail and is very specific about anything he is describing. I think this can make parts a bit too wordy at times. Second, the chapters seem to switch topic on and off sometimes. One chapter he will be doing detective related things and the next he is remembering his mother. Lastly, he does not lie. This gives the novel a sense of reliability because Christopher cannot lie about things.
I like how the narrator is the main character so it is told in his point of view. It makes it even more interesting that he is autistic. Christopher has a very different way of telling a story in his point of view. He tells his view in a very descriptive way, describing everything that he sees. He's almost OCD about making sure that there are no details that are left out. He mostly describes how objects and rooms look, like the jail cell. He doesn't interpret emotions well, so he usually leaves that side of his description to the side. He is a very matter-of-fact little kid, which I think I like. In his mind he cannot lie. In life in general, I would rather have someone tell me the straight truth, rather than lying to me.
I really like how straight forward Christopher is. You don't need to read in depth to find out about his character because he truly states how he feels. That is one trait that I wish I had in my personal life. I feel like a lot of people lack in stating how they truly feel nowadays which is why people like Christopher's character so much! Christopher thinks that the world is so confusing and I feel for him. Being confused is stressful at times but I like to think of his view kind of like a game where everyone else knows how to play that certain game but you don't. It's like everyone knows certain tactics to help get them through life and you're just left there not knowing what to do. With that being said I'm curious to see how Christopher acts in other situations throughout the novel.
I think that his father’s reaction to Christopher’s arrest was normal. He didn't want to frighten Christopher by yelling at him right away but he also wanted him to know that what he did was wrong. Christopher is a very intriguing character. The way he thinks and sees things is very different from the average person which makes me want to know more about him. It interests me on how he bases his day on if he sees a certain number of yellow or red cars in a row on his way to school and how he won’t eat any food with the color yellow in it because he hates the color yellow. I also like how when Christopher is interested in something no one can break is concentration. It’s interesting to me how Christopher is so good at math and science but he has a hard time understanding some of the stuff people say to him because it confuses him.
Christopher is a very likable character to me, he seems genuine and does not have malicious tendencies. On the note of him having autism, I have met a handful of kids that have some form of disorder on the autism spectrum, and they all had the same type of thinking process. The thinking method they use is referred to as "concrete thinking", Which is the opposite of something known as "abstract thinking". Concrete thinkers are very logical and like to organize and sort knowledge and ideas in a very structured way. This is how Christopher sees the world. This is the opposite of abstract thinkers who use concepts to make generalizations and draw conclusions through flexibility. This is why he sees the world as he does.
I think Christopher is a very likable character. I really enjoy how unique he is in the way he acts and in his mindset. Christopher is real. He says what he feels with no worry of what other people will think. He is also very honest, and the truth flows out of him because he has nothing to hide. I also like that he has a desire to learn new things. He is always asking questions and thinking about everything that is going on around him. Because of this, Christopher is very intelligent and well rounded. I also like Christopher because I can relate to him. I relate to him in the way that everything confusing in the world gets frustrating, and that answers that aren't right or wrong just leave you wondering. Christopher is the kind of friend I would love to have in today's world.
Does anyone else think that the reviews in the beginning of the book are a little bit ironic? Or at least the third one is. The Washington Post states, "Both clever and observant." The irony here is that Christopher himself says, "I said that I wasn't clever. I was just noticing how things were, and that wasn't clever. That was just being observant." Or perhaps they're playing on that. "Being clever was when you looked at how things were and used the evidence to work out something new. Like the universe expanding, or who committed a murder." It's also possible that, rather than irony, this is a type of unintentional foreshadowing for the readers. Maybe Christopher will find out who murdered the dog, which, in his own definition, will make him clever. Or maybe I'm just reading too far into this and this was just a regular review.
For starters I can say this book is very different from anything I've read before. The way the narrator says things and acts is weird I guess you could say, but i'm also not uncomfortable reading it. I like how he doesn't really take offense to anything either. For example how that Terry kid tried bullying Christopher, but since he didn't understand he didn't really care. The way Christopher's father said how Terry will end up in prison was a very enjoyable section to read. We have kids like that in Bedford so I found I could relate with his father on my perception of some of the "future prisoners." I envy how he says things like they are without thinking twice about it, as well as his honesty. Also i very like Abbigal Dec's observation on the irony of The Washington Post's review of the book. It is true, Christopher is very clever as well as observant whether he understands it or not. Things aren't always by definition, his cleverness is very differemt
Christopher is a very unique character. I believe he is very intriguing and his intelligence, attention to detail, and his thought process makes him likable. He is very observing, and he pays attention to a lot of small details in whatever he sees, which is an advantage at times. He has some type of autism, and unfortunately it hinders him from having good communication skills or picking up emotions, but yet he is still very intelligent. As unique as he is, Christopher is very relatable. In one case, I found him to be a lot like myself in the sense of enjoying being alone. Now yes, I do enjoy going out or spending time with my friends as well, but sometimes I like to just sit at home and be alone. It's a certain comfort that no other activity can give you, it's just relaxing. To be alone is one of the most comforting feelings you can have. One thing I noticed about Christopher is that he almost has multi-personalities. That can be very deceptive, but it will be interesting to see if he grows out of those habits or not.
I like christopher because even though he has his autism he doesn't let it stop him. You can easily tell he's a good kid because he says he never lies and he shows it to you as well. He's open minded and has different opinions and views on things compared to what we would think. He's more of a realistic character than others.
I am very fond of Christopher's character in this novel. I find him to be somewhat relate-able, because I've been around kids with autism quite often and it's interesting to read something from their perspective. In this way it opened my eyes. But Christopher's perspective on life is quite different from how most people think. He often finds some things to not make sense, such as metaphors. This is because he takes things so literal and he can't look at something in a figurative way. He also finds things like God and the supernatural stupid because it isn't something he can fathom. Even though Christopher thinks this way, he is also extremely clever and is able to look at the world completely different- which in some way makes him more intelligent than most of us.
In the beginning of the novel, we first notice that Cristopher is the narrator, as well as the main character. He goes into great detail to explain every ounce of the story, which makes for a unique and descriptive plot. Since everything is being told in such detail, it makes the novel’s story much more reliable and believable. Not only does Cristopher explain what is currently going on, he adds in side notes from previous experiences to give the scenarios in the plot more meaning. Due to Cristopher’s mental disability, there are many things he sees that may have a different meaning to him than someone who doesn’t have a mental disability. A few of these would be how he views colors, and what they mean for him on a given day, or how he views people. All of these things give the novel an uncommon and unique way of being told.
Christopher is a likable character because he's real. His autism makes him seem like an actual person documenting his thoughts, not a fictional character. The way he thinks and understands the world is different than how I do and it offers a perspective into other minds. I never realized how difficult it could be for some people to comprehend emotions and social skills.
I looked up the quote "I am veined with iron..." and found out it's from Virginia Woolf's The Waves. I thought there might be some connection other than the use of that quote. The book is about the lives of six children till they are adults. If I read The Waves maybe I would have found an affiliation, or maybe not. It makes me wonder if authors always plan deeper meanings and symbolism or if sometimes they want the reader to interpret exactly what's written.
Sometimes when i read books similar to this one, it almost frustrates me because of how simple it is. It's easy to read but harder to understand, you have to watch carefully for symbolism. Another difference is that the narrator has special needs which makes for a great story and a bad story because the book will be simple enough to comprehend, but we won't be able to relate to much. These differences affect the way the story is told because the story is so much simpler then we are used to that it almost confuses us. The differences definitely affect the reliability of the narrator similar to that of Billy Pilgrim in the last book we read, both the narrators are not completely with it. But then i remember that Christoper does not tell lies because in order to form a lie, he would have to pick an event that did not happen to replace the one that did, and he can't make up things that didn't happen. It's hard to believe that everything in this story is true when dealing with such an unreliable narrator (who doesn't tell lies) It's almost ironic because you have to believe Christopher because he doesn't lie, but at the same time it's hard to completely rely on someone with mental disabilities. To me, Christopher is very likable. I value honesty in a person, and to me Christopher has a great outlook on the truth and integrity. I'm not sure how i feel towards Christopher, obviously i was mad when he got arrested for something he didn't do, but then again maybe he did....
I actually really enjoy that it's from an autistic persons point of view. Autism doesn't have much light shed on it, and many people don't understand that it is a very large spectrum and that though many share a lot of the same symptoms, a lot also don't. Some cannot control it, some have done therapy to help, but a common factor is that they're all so smart and a bit different. I know a lot about autism from first hand experience from my little brother and just this whole book is sorta just interesting to me.
Although many of my fellow classmates seem to like Christopher, there are a few things about him that I find dislikeable. One of those is he doesn’t to his father. His father is the only one there for him and is trying to look for him. Christopher thinks he knows what is best for him when in all reality, he doesn’t. Another thing I find unappealing about Christopher is that he is a very logical person. I myself am more of a creative person, so I don’t relate to him very well. He acts like a know-it-all and is too cocky about his intelligence which also off puts his character for me.
So far I really like Christopher. I find it funny how smart and logical of a person he is yet his feelings towards the day depend on what color cars he sees on the way to school. He is a very different narrator than what I'm used to, but it's refreshing and nice to read through a different perspective. I don't think it changes how the story is told in a bad way, mostly because us as readers still understand what something means even though Christopher may not. I didn't think much about this stories connection to Silver Blaze but it now makes sense, and Christopher may have it right. Wellington didn't bark because he knew his killer.
I like how the narrator differs from most narrators. In this book like most others the narrator is telling a story but in this case it is a story about himself. It is like he is just talking to the reader, not quite a normal conversation but you get the point. He is very straightforward and uses little to no emotions which is just part of his personality, and I like how you can see his personality through the way he narrates. Christopher says several times throughout the book that he doesn't lie meaning what you're read is the facts as it is to him (even though it might not really be right like the thing with his mother). You don't know anything about the other characters unless he knows and puts it in his book. Whereas in other books with a 3rd party narrator you may find out multiple character's thoughts/motives and characteristics. I like how the story is told it's new and interesting.
The most significant difference I see between Christopher and all the other narrators from other novels I’ve read is he is autistic. He has a different view of the world than just the ordinary narrator. He also has his own way of expressing his thoughts and emotions. We see that a lot when he tries to explain to Mrs. Shears what happened to the dog. I think that this makes him a more reliable narrator because he sees many more details than the ordinary person would. I think the Sherlock Holmes reference has to do with Christopher. Someone that Christopher is close to and knows is hurting him. Christopher’s view on life makes me think a lot about little details that some people might notice in my life that I don’t. It’s making me think a lot about my life and pay more attention to things I might not pay a lot of attention to.
I just want to comment to say that this novel is unlike any other novel I have ever read. I say this because most novels are written with a lot of emotions and complex ideas. This book is so simple, almost in a boring tone, and such an easy read yet keeping me entertained. Christopher seems like a unique individual. He is a straight forward guy that seems be a little bit socially awkward at times. As he narrated the book states how he does not like proper books which has convinced me to dislike proper books as well. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the book and discovering how Christopher will find out who murdered Wellington
Not only does the novel's title hold significance to "Silver Blaze", but it also alludes to Christopher's mystery of the dead dog that he is trying to solve. Throughout the novel, Christopher mentions his love of Sherlock Holmes as a character. Because of this, and Christopher's natural intellect, he is able to deduce that Wellington was killed by someone he knows. Not only that, but Sherlock found the dog important whilst others did not. In this case, Christopher is the only one who finds the dead dog relevant. Also, I believe the story will take a "Sherlock Holmes route." By this I mean that the murderer will be someone Wellington knew.
The allusion of the Sherkock Holmes story is very crucial as Christopher investigates on the murder of wellington. He can defiantly use that story to narrow down the suspects as well. This is significant because it has to do with with the titlle and the main purpose of the novel. I agree that Cristopher is a likable character. He is so intelligent and unique unlike anyone else. He seems to always make something out of nothing while remaining independent. Christopher is also very honest, he is always truth full and is not afraid to say whats on his mind. I thought his fathers reaction to his arrest was far to calm. If you get a call from the police saying that your kid hit a cop while you thought he was just sleeping you have to be angry about that.
The novel's title alludes to the Sherlock Holmes mystery because it too involves a murder in which the dog did not bark during the crime. This is important because the main character, Christopher, wants to solve the murder and can use the evidence in the allusion in his own case. Using the fact that the dog didn't bark, Christopher can too narrow down the suspects in the murder. Also, the fact that Christopher wants to solve this murder is one of the many reasons why I find him a likable character. The fact that he is an animal-lover and is willing to investigate a murder of one makes him seem almost heroic. He also has some very unique things that he does, thinks, and likes. This reminds me of myself in a way, especially when I was younger. Because I can relate to his thinking, I feel empathetic to what he is going through. Christopher seem like a very good kid and has an interesting adventure ahead of him.
Christopher came off as the type of kid that not many people would like, and that just makes me love him more. I like how Christopher explains that when he is telling his story he doesn't like to use words and sayings that aren't necessary. Someone who tells things straight up just like they are, no sugar coating, beating around the bush.... Nothing. I love it. The fact that Christopher is a dog person draws me to him as well. His ideals that dogs should be treated with respect and love and be cared for mirror mine, which I like. A common trend that I have noticed with the people in my life with autism is that they are some of the most loving and caring people and I can certainty see some of the traits in Christoper. The fact that he doesn't lie wins me over as well. It's unfortunate that there's so many people nowadays that are incapable of telling the truth.
The thing that kept me most interested throughout the book was the way it was narrated. It was nice getting away from the usual boring narrator in other books. This novel was very similar to Slaughterhouse Five where there was a constant change of thought, but to me wasn’t as confusing because the time period stayed the same. Another thing I liked about this novel was that I felt as if I could trust what Christopher was saying because he explained everything exactly how he thought it was. Although I could trust him that also meant that some of the time he wasn’t sure what was really going on. The narrator of the book gave it a unique touch that creates a distinction between other novels and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. I was introduced to the mind of a person with disabilities which also kept me reading, because it is different than what we usually read.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime is written extremely differently than most other books. This book is written very straight forward. Most authors add metaphors and descriptions. There's not many details or long descriptions in the style that he writes. Also, as he said, it's not funny. It's very much black and white when it's told. I think this makes him more reliable as a writer. He sees it and tells it how it is. I think the autism is part of the reason he writes As he does.
Although I really like Christopher, I can't empathize with him. I've never encountered someone with autism and I've experienced the same things as him. I can sympathize with him because the book is written from his perspective and it's easy to grasp what he is feeling. I like how everything is straightforward, and how the book gives you insight into the mind of someone with autism. One of the most interesting parts so far is when Christopher talked about how eventually the stars will stop moving and fall back toward Earth. I've never thought about stars like that. I've heard how the sun will die out or blow up, but I've never heard about stars being the end of Earth. His thoughts are unique and compelling and offer a lot of perspective.
The narrator in this novel is very detail oriented and is very good at showing inside the mind of a person with autism. Most narrators only say things that apply to the plot but this one goes off on tangents about whatever comes into his mind. He also assumes that the reader thinks the way he does. For example he feels the need to explain what a metaphor and a smilie is and point them out all the time because he has difficulty understanding them. I don't think that these differences from regular narrators affect the reliability of the narrator in this novel because he is very good at pointing out all of his behavioral glitches. He is even aware of when he blanks out due to anger or some other strong emotions. I actually think that I like this type of narration better because I like knowing all of the little details. I also like knowing about his odd aversions to certain things like yellow because it has made me realize that these people aren't just making it up on a whim it is very real to them. I think that overall Christopher is a like able character but it is very frustrating as a reader to know how the world works and then have to read about it through his thought process.
I am really enjoying the way the story is being told, it is like nothing I have read before. The way the narrator tells the story is more like the way a conversation would be held. Christopher is constantly giving details about each situation and giving background to the story. I know that it is just a story, but the way each detail of Christopher’s life is established so far is quite amazing to me. I find it fascinating that Christopher is so observant and attached to each detail of his everyday life. The car colors and the way they are arranged is an interesting way to determine whether or not his day is good, which I’m sure makes life interesting for the people he is around on a regular basis. I also think it is interesting that in a foot note he mentions two foods that are brown so he wouldn’t eat them anyway. I think that reading the novel from an autistic point of view really helps me as a person sort of begin to grasp all that goes through their heads because clearly they are very bright and observant people who have trouble with communication skills and reading people’s body language and other things. I think Christopher is such a likable character because of his openness and honestly with the reader. I really like the part where he explains why he can’t lie and why he despises when other people do it and how he believes that metaphors are a form of lying.
The narrator is very detailed and helps me get a better understanding about how chris sees things. I sympathize with Chris due to how the narrator explains things. He thinks about things more different than how someone with a normal mind would. He says that the stars will fall and end the earth. I never heard of that just about the sun running out of gas. I really like Chris though he seems like an interesting character.
You can't blame Christopher for wanting to be the only person in the world. To be completely alone. Sometimes it feels good to be alone but when you think about it for too long and realize that it might not be that good for the long run. I doesn't seem like Christopher thinks about the future or what can happen if he is alone too long.
(I've already read ahead of this section but the Sherlock Holmes part here might make the the 'Prime Suspect' that Christopher describes to be the murderer.) The title seems to work nicely with the Sherlock Holmes part.
I enjoy reading the book from Christopher’s perspective. It immediately gives the story a different twist because the reader sees and says things from a logical perspective as well as a relatable, personable perspective because he sees the world differently. However, I do have to agree with Gloria on the fact that we WOULD see Christopher in a different light if he was a real person. Christopher is the type of person I feel people would distance themselves from because of his autism; also, the way Christopher acts outwardly doesn’t always match up with the way he thinks. That is why I like reading from his point of view because sometimes it is hard for someone to understand the motives behind the actions and this way we can see how Christopher struggles, strides, thinks, etc. and why he does what he does. This viewpoint makes me sympathize with the narrator.
As I read I think Christopher is very likable. But the more I read the more I realize that he sounds a lot like a little someone I know very well (my little brother, Lawson). All of the little quirks that many people would find odd, or difficult to deal with on day-to-day basis are shockingly similar to my little brother. The way he's so bold and blunt about everything is so funny. My little brother once asked his teacher if she was dumb because she didn't know something correctly about spiders, so it just makes me laugh a bit seeing it written down as a different character.
I feel like Christopher is a reliable character. He said it himself, that he wasn’t one to lie. He says things that are brutally honest, and things that would be to his benefit not to say, but he does anyways (For example, when he was found and questioned by the police next to the dog). My favorite thing about Christopher is his outward prospective. How he sees things logically. His “good day”/”black day” prediction was my favorite. How the “Quite good day” started with seeing three red cars all the way up to five, which made it the “Super good day.” What I liked about this was when he said for some people “the only difference was the weather” (pg. 24). How if people can base the outcome of their day on the weather, then isn’t it just as logical to base the outcome of their day on the red cars that he sees (or if he sees any yellow) which are both equally out of our control.
It makes we wonder if the author of this book had a close relation with someone with autism. I wonder this because he does such a good job explaining and narrating the inside of an autistic child. Not to come off rude or discriminating or anything of that caliber but I find Christopher's comments to be awkward and he seems to always be saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. Sometimes I wish I could just hop in the book and stop Christopher from carrying out his actions or stop him from saying what he is about to say. Yes I do feel sympathetic for Christopher because not having a mom i'm sure has effected the way he has been raised. I believe the way the way he handled it was appropriate telling Christopher not to be messing with the whole dog death investigation.
I love the way Haddon makes Christopher think. He's very simplistic and descriptive. He's an awesome story teller and just makes you want to keep listening. It's almost as if you are reading Christopher's journal. I think Christopher fantasizes about being the only person left in the world because then he could do all of the things he wants to do and won't have to worry about trying to read people. He's a very independent minded person and is perfectly content being alone. He is definitely a great character.
I find it very interesting the way that people treat Christopher. Mainly the way people who know him and know whats wrong with him. Like Mrs Shears knows Christopher very well but she calls the police on him. I would think that knowing he has problems you would call his dad instead of the police. Even Christopher's dad isn't very understanding when something goes wrong. He just starts to yell at him but that doesn't work when the person you're yelling can't handle yelling. As a father with a child who has some mental problems I think you would just have to be very calm and understanding so that they know what is happening. Instead of just getting freaked out because someone is yelling at them.
The narrator definitely has Aspergers or another severe form of autism, which means everything in the book is straightforward and he never lies about anything so he is very reliable as an author. Christopher's view on things is different, but interesting since he's from England so everyone says bloody this, bloody that, and his form of autism gives readers an idea of how people with autism think and act. I think that he dreams about being the only person in the world because he likes to be alone and hates to talk to other people. I sympathize with Christopher because he doesn't realize consequences of doing things, takes everything literal, and gets into trouble with the cops and his father. Also, everyone around him hides things from him, like his mom leaving, because he won't be able to comprehend the truth. I think that his father tried his hardest to stay calm when Christopher was arrested, but he also needed to show Christopher what he did was wrong and he should've stayed out of peoples business in the first place.
I'm absolutely in love with this book- I started reading it as soon as the library called and said it was in. I find the plot of this book to not only be unusual, but attention-gripping from page one. Christopher is a very likable character, he's also easy to pity. The reader can tell that he has a form of autism, it's in the way he has decided to write his book. He is very specific about be truthful and, my personal favorite thing about his novel, is having his chapters go by only prime numbers. This isn't something one sees in a "normal" novel. I like this better- more appealing, more interesting. Anyways, Christopher is very easy to feel sympathetic for because of all the things that have happened in his life. You find out very shortly into the book that his mother left the family, but because his father thinks he is too sensitive for the truth and that it'll hurt Christopher, his father tells him that his mother died. This also makes me pity Christopher more because people are sugarcoating things for the boy because he is autistic.
I respect Christopher's father for telling him to leave the dog's death alone, because it would only cause more problems if Christopher began snooping around. It's clear that Christopher doesn't have a full understanding of social limits, and the more lines he crosses, the more questions and issues arise. However, I think Christopher wants something to do with his time. Since he isn't out doing what the other kids do.
The narrator in this book is different because he is not speaking from a godly perspective. Simply first person. What makes this even different is that the first person that the narrator is speaking from is an autistic boy. He makes sure to keep this evident throughout the story, with little hints of his personality slipping in here and there. The title alludes to a Sherlock Holmes mystery story most likely because Christopher wants it to be one. He is searching diligently for an answer to the murder of the dog with a gardening fork in him.
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