 |
| Photo credit: http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca |
Christopher's close call while retrieving Toby seems to be intense to everyone but him. What reactions during this situation help us understand some of his limitations? What is his focus? What is the focus of those around him? What is the difference between these areas of focus and what does this difference tell us?
What do the reactions of the people who are trying to help Christopher tell us about them or society in general?
A lot of detail is given about Christopher's time in the train station, but not so much detail is given about his time on the tube (subway). Why do you think that is? What is the significance of the details he does give us about his brief ride on the tube?
London is a very large international city, yet Christopher is much more calm navigating the city than he is at the train stations. Why do you think this is the case? What tools does he use for navigation here that he can't use in the train station?
Once Christopher finds his mother and Mr. Shears, it is not long before his father shows up. This is a very emotionally charged atmosphere, yet Christopher seems to tell this part of the story like a reporter. What accounts for his detachment from the chaotic emotional landscape that he finds himself in here?
The three adults have very different points of view and reactions to the situation at hand. Explain one adult's emotional state and how it is justified or unjustified, using examples.
123 comments:
What I don't understand was the part where Christopher explained that he was imagining that trains weren't continually entering and exiting the train station. He states that he usually hates imagining things because he considers it lying, but that he felt even more terrified facing the reality of the trains coming and going. I understand that he is worried about his father or the police will be on one of those trains, coming to get him and take him away. I suppose what I don't get is why he doesn't make an effort to move away from the loading and unloading part of the station right away. I feel it would be easier for him to ignore all of his fear if he wasn't so close to the trains. Suddenly, he chooses one at random and decides to get on. At this point, I was scared for Christopher. He is venturing in such a large area, full of weird people and strangers, and he is very unfamiliar with where he is going. Luckily, he sorts things out and buys a map, which leads him to his mother's place.
Ed's emotional state is distraught. Basically, his family and life is falling apart. I would be terribly concerned and afraid if I lost my son. Christopher is about everything that his father has. When he runs away, his father has nothing. His wife already ran away, which changed his and Christopher's life forever. He's already lost enough. During this whole situation, I think Ed has had enough. He does not want to lose anyone ever again. He wants to hold together the very last piece of his family that he can, and that crucial piece is Christopher. Ed is also upset because this incident with his mother has brought Mr. Shears, the man who tore his family apart, back into his life. Altogether, this does not have to be a very fun experience for Ed, Christopher's father.
I think that pretending his journey was a video game was pretty clever. Because Christopher thinks logically, its easier for him to imagine uncomfortable situations as a giant puzzle. Doing this allows him to make the other people at the train station just background AI's, and to imagine a red objective-path leading from point A to point B. Because his brain takes in so much outside information at once, by making it a game he is able focus on just progressing and making it to the next "level". What I don't understand is why Christopher stayed in the subway system for so long. I understand that he was terrified of the crowd, but he also stated earlier that he was more afraid of his father and being taken home. I would've thought that's what gave him a motive to move through the crowds in the train station earlier. But overall it was admirable how brave he acted, even though he felt so scared.
Christopher put himself in danger to save his rat Toby. He went out onto the tracks and had to be pulled up onto the platform by a man that was nearby. This man does the right thing by saving Christopher but Christopher only sees him as a stranger who grabbed him and hurt him. The man handles the situation with some not nice words and anger that everything was just to save a rat. He doesn't ask if Christopher is okay. He just gets mad because he doesn't understand Toby's importance to Christopher. Or why Christopher isn't exactly grateful for being saved. This shows that most of society doesn't understand or know how to handle someone like Christopher.
I think Christopher has an easier time navigating the city than the trains for a few reasons. First, the train and subway stations were new and unknown places; both things Christopher doesn’t like. Secondly the stations and train cars were crowded with strangers that put Christopher on edge. Besides being overcrowded, the stations were very noisy. London streets, while still crowded, are open to the air and give the illusion of space. Having a map of the city also helped keep Christopher calm. Having that map gave him rules and directions to follow, while in the subway Christopher had to go outside of his comfort zone to get directions.
I realized that Christopher seems sort of detached from the world around him. In the train station, he just wanted to get Toby back and didn’t think of the dangers of jumping down into the tracks while other people would have panicked, or would not have jumped. Another example, is when Ms. Alexander was just trying to be nice and offered to bring some snacks out and he left. While Stranger Danger is important, he could have said no and left anyway. And the fact that he wanted to write a novel about the murder of a dog. Of all the things he could have done, he went out and investigated what happened to this dog instead of just leaving it be. Don’t get me wrong, I love the story, but as intelligent as he is, some things just fly over his head.
Mr. Shears' reaction to Christopher's sudden arrival is one of extreme annoyance and impatience. He and Judy left Swindon to get away from their crazy lives, but with the Christopher's return, it starts bringing back all of the things they purposely left behind. He get's frustrated with Judy because she welcomes Chris back as if she has forgotten all the trouble that she had raising him. Even though he seems brusque with how he deals with the situation, it is because he is really protective of the life and family that he has established with Judy in London. When things get out of control with the arrival of of Ed and the fulmination that proceeds between him and his ex-wife, Roger is the only one that stays level headed. He asks them both to calm down then they started accusing each other for the turmoil in Christopher's life, and he even suggests that they hold this conversation later when they're not hot-headed. Mr. Shears is able to stay this way because he has the least experience with Christopher out of everyone in the room, and in this is the only time that it seems to help (sort of). A blank and rational point of view is one that Ed has not had to deal with for a while when it comes to his son but in this case it would have been the approach that got the best results.
Ed has always been the person that his son has consistently given trust to, and now he has lost it all through a series of poor choices. Dealing with Christopher has always been something that he has excelled in, but now he doesn't have that. It is as if he has lost a very valuable item that cannot be replaced because it was built by hand. When he realized that Christopher had made in way to London to be with his mother, he was afraid because he knew that she lacked the patience to deal with him in a way that he would respond to. As he made his way to 451c Chapter Road, he was frantic to see his son not to steal him away from Judy, but to ensure his safety. He was acting irrationally during his encounter with Robert and Judy because he will not be satisfied until he sees that his son has not been harmed. He acts so desperately because he feels that he didn't do all that he could to keep his wife from leaving and he doesn't want another member of his family to be taken from him.
I think Christopher puts so much detail into the train station instead of being on the train is because he notices every single detail about a new place. While both things are new to him, the train station is a lot bigger than the train and there is much more going on. There are lots of places to see, people to see, people doing things, etc., and he just had to fit in every single detail. On the train, he went and hid on a luggage shelf. That was about all that happened. All he saw were some people noticing him and a few people talking about him or to him.
Judy has had to live with the fact that she abandoned her son because she was unfit to care for him, but now he has come back seeking her protection and giving her his trust. It is only natural that she would act so hostile when her ex-husband tries to take it from her. For the first time in her life, Christopher has chosen her over Ed, and she believes it is her chance to redeem herself for her past folly. Somehow she can't make the men see this perspective; Ed wants to take Christopher away and Roger does't want to be involved in this part of her life. I think her reaction is incredibly justified, but nobody is giving her a chance. The fact that she learns that her son was convinced that she was dead for 2 years just makes her more angry. It makes her think that Ed is so protective over his monopoly that he virtually destroyed her mark on Chris's life. This drives her to think that Christopher's trust is up for grabs. (I imagine it as a finite amount that was opened up when his father confessed to killing Wellington.)
While I appreciate the people that were trying to help Christopher, and their intentions were completely good, when Christopher reacted differently than a typical child would, they were disturbed. People aren't used to anything out of the "norm" or what they expect. Also he didn't show appreciation. So they got frustrated with him. Christopher has a map of London, which he does very well with, therefore he is very comfortable. He had no map of the train station, also he had to go in very small places with a lot of people.
When Christopher goes to save Toby, he does not think about anything except saving Toby. He completely focuses on a task when he is trying to complete it. Christopher describes the time as a reporter because he has a hard time feeling a lot of intense emotions. He feels detached because it all makes sense to him. He was scared of his father, so he went to live with his mother. He has completely justified this decision in his head and made himself comfortable with it. Christopher's fathers reaction is completely justified, he made a mistake and all he has is his son he would obviously be scared and upset. Mr. Shears reaction, however is completely unacceptable. It shows that he is just in general, not a decent human being. Also, if he really "loved" Christopher's mom he would care for Christopher because he is important to her.
Christopher has his mind dead set on the idea that his father is a murderer. He is also sure of the fact that he will not go live with him, that he will stay at his mother's house. Mr. Shears is also living there, someone that Christopher is not at all used to being around and does not feel comfortable in trusting him to keep him safe during the chaotic moment. He detaches himself from the emotional distress, and most of it, I believe, is because he was used to seeing it so much. He remembers the violent arguments and the yelling of his parents all the time because of him. Also, the fact that he feels so confident about his father not being able to take him back home is a "relief". Why should he stress about it when he knows everything will be okay when his father leaves? I believe he trusts his mother enough to handle the situation, if not, someone would call the police for trespassing in their home. Either way, Christopher was safe.
Christopher's mothers emotional state is extremely justified throughout the book. Once it is revealed that Christopher's father lied about his mother being dead, Christopher runs away to his mother. His mother then begins to ask Christopher why he never wrote her back. He has no choice but to break the news to her and explain why he ran away in the first place. Christopher's mother is obviously enraged, and she has every right to be. She loves her son, and has been spending so much of her time trying to contact him and make sure he was safe and happy. I find it extremely alarming and uncalled for that Christopher's father would lie to Christopher about such a thing.
Ed’s world is beginning to crumble beneath his feet. Christopher has run away from Ed after he has been lied to about the “death” of his mother and had found out that his father had violently killed Wellington. Without Christopher Ed truly has nothing. His wife has already run away with another man which left him distraught and his only son is gone too. I wonder if or how Ed is going to pursue Christopher? Or if he does find him and brings him home, how are things going to be different? I hope that Ed does find his son because he really does love him and only wants what's best for him.
Christopher’s close call with Toby was extremely intense. He only had one thing on his mind and that was to retrieve his rat. He saw the train approaching and heard all the noise, but he was too zoned in on catching Toby to even think about himself. Everyone else was focused in on his safety, and wondering if this kid had a death wish. None of them cared about the rat and I agree with them. There’s a boy about to get hit by a train! This different thought process just reminds us again about Christopher’s disabilities. He doesn’t always think logically and it could end up really hurting him in the future. Christopher was also pretty mean to the people who were trying to help him after the incident, and to the guy who actually saved him. He even pulled out his knife! So much for thanking him.
I was proud of Christopher for finally finding his mother and Mr. Shears! He overcame so many of his fears and reached his goal. He did this in his own way, thinking about things like a video game and making maps in his head of the places he goes. If I were Christopher’s dad I would be pretty mad about the whole situation too. I believe his reaction was completely justified. Christopher’s mom abandoned them both and has no right to think she can all of the sudden start to be a parent. His dad makes an ample amount of good points when he states the things Christopher’s mother missed out on by leaving them and how she hasn’t been a mother. She never took him to school, to doctors’ appointments, or anything for him lately besides write him letters. Christopher has been the center of his dad’s world and he has a right to be angry when that’s taken away from him.
Christopher's reaction to being snatched from the subway tracks is that he pulls a knife on the man who rescued him. He didn't understand why he needed rescuing because he was the one trying to rescue Toby. Christopher was taught about the dangers of strangers, not the dangers of subway station. Because of this he only reacted to being grabbed by someone, not by nearly being killed. It tends to be the case that people who are considered geniuses don't always have the most common sense. Christopher, being so embedded in facts and logic, analyzed his surroundings with rote memorization instead of judgement. In the end, his focus was on the rat. While the others only saw a boy standing on the tracks of an approaching subway.
I bet the reason Christopher didn't overreact when he went to get Toby and realized that the train was coming was because he sat at the station for hours and watch lots of trains coming in and out so he is able to determine that he had time to get Toby and get out before the train would hit him.
When Christopher was in the train he needed to get his mind out of the rattling and all the people around him so he set his mind on one thing and I happened to be the words on the side of walls on the interior. I think he does this while he's in the station, too.
The reason Christopher more easily navigates London than his home town is because he now has a map of London and was able to figure out where to go on his own rather than when he was in his home town he had to ask a bunch of strangers where to go and what to do.
I found some of Christopher's coping methods while at the train station weird, clever, and sometimes both. For example, it was strange how he thought of it as a video game called Train to London but at the same time that was clever of him because he knew he was scared and this helped him to keep moving forward. The same goes for how he imagined a red line so that it was easier to follow the path he had mapped out and could focus on that instead of everything that was going on around him. However, I found it very strange that when his thoughts became muddled he did math problems. I guess that's one of the many differences between me and him, because it is generally the other way around, hard math problems are more likely to confuse me than help me think clearer. I did think though that it was intelligent of him to ask others for help, make a map of the train station, and most importantly watch what the other people around him were doing. After all, monkey see, monkey do; we may not be monkeys, but we still learn by watching those around us.
Christopher's adventure down onto the tracks to retrieve Toby was definitely one that would have made the news in America. Christopher's sole purpose was to retrieve his pet before he got any father away versus the man with diamonds on his socks who was freaking out because some kid just climbed down onto the tracks. He didn't think about the approaching train or how he was going to get out, only that Toby was still evading him and that he bit him. Once he did catch Toby though and realized that he was going to die if he didn't get out, he still didn't react as a normal person would, he wouldn't let go of a rat so that he could pull himself up. Also, when the man with the diamond socks pulled Christopher out, Christopher screamed because the man had touched him and hurt him while saving him, whereas I would probably be screaming because I almost got hit by a train. This shows us some of Christopher's limitations. We see that he is unable to process real life and death situations, that he can only really focus on one thing at a time, and that even when his life is on the line he still will freak out if someone touches him. Also, we can see a generalization of society in the two people that help him. The man with the diamond socks, who I assumed was a business man, portrayed men as being no-nonsense, no sympathy, and in a rush. While the woman with the guitar case portrayed women as caring and sympathetic, she asked Christopher if he was okay and if she could help whereas the man just yelled and walked away. This scene also says a lot about society as a whole in that most people, one, don't realize what's going on around them and, two, they don't wish to involve themselves in something dramatic and instead turn the other way.
The way the man handles Christopher and the way he dove to save Toby makes me sad. People get angry and start to yell at my little brother all the time due to the fact that he is autistic and some things just don't click for him. I, myself, have a hard time dealing with my little brothers quirks or trying to grasp the way he thinks. I would have been overwhelmed and upset and overjoyed if I had saved a kids life, I don't think I would have it in me to yell at them and make them feel bad. I would try to unerstand.
Christopher's efforts to save Toby are valiant, but show how limited Christopher really is focusing on this one task. Yes, it is good to be focused, but Christopher wants to be like Sherlock Holmes and have the ability to detach himself from the world around him and focusing on Toby and ignoring incoming danger shows how limited Christopher is and incapable of doing so. The focus of the other people was the train, and they were clearly concerned when Christopher wouldn't move away and kept going after Toby. The difference isn't just emotional at this point, but a little self-conceded and threatening to his own self in a way where his autism is truly a limitation, not a gift as he sees it.
I think it is particularly clever when Christopher cups his hand so he can see only one sign. With all the signs Christopher became overwhelmed and started to panic, so after he calmed down he blocked out the rest of the signs and focused on one. In Christopher’s situation of how he is and such, I thought that this was smart of him to use this tactic. When Christopher almost dies everyone flips out, while Christopher isn’t that shaken up about it. Death doesn’t scare Christopher like most. Christopher sees the world different than everyone else, he sees life and death as something that just is. He isn’t the type of person that would mourn a death for more than a couple of days.
Christopher is more comfortable in London because there aren’t nearly as many people close together as there were in the station. In the Station Christopher had to sit on a bench for five hours until enough people cleared. With so many people in a small proximity Christopher was constantly being touched and could not focus with so many people. While in London there were still a lot of people but the proximity was much wider and Christopher could relax. The people throughout this book seem to treat Christopher poorly. Many of the strangers he meets are rude to him. I don’t know if they know he is disabled or if England is full of jerks. America is the same way with people so England wouldn’t be the only culprit of being mean.
When Christopher jumps into the tracks to retrieve toby every is appalled and scared. Anyone would be nervous if they saw someone standing on the tracks where a train was about to be passing on. The other people in the train station are extremely scarred that the boy on the tracks is going to get hit by the oncoming train but the boy on the tracks doesn't even notice. While Christopher is trying to retrieve Toby many of his character traits are shown. He is determined. If Christopher wants something he will get it. In that moment all he wanted was to get Toby back and he would go to any length to get him. In his mind the crowd and the train was no limit to him because he was focused on only one thing. His focus was so intense that he failed to notice the oncoming train that almost killed him. When Christopher is paying attention to something he zones out everything around him. When there are loud noises or crowds he can calm himself by focusing completely on maths or looking at a picture on the wall. He often times zeros in on one thing. On the other hand, the people in the train station watching the incident are not as calm as Christopher. They look at the picture as a whole and notice the train coming at Christopher and try to get him off the rails whereas Christopher is only focused on Toby. This shows how Christopher's view of his environment is very different than other peoples view of their surroundings.
I was pretty angry at the characters who were rude to Christopher when he needed help. I'm sure they're trying the best that they can since they don't know his condition, but they don't seem too concerned. Very few people actually stop to help. Christopher was on a bench for 5 hours and only 1 or 2 people stopped to talk to him. At first, nearly anyone he meets thinks that he joking around. When they realize he isn't, they're still pretty self-absorbed. Okay, a kid with a knife is pretty intimidating, but they don't call anyone or try to get him anywhere. They just walk away and mind their own business. The world can't stop for one person, but the atmosphere of such a large city is overwhelming and selfish.
Christopher's detachment from the altercation with his father is yet another one of his efficient strategies. I love how he processes thinks logically. It really does make things easier. Removing emotion and personal connection to something helps ease anxiety and tension. When you think of things logically, it's so simple to step back and think "hey, this isn't that bad." I envy Christopher at this moment because he does this automatically. Rather than confusion and frustration, his brain chooses the path that separates him from possible upset. I think at this point, his different brain function is completely advantageous. His ability to compartmentalize is remarkable. You see him do this throughout the book. When retrieving Toby, he was able to focus solely on one task. Therefore that task had his full attention and would be able to be carried out at maximum efficiency. Others would be focused on so many other things at once that it would cloud the main task at hand.
The way that Christopher remembers places is amazing that he can take in all of that information in such a little time and remember every little detail, like which way the most of the cows are facing. I liked how he turned the adventure into a video game to help himself cope and find his way. I figured that Christopher would just want to get out of the station and get away from most of the crowd instead of sitting in the corner for hours and blocking everyone out. It was surprising that a policeman would help a kid runaway, because if it was something planned, an adult would have been there to help him or have told him what to do before he left. Hiding from the cop in the luggage storage area was a really good idea, even if it wasn’t his intention. The most of people at the train stations were nicer than I expected them to be; maybe it’s just Americans that are rude to everyone.
Christopher was a lot calmer walking through London to get to mothers’ house because he had a map to tell him where to go and he had a plan. Whereas he was uncertain of what to do next and the crowds overwhelmed him while in the train stations. When he gets to his mother’s house, I was surprised that he wasn’t more emotional about seeing his mother and knowing that she actually is alive. Mr. Shears was very rude to Christopher, considering all that Christopher just went through. Christopher has trouble dealing with feelings, so when his parents and Mr. Shears are yelling at each other, Christopher doesn’t really know what to do, so he hides out and listens to everything. All three people have good reasons for what they should do with Christopher. His mother has been unable to see her son for around two years, which is hard for a mother to do, and Christopher wants to be with her. His father has been the person that been taking care of Christopher for most of his life, and did what he did to protect Christopher. Mr. Shears doesn’t want Christopher because he caused Christopher’s mother so much stress that she had to leave her husband, and he doesn’t want the same thing to happen again.
Christopher had an easier time coping in the city than on the train mainly because of the amount of people. Being on the train reminded him of when he was younger and the school bus broke down. Then his mother had to drive a carload of kids home, and the amount of people in the small area bothered him so much that he jumped out of the moving vehicle. The train did not only bring back bad memories, but made him think in a way that made him sick: the millions of train tracks that were laid all over the world made him dizzy just thinking about it. He is also sickened by the inconvenience of the unfamiliar area. He had to go to the bathroom and he didn’t know what else to do than to wet himself. Being in the city is more open and available for wandering, thinking, and going.
Christopher is limited in the sense of danger. When he valiantly saved Toby on the tracks, he did not think of the upcoming danger. All he saw was his animal, who meant so much to him, and only thinking of what would happen if the rat was gone, put himself too in imminent danger of the train. This scenario shows that Christopher can overlook simple logic. For instance: don’t jump in front of a train. But he can think of deeper logic far beyond anyone his age, such as the infinite chess board and the spiraling roads and how he would eventually end up at the train station if he kept following them in a circle and eliminating streets.
I think Christopher had an easier time navigating the city than the train station because Christopher lives in a city area and is more familiar with streets than with the train station. Also, there is more space when walking on city streets than in a crowded underground train station. Christopher hates being touched by people and a train station is very cramped and crowded with people going all different ways to catch their train or subway. Streets are much calmer and more spread out. Furthermore, Christopher mentioned on page 141 that when he goes to a new place, he notices every single little detail unlike most people. "I see everything. That is why I don't like new places. If I am in a place I know, like home, or school, or the bus, or the shop, or the street, I have seen almost everything in it beforehand and all I have to do is look at the things that have changed or moved." The train station was more overwhelming with all the people and different signs for where to go, what to buy, and places to visit in London. Although there are still signs in the city, Christopher is more familiar with cars and street lights than trains and multiple advertisements on a wall together like on page 169. All in all, I think Christopher did not like the fact that the train station was underground and crowded with strangers with no where to go. The city streets, although foreign, were more open and Christopher could have his necessary space which allowed him to think clearer.
I think the reason Christopher has a much easier time navigating the large city rather than the train station is because of two reasons. First he has a map of where he needs to go and how to get there. He is not overwhelmed by the area because his need to map out a new location was already done for him so he is informed, which makes him feel safe. Whenever Christopher went to a new place he always had to map it out in his head, but since this was done for him he felt better about the situation and confident where he was going. The map also mad it so he wouldn't have to ask for many strangers help anymore and he could find his mothers house and walk there, I believe he found it comforting to finally know where he was going and how to get there. Second, he is out in the open when he is in the city, not trapped like at the station. Christopher has a very hard time in public places or when somebody touches him, however it is far easier to get out of the way when you are out on the street than if you are in a crowded hallway. I think the fact he is outside has a large impact on his comfortableness in London. With the two factors together, I am not surprised at all that he wasn't scared out in the city.
The reactions of the people who are trying to help Christopher tell us that people in our society are not very understanding or sympathetic. For example, when the police officer finds him, he is kind at first, but when he catches Christopher on the train, he is angry with him and tells him that he is a "bloody handful." Other people who encounter Christopher are quite rude to him. They also may just find him odd or strange, so they will leave him sitting alone by himself or they won't approach him. The store owner that he buys the map book from is rude when Christopher looks at the book initially. The fact that Christopher can sit and be blank for so long might be confusing to people, but instead of attempting to help him they just give him strange looks and leave him alone. It tells me that our society is more concerned about our individual beings than helping someone who looks lost and confused. I was very surprised that Christopher was able to make it all the way to London by himself without encountering more people who were kind to him and understanding that he is different.
The fact that Christopher’s close call while retrieving Toby at the train station seems to be intense to everyone but him is both alarming and fascinating at the same time. Christopher Boone’s actions at the train station reveal his love for Toby, his pet rat, in an entirely new light. His actions show the reader just how much he loves and cares for this creature—in every imaginable way, shape and/or form. For example, Christopher is willing to risk his own life and safety to protect his pet—much like that of a mother and child. Yet, on the other hand, this scenario proves to be alarming for everyone around him because of the sheer fact that they are unaware of Christopher’s “unique” relationship with Toby. They will never be able to fully grasp the concept of Christopher’s apt ability to risk his own life to save someone/something that he cares about so deeply. It is precisely this lack of understanding that causes the onlookers to act as they did—in disbelief, misunderstanding, and horror towards the actions of Christopher Boone.
Despite the fact that London is such a large, international city, Christopher is able to remain much calmer while navigating its streets, as opposed to the train stations for a few reasons. For example, Christopher is able to purchase a map of the streets—something he was unable to do in the train stations. Plus, he is able to “draw” a map of the streets around him in his mind, which is also something he was unable to do inside of the train station. Christopher also feels much less “claustrophobic” out in the open, even despite the large number of people all around him. Christopher also finally feels like he is nearing his destination and wants to finally arrive, and therefore, acts much more levelheaded to make the wisest possible decisions. Lastly, Christopher has been able to adhere to the tenets, practices, and general order of the city much quicker than he was able to fully comprehend, grasp, and accept the compete chaos that was inside the train stations.
While Christopher travels through the train station, we get a good look at the coping mechanisms that Christopher uses to avoid a “break down” before he gets to his mother’s apartment. He groans and puts his head between his knees, make’s short goals to get through the crowded station like saying to himself “I will walk down the tunnel” and walking to a rhythm. He also listens to white noise, and solves complicated math problems in his head. Putting your head between your knees is a common way to ease nausea and dizziness when having a Panic Attack, and talking to yourself like Christopher’s “left, right, left” walking would help him breath and reassure him that he can reach his goal during a panic attack or Limited-Symptom Attack. All of these techniques are used to combat anxiety and panic attacks and in Christopher, and other people, work quite well. I even use the white noise technique by listening to music when I’m overanalyzing something and it’s making me irrationally nervous. I might even try walking to a rhythm like Christopher does when I’m feeling anxious in a new place.
Christopher seems a lot more at ease while navigating London than he does at the train station. This is probably because the train and subway stations are so crowded with strangers and loud; two things autistic people don't care for. Christopher has a map to follow in the city and it isn't as crowded. Christopher's brain went into overload in the station because there were so many strangers and details to take in. When Christopher was in the tube he hid the whole time because he couldn't handle the amount of people in such a small place. This is why we got such a small amount of detail about the tube; there wasn't much to see from a luggage shelf.
When Christopher's father comes to his mother's house to get him back, there are a ton of different emotions from everyone, but Christopher tells the story very matter-of-factly. Christopher is probably detached from this situation because he doesn't understand emotions very well. He doesn't understand how his father must feel when he sees the women he once loved that was fooling around behind his back. Christopher also doesn't understand how hard it is for his dad to see the man that his wife was having that affair with. There is a lot of hatred between Mr. Shears and Christopher's parents. It is a good thing that it doesn't seem to bother Christopher though, because most children would be upset by the seperation of their parents.
I think Ed's reaction to the whole situation is justified and understandable. I feel like Ed feels abandoned again and has lost everything. He does not want to lose his son the same way he lost his wife. If I were Ed I would be full of sadness, frustration, and regret. I disagree with the lies that Ed told his son, especially since Christopher feels so strongly about lying and is actually afraid of being lied to. I still feel badly for Ed, his life is crumbling and he feels as though there is nothing he can do about. He has lost the trust of his only son and close family member he has, and it is devastating to him.
During Christopher’s train station endeavors, many people come into contact with Christopher. Despite many people’s willingness to do what they deem best for Christopher’s well-being, Christopher often blows them off due to being either people who want to return him to his father or strangers. Because of this, Christopher often avoids people such as the cop and the numerous people he asked for directions for the above, respective reasons. Another thing that Christopher does in this section is constantly hold tightly to his knife and, in one case, threaten a man who spoke to him. While this may be due to Christopher’s natural fear of strangers, it could also be due to his recent discoveries revolving around his father. Because of his father’s numerous actions, Christopher is quick to jump to guarding himself as if everyone around him is a threat.
During the confrontation between Christopher’s parents and Mr. Shears, each of the adults seem to be extremely upset for one reason for another: each for a vindicated reason. Christopher’s mother is noticeably upset at her recently-left husband for lying about her moving to London and hiding of her letters: neglecting her son of her existence. By doing this, Christopher’s mother’s emotions finally explode upon seeing the man who told her son this lie. Christopher’s father on the other hand is upset about his son running away and never talking to him anymore, but mainly due to the guilt that is slowly eating him up as well. Lastly, Mr. Shears is upset because Christopher’s father and himself are in a constant struggle with one another and because Christopher has returned to his mother. This rage is further shown when the reader learns of Mr. Shears’ hate for Christopher for a multitude of reasons (his intelligence, his ability to be his mother’s center of attention, and his existence being a reminder of Christopher’s relationship with Christopher’s father).
The situation in the train station shows that Christopher is in aware of the danger that he was in. First of all, Christopher is a fifteen year-old boy, and he has no idea what he's doing. He could have gotten kidnapped or ended up in serious trouble. Secondly, when he jumped onto the tracks to save his pet rat, he had no idea that he could have been hit by a train. When the man grabs Christopher and saves him, he just sees the man as a stranger who wants to hurt him. Christopher has no understanding of the dangerous situation that he had put himself in. I believe that they way Ed reacted is totally normal. He first lost his wife, and now Christopher has ran away too. Ed doesn't know what to do now because Christopher was the only thing he had left in his life. I would feel the same way if I were him. I can see why Christopher can navigate London more easily, he bought a map and can mentally draw a map of the streets for himself.
The reactions of the people that Christopher comes in contact with throughout his journey to London show that people in our society are very rude and only concerned with themselves. Most of the people Christopher met were angry, harsh, and showed no compassion to a confused boy who is lost. And when Christopher would sit down and stare blankly for hours no one bothered to even ask if he needed help or offer any assistance which is also very troubling. The people walking by are too concerned with their own lives to even pay any attention to someone who may need help.
I think that Christopher is more calm about navigating London than the train station mainly because of difference in the amount of people around him. In the train station there were crowds of people surrounding and bumping into him and it was filled with so many signs that Christopher could no focus and read them all. He could not take the time to think because it was so overwhelming with all of the people. But I believe that London was easier for him because he was in a much more open space and could think things through. There was not as many people around him to create chaos in his mind.
I agree with Danielle. When people are in a cramped place with everyone bumping into you, it tends to be hard to focus but it is so much easier in an open place where the people are spread out.
Now to relate that to the book. Christopher has asperger syndrome, which makes social meetings very uncomfortable and awkward. Being in the train station with a bunch of people made him feel very awkward and frustrated. Christopher calmed down when he got to London. The people weren't as clustered and it was earier for Christopher to relax.
I felt like this part really related to reality. So many people now a days are to wrapped up either in themselves or electronics to notice what is going on around them. So when no one even noticed him sitting there for so long with a knife it proves that people do not pay enough attention to what is going on around them. Know one knows what he is going to do or what he is capable of. Just like Christopher did not know what his father was capable of. It shocks me though that no one cared what he did until he almost dies. That is when everyone freaked out. One thing I really like about Christopher is his perspective on everything. He is not scared of death, but instead embraces it in a way.
I think that one of Christopher's coping mechanisms particularly stood out to me. I thought it was very clever of him to grip his swiss army knife, with the knife blade out, in his pocket. This did a few things to make him less nervous. First of all, it made him feel safe. If anybody were to attack him, he felt that he could defend himself. Second of all, it acted as a stress ball. He could grip it tightly when he felt nervous to calm him down. For these reasons, he was able to get through the train station without breaking down.
There is one of Christopher's coping mechanisms, in particular, that didn't make sense to me. This is when he feeds Toby in his pocket. I don't understand how feeding a rat can calm a person down, but it seemed to help Christopher. It was almost like knowing that Toby was happy made Christopher happy. Christopher was never uncomfortable doing something that made him happy. This is why he carried Toby around in his pocket. Having Toby around to care for, made Christopher happy.
Christopher has an easier time navigating the city rather than the train station for a few reasons. One reason being that he has a map. Christopher has to take everything in and map it all out before he can do anything in a new area, having a map of an area greatly helps him because he can just go where he needs to go and not study everything. Another reason is because there aren't as many people in such a small area and he has to look at everyone to try and decide what they are like. The people in the city are also not in a huge hurry and may have a second or two to help Christopher. This is not the case in the train station, rather the opposite.
Christopher’s close call while retrieving Toby seems to be intense to everyone else but him because he was so focused on trying to get Toby back that he didn't realize the position he put himself in. His limitations of only focusing on one thing at a time put him in that position. He was only worried about getting Toby back instead of where he was and what kind of danger he put himself into. While Christopher’s focus was getting Toby back everyone else was worrying about getting Christopher back up off the tracks to keep him alive. Others around him didn't care about if it was a pet rat or not because to them it was just a rat. The difference of these areas of focus is that everyone else was looking at the bigger picture and what could’ve potentially happened to Christopher compared to the main focus for Christopher which was getting Toby back.
Ed, Christopher’s dad, was beyond worried and upset about where Christopher was. He had no idea where he was or what happened to him. For all he knew Christopher could’ve been abducted and to never have been seen again, until the police man found him at the train station on the way to London. Once Ed realizes that Christopher is going to London he is going to see his mom which is going to be hard for Ed because he is going to have to face the man that tore his family apart. Ed already had his wife run away from him, he doesn't want the only member left of his family to leave him. If Ed lost Christopher he would have nothing because the day that Ed lost his wife Christopher became his world and the only thing keeping him sane. Ed would be heartbroken if he lost Christopher and Ed doesn't deserve that because he’s already been through so much and he’s done whatever he could to protect him and take care of him when his mother left them.
Focus: the center of interest or activity. In the train station, Christopher decided to look for Toby as the “Train Approaching” sign glared. From this definition, Christopher was the only one truly focused. He focused on finding Toby and only that. Meanwhile, the man in the diamond-patterned socks and the lady with the guitar case were focusing on catching the train, saving the boy, and also making sure he was okay. While those around him were worried about the train taking his life, Christopher was concentrating on Toby. This situation helps us understand the limitations, or should I say the strength, of his focus. Christopher processes life one event at a time. This difference of awareness caused Christopher to react to only the strange man hurting his shoulder and the lady standing too close. He screamed as a result of the touching and told of his pocket knife as a result of the close proximity. I think this difference shows the raw, immediate reflex Christopher possesses. Nothing stop him from reacting the same way… not even a dire life-or-death situation.
I believe the reason we learn more about Christopher's time at the subway station rather than the train ride because Christopher's time spent at the subway station was a much more stressful time for him. This is because there was so much more going on for him to analyze. There were so many people coming and going it made it nearly impossible for him to deal with this foreign situation. But during the train ride he was able to find a place in a small space where not much would be going on. Occasionally, he would encounter someone but it wasn't overwhelming for him. Christopher was able to stay in his comfort zone on the train making it less stressful than the subway station.
Christopher’s coping mechanism sort of reminds me of counting sheep when someone is trying to get to sleep to slow their mind down from thinking of a million things to just focusing on counting, although Christopher’s way seemed about 20 times more complicated. I liked how he gave himself a list of what he was going to do so he could try and remain calm in such a crazy environment. I think Christopher is giving more detail about his time in the train station because the experience in the station was more traumatic to him. He just needed a way to get all of that off of his chest and explain how he felt, whereas the train rides were not as large of a deal. However , the details Christopher gives about the bathroom show that it was extremely difficult to use a bathroom he was not familiar with and how he had to take large steps in a short amount of time and how uncomfortable he was with the entire situation. From the way Christopher was describing people he came in contact with it just shows how self-centered society is as a whole, the only people who really asked him if he needed help were the police officers and that’s what they are required to do. From the way Christopher was describing the situation someone who was at the station could more than likely tell that he was uncomfortable. It made me a little upset when Christopher was having a melt down on the bench that the lady who was there just walked away. I think she could have handled the situation in a different way even if she didn’t handle it on her own. It shows people don’t care for as others as much as they should.
Since Christopher doesn't understand emotions very well he doesn't realize the emotions that take place when his father comes to his mother's house to get him back. He is confused on how his father must feel when he sees the women he once loved but finds out she was fooling around behind his back. There is a lot of tension and hatred between Christopher's parents and Mr. Shear. It doesn't seem to bother Christopher besides just being confused about it which in a way is a good thing because most kids now a days would be bothered by it. So maybe Christopher being confused about emotions is a good thing!
When Christopher's father shows up I feel his reaction to the situation at hand is very justified. This is because he had to be very nervous of all the bad things that could've happened to Christopher on his journey. Also, he would want to see him to try and apologize for what he did that spurred Christopher's runaway from home. He would want to talk to him so his son wouldn't be disgusted and scared of him. Also, he would hate Mr. Shears for taking his wife, and be very upset with his wife because she left him. Also, they were giving him resistance for seeing his son. So, because of these examples I think it's justifible for Christopher's father to be very emotional.
I believe the reason Christopher is much more calm navigating the city rather than the train station is because London is so big so the people are more spread out and he can avoid people easier. However in the train station it is harder for him to do that because it is a smaller area. Christopher isn't what you would consider a "people person". He'd rather be alone than with other people. That's why he doesn't enjoy the train station. There are many people hustling around to get to their trains and bumping into Christopher on the way which makes him nervous. Also Christopher has to rely on others to help him get to the train he needs and in the city he can figure it out himself for the most part. The main difference between the city and train station for Christopher are the people.
Christopher is the kind of person to take in every little bit of information about a new place as possible. He seems to notice everything while some people would only notice a few things. I believe this is why he gave a lot of details about the train station. It was a new place so he had a lot more to describe and it was much larger than the subway. Also during the subway ride, Christopher spent most of the time hiding from the policeman so he wouldn't have to go home to his father, while in the train station Christopher was having to move all around. You see more details and objects as you move around places and Christopher spent most of the time on the subway in the same place. The details he does give us about the subway ride however were interesting because they were details most people wouldn't have noticed.
As I was reading his methods of coping with the train station, I wasn't surprised. It is exactly something that I would expect Christopher to do. The most interesting to me was when he started repeating the pattern "train coming, train stopped, train going, silence" in his head. I thought it was very strange that he could really just put it all in his head to make himself calm. The one that did not make sense to me was keeping his eyes closed and not looking at his watch to make him less scared. I would want to keep my eyes open in an unfamiliar place with unfamiliar people.I am also one of those people that always needs to know what time it is. I couldn't imagine sitting in a train station for 5 hours with my eyes closed.
I think Christopher is much more calm while navigating the city of London than the train station for a simple reason. Less people, more space. It is easy to see that Christopher does not do well in large groups and that's exactly what the train station is, a large group of people. He also has a map of the city so he can physically see where he is and where he is going. When he is on the train he can't tell those things because he has no control. Christopher needs control to feel safe.
Throughout the whole book, I have been very shocked at the way people talk to one another. It seems like every other word that comes out of their mouth is a cuss word. When Christopher is out in public and makes a mistake or is being shy, the way strangers even talk to him is very rude. I think it is very clear when you meet Christopher that he has some issues, so I don't understand why people feel they should be so mean to him. Cussing/yelling at a young boy in general is very rude, let alone one who is already scared to death and who appears to have social problems. I don't even like the way Christopher's own father talks to him. It seems like the people in that society are very impatient and selfish and don't know how to deal with their tempers.
I think that Christopher had an easier time coping with the city of London rather than the train station because there aren't so many people in such a small area. In the city, everyone is moving around and doing their own thing; in the train station, there are lots of people standing around in a tight crowded area. Christopher had people bumping into him and trying to talk to him in the train station, while in the city, he was able to make it where he needed to go without being interrupted and he also had a map to help him. Christopher loves knowing where everything is and when things are labeled so having a map helped calm him down a lot.
I think that Ed's reaction to the situation is normal. First his wife left and then Christopher so he is obviously upset. He was trying to hold on to the only remainder of his wife and family as a whole, and that was Christopher. The things that he did were to protect Christopher because he loves his son but it all blows up in his face. He is slowly losing everything he ever cared about.
I didn't make sense to me when Christopher kept his eyes closed in the train station to stay calm. You would think that becasue he doesn't like strangers that he would keep an eye on them to know that they won't hurt him.
When you go somewhere on vacation you usually tell people of the place you visited not where you stayed. Chris goes into more detail about the station because there is more things to describe and more people than when he was on the train. Its easier for him to describe things to because there's much much more out there at the station. One thing I don't understand is if hes so scared and paranoid about strangers why close his eyes? If I where Chris I'd keep my eyes open to make sure that no strangers hurt me. Its the logical thing to do.
Christopher is completely out of place in the train station. Being "different" he doesn't understand that things can hurt him, not everything will stop because he is in the way... like a train. Like how he jumped down to get Toby on the tracks and that not so friendly man had to save him. He did right by saving him but most people can realize when someone is "different" yet he still berated Christopher. Not saying that he actually does, but I feel like Christopher's motto in this novel
is "no risk no reward." Clearly with his book smarts the common sense and street smarts escape him.
Christopher does not seem to think that jumping in front of a moving train is a big scare. I wonder if he doesn’t realize that he can die, or if he just doesn’t care. He seems to think that saving Toby is more important than saving his own life. The man that got him out of the way was madder about the situation. The woman that asked if she could help was more understanding and just wanted to help. I think that shows men and women and what different mindsets they have about things. It also shows that women are more nurturing and understanding of scary situations, and men just usually get mad that a scary situation even happened.
When Christopher almost gets hit by the train, his only reactions are the ones he normally has. He doesn't want them to touch them, and he doesn't want to talk to them because they're strangers. This shows us that his way of dealing with people is what limits him from normal interaction. The fact that they were strangers is the reason they were not allowed to see if he was okay, even though they just saved his and Toby's lives. The people who saved him just want to help him, but when Christopher gives his reasoning for going on the tracks and tells them to go away, the man says he is crazy and the woman gets his message and leaves. This shows that our society doesn't have the patience to care for those who are different.
Christopher goes in-depth in the train station because it is more interesting and has more things to look at. And he was probably more aware of his surroundings in the station because he was paranoid about the strangers. When people are paranoid they tend to be hyper aware of everything around them. Looking back at times that I've been scared or paranoid about something, the details of those memories are more precise. the colors and the sounds stand out the most.
During this whole train situation, there are many different focuses from different people. Christopher’s focus is on Toby. All he cares about in this situation is saving Toby. The man that saves him focus is saving a little boy from getting hit by a train. The woman that asks to helps focus is on the situation also, but she just wants to know if she can do anything to help Christopher or the man that helped him. The difference between these focuses is that the people that are actually focused on Christopher and his safety are the man and the woman. Christopher is not even concerned about his own safety and the fact that a train almost killed him. This difference tells us that Christopher obviously is not in a good frame of mind and there’s something very wrong with him that he does not care about his own safety.
I think that Christopher was much more calm walking through the city than the train stations because he is using a map to guide himself through the city. In the train stations, he had to guess and talk to strangers to find his way through and Christopher doesn't like strangers. Christopher's detachment from the emotional situation between his parents and Mr. Shears comes from the fact that most of the emotions are those towards the other adult. Christopher's father is upset with Christopher's mother and especially Mr. Shears, and Christopher's mother is upset with how Mr. Shears is handling the situation. Even though these emotions are caused by Christopher, it is the adults that are disagreeing.
Christopher is much calmer in the city rather than the train station because the station was the first step on his journey to see his mother. He became so overwhelmed with all that was going on around him. People catching trains, time schedules, arrivals and departures, it was just a continuously changing environment and it frightened Christopher. Plus with claustrophobia and people touching him as they pass was rather awful to go through for him. His system became overloaded with all this new information not known to him, if I went to a train station alone at that age I would be very frightened as well. The city is run a little differently, there are still plenty of people but it is spread out more and has more of a system. Plus there was more space and people wouldn’t touch him when they passed by on their way to their intended destinations. There was also the appendix that he purchased to help him navigate which probably made him feel a little better when traveling in London.
Each of the adults has a different point of view in the argument about what to do with Christopher. Mr. Shears' is frustrated because Christopher's father is in his home. Personally, I find Mr. Shears insanely annoying because he does not care about Christopher and he contributes nothing to the argument. Christopher's father is upset with himself and wants to earn Christopher's trust back. This is difficult because it is justified because he made a mistake and loves his son, who is the only person he has. But it is also unjustified because it is his fault they are in this situation. Christopher's mother is happy that Christopher is back and doesn't want to lose him. Of course it is justified because she hasn't seen her son in a long time and the whole time he thought she was dead.
I find it incredibly clever that, as a coping mechanism, Christopher makes a map of the train station in his mind. Not only does it make him feel better, but it also makes him more comfortable with navigating. I thought it was very odd that he decided to pretend that there were trains passing him rather than paying attention to the actual trains going passed. Christopher told us himself that he doesn't like lying, any form of it, and that he considers pretending to be lying because the things you're pretending aren't actually happening. His discomfort level must have been extremely high for him to resort to lying to himself to feel more comfortable about his situation. So, altogether, Christopher's coping methods both impressed and confused me, but at least he knows what he has to do to get through that situation.
I entirely believe that Ed's reaction to Christopher's disappearance is completely justified. This is his only son, this child that he took care of his entire life. Ed is the only one who completely understands Christopher. If I had been in his situation, I would have reacted the same way. Ed is panicked, and his panic comes from worry because he knows that Christopher cannot take care of himself. He also knows that Christopher's mother can't take care of him either. She was not a fit mother; as she proved before, she doesn't understand the needs that Christopher has. Ed knows that you can't yell at Christopher or use physical force to make him understand something. Ed's reaction to losing Christopher is a completely normal reaction, I would think, to losing your only child to someone who is incapable of properly taking care of him.
Many of the encounters that Christopher had on the way to his mother's house could have caused the reader to really sympathize with Christopher or be annoyed at the way he's acting. The encounter that he has with the man selling the maps in London could cause the reader to feel sorry for Christopher and wonder why the man can't connect the dots and come to the conclusion that Christopher needs a little more help than your average kid. When Christopher had his close encounter at the subway station and the woman with the guitar touched him to comfort him and ask if he was OK, Christopher then barked at her and grabbed his Swiss army knife. This could have caused the reader to become annoyed at the fact that he would act like this if she was being a good person to him. But the fact that no one was really there to help Christopher, besides maybe the police officer, shows that individuals have become unattached to one another.
When all three adults are discussing, or rather yelling about the situation at hand, Christopher's father's emotional state seems to be the most justified. His wife left him for a man he couldn't compete with and left him as a single parent raising an autistic adolescent. To make matters worse, his son Christopher runs away leaving him wondering how his son is going to handle the outside on his own and how the outside will handle him in return. He receives the news that his son is safe with his wife, now the last step is to bring him home and make amends. I feel that his reaction is the most justified because of all of the bad circumstances that happened to him. It caused me to feel sorry for him and I accepted his emotional state.
Out of Christopher's coping mechanisms I thought the one where he imagined a red waypoint-like line in front of him to follow was clever. He gave himself a line to follow to make it easy to navigate. I also liked when he imagined himself in one of his video games. It reminded me of something I would do when I was younger.
The one I didn't understand was when he closed his eyes, plugged his ears, and "groaned". He does this for several hours and completely ignored the fact he just had to get on the subway and go. He could have missed his train and been in quite a predicament.
I think Christopher doesn't spend much time describing the actual subway ride because he doesn't not like the subway.
Christopher being a lot more calm in the city rather than in the subway and train stations is exactly what I would expect of him. I went to New York City a few weeks ago and I felt the same way! First of all, when you are underground like that, you do not have a map or anything that shows you exactly what train you are on or where you are going or stopping next. Next, there are people everywhere! That is one of the things Christopher hates most, and being in a big city with adults that have real jobs and need to get places adds stress. There are people bumping into you, and moving fast, which he hates and makes him upset. But when you are out in the city, there are street signs and maps for you to follow which help you to know your exact location, without having to talk to strangers and ask for help. It is also easier for him to create a plan for his day and where he is going exactly, which he loves to do.
The way some people reacted towards Christopher kind of took me off guard, and in a way made me upset. I can understand how people can be shaken when a young boy out of nowhere starts to violently lash back at them, but some people were very rude to him in general. For example, when Christopher asks a shop owner where the place his Mother lives is located, the man is very rude to Christopher, and only gives him a price for a book of maps/routes of the area. It's obvious Christopher is confused and lost because he has never left his home. You would think the man would offer a little more compassion to a young man who wasn't too sure of what he was doing. Overall, I think it's hard for people around him to fully understand what he is trying to accomplish because he is different. They don't exactly know how to approach him or offer help so they tend to give up and leave him be. The only people in Christopher's life that can comprehend why he acts the way he does are his parents, but in this scenario where he is stranded at a train station, his parents aren't there so he has nobody to confide in.
I thought it was clever how Christopher closed his eyes and listened to the trains coming and going. Sometimes when you're stressed it's helpful to close your eyes and try not to think. Concentrating on all your problems or everything at once can make things insurmountable. It was obviously strange that he was in this trance for five hours, but it's not an unusual i coping method.
I think the reactions of people tell us society doesn't have much experience with mental illness. People feel uncomfortable around things they aren't used to, and sometimes that leads to defensive behavior. Society is also very impatient and easily offended.
When Christopher's Father showed up to his ex wife's home, I both sympathized for him, but wanted him to let Christopher spend time with his Mother since he hadn't seen her in so long. I can understand why he became emotionally distraught because his Son had navigated himself all the way to London. So he was shaken and wanted Christopher to return home safely. On the other hand, there isn't really anyone to blame for this all occurring but himself. He took it upon himself to keep the letters his ex wife sent to their son, and made it so Christopher didn't have any relationship with his Mother whatsoever. I can fully understand why Christopher left. Not only because he was frightened of his Father, but he wanted to live his Mother and feel safe. She was the only one he could think of besides his Father that would understand and be able to provide for him.
I feel that Christopher’s coping mechanism of remembering every detail is very handy in his situation. Remembering every detail makes him feel as if he has been in that place many times before, providing him confidence. I would do the same thing if it providing me confidence in an unfamiliar place. I can connect with Christopher when he states how he skill with math makes him more prone to detail. Especially with art, most people say that they are better with language arts rather than math. The ability of having to follow precise details frustrates them. Me on the other hand, follow Christopher on the idea that math pays attention to detail, as does art.
I think Christopher's father's reaction was justified. He did take care of Christopher all by himself, which is not an easy task. If Christopher's mother cared enough to write that many letters, she could have stopped by. She could have called Christopher's father to set up a meeting. Writing a letter doesn't necessarily mean you care because there is no responsibility. Christopher's father definitely went overboard with claiming Christopher's mother's death but I think any person would be just as upset if he or she was in his father's position. Mr. Shears doesn't seem like the type of guy to be very accepting of Christopher so I think his father had Christopher's best interest in mind.
Christopher has every right to be mad at his father. He spent his whole life thinking that his father would never lie to him, but then he finds out a big amount of the last year in his life has been a lie. After he discovers his mother is still alive, he is then struck with the news that his father killed Wellington. Even I was shocked. After he finds out his father killed the dog, he is very scared that his dad will kill him some day. I thought of this to be an overreaction because most people would never even think about killing their own kid, but it also meshed together perfectly with the way Christopher thinks and his system he has of trusting people. I also found Christopher’s father’s explanation of why he killed the dog to be completely selfish.
I was very interested in how Christopher explained the difference between time and space. He explains how in space, if an object moves, you can find you way back to it. That object remains in space just as you left it. But in time, if you move forward or backward 50 years, the time just keeps movie along and you may come back to a world where everyone you know is dead. I enjoyed pondering this idea because I often find myself wondering where all the time went. Also, in space, things can be changed easily and everything is somewhat frozen around you. In time, everything is constantly moving forward, whether you are ready for the change or not.
In this part of the novel, we learn that Christopher has many methods for overcoming his fears such as a crowded train station. The method that he uses in which I find most clever is when he imagines a red line on the floor and tries to stay on it as he walks, ignoring everyone around him. Another method he uses that I don’t quite understand however, is looking at signs and taking in the words that are on these signs. For me, something like this would make the situation worse as it is congesting your brain with randomized information that isn’t needed at the time. Christopher, at one point in the novel, also states that all of the information he took in from a sign eventually turned into a bunch of gibberish.
To me, this entire section was a perfect example of what society is today. Although all three adults in the end did help Christopher, they didn't seem to be too concerned that a young boy who obviously has some difficulties is wandering around alone. I think that these people were in so much of a rush that they truly forgot what helping someone out meant. I would expect an adult to help locate his parents instead of egging Christopher on in his efforts to run away. This shows how society really aren't concerned with anyone but themselves which is sad but in the end true.
Christopher's close call is crazy. Christopher focuses on getting Toby back and that's all. He hears the train coming but has little reaction until he sees it, then simply tries to get up on the concrete. While the man with the diamond pattern socks is freaking out trying to get this kid off the tracks before he gets splattered all over by the train. It shows how Christopher's mind works, he has little emotional capability and thinks very logically as you can tell by his lack of the sense of endangerment and how he is his calm, naive self, while everyone else is scared and panicked due to his situation. A normal person would hear the train coming and leave the rat not daring to climb down. Not Christopher though, who never thought about anything a regular person would just getting Toby back, because that's just how his mind works. The man with the diamond socks thinks Christopher is crazy while Christopher sees no wrong in his being on the tracks. I believe the reactions of the people who are trying to help Christopher show society in general as people who act or think based on emotions. The man is scared and pulls Christopher off the tracks with no attention to his resistance and the lady with the guitar asks if he is ok because she is worried and caring.
All three of the adults emotional states are unstable. Mr. Shears seems to be angry and very bitter. I don't however think this is justified. First he runs away with a man's wife and he knows she has a kid. And then the kid shows up and causes some problems and Mr. Shears gets mad with Christopher's mother and father. Mr. Shears ran away with Ed Boone's wife so he has no right to be so bitter towards him (even if it's because the Boones used to fight a lot because every couple fights and they're not even together any more so I don't understand why Mr. Shears would be mad at him) and he has no reason to get upset with Christopher's mother because she is just trying to do what is best for her son like any mother would do. I think Mr. Shears is a jerk and has no reason to act like he does, but then again it's just my opinion.
During Christopher’s time in the train station, he loses track of his rat, Toby. When Christopher finally finds Toby down on the rails, he hops down to get him while a train is coming on the same rail he is standing on. This should signal a sense of urgency for anyone that is standing on a set of tracks with a train coming, however, Christopher seems to be totally oblivious to that fact. A man who was standing up on the ledge has to help Christopher up after he catches Toby, and Christopher starts to scream over the man saving him. This goes to show that Christopher can’t understand the emotions the man was expressing when he was trying to save him, and how dangerous the situation really was. This is one of the big examples of how Christopher’s mental disorder affects him, as well as his ability to focus when he was struggling to get Toby.
Probably the thing I found most interesting about this section was the other people Christopher met along his journey. Pretty much every civilian he met was a terrible person. At least, that's how they seemed with their remarks. I think it makes an interesting point. We all don't really realize what we say or do sometimes. We can probably come off as jerks every once in a while. We just need to watch what we say and try to be as nice as possible. You never know what may be going on in a stranger's head. The only people that weren't complete jerks were the policeman and the guy who saved Christopher from the train. Is our opinion of these characters directly proportional to the amount of time spent with them? It kind of seems that way.
Christopher is detached because he is extremely rational. When there is an emotionally-charged fight happening between family it's smart to have some one view the situation objectively. If there is a mediator that takes in all perspectives it's easier to understand the root of the problem. Christopher is not the best with emotions and reading people so maybe if he views the confrontation like an outsider he won't be so confused or frightened. I also think that is just how Christopher is. He doesn't like hugs or touching so it'd only make sense for him to be detached during something that is so intense.
Well I guess I can see why we didn't have to comment on the previous chapters, because to me they were rather boring. First off, I think it's odd that nobody happens to notice Christopher sitting in a trance for five hours on the platform. If you saw someone in a trace wouldn't you at least try to get their attention or ask them if they were alright? As for the man and lady who helped rescue Christopher from being run over by the train, I want to know why they just boarded the next train and went on their merry way. If I had just rescued someone from being killed, and I noticed that the person was special needs or mentally unstable, the first thing I would do is go and find help. I think's it so unrealistic and stupid that the man and woman just pretended like nothing even happened and continued on with their day, it's ridiculous. Then i'm thinking, if someone just almost died at the train station wouldn't other people notice? I mean I would think that everyone would stop and try to rescue him and then make sure he was alright, only two people, really? At a busy train station near London? Oh my gosh I could go on for hours at how many scenarios I would like to change in this book.
It seems like the last place that Christopher ever wanted to be was a train station. He couldn't handle the noise of the trains coming and going, the huge crowds of people, and just the fact that he wasn't exactly sure if he was really going to get to his mother. Not to mention the several groups of people he scared off and made miss their trains. Christopher obviously didn't understand how dangerous it can be to go onto the tracks, not every kid will jump onto some train tracks to save a rat. He did get Toby out and survived, but it was a little too close for comfort both for him and for the readers. I was surprised that Christopher was alright with going to London by himself. I think that his drive that kept him sane was that he didn't want to be with his father after finding out about Wellington and the letters. Without having a place to go, he kept going until he found his mother. Brave kid.
Every character in this book seems to lack common sense. The shopkeeper should have stopped Christopher and delivered him to his mother himself. You don't just let a fifteen year old autistic boy wander around London lost. Then when Christopher finally reunites with his mother, wouldn't you be worried if you son just showed up at your doorstep without the other parent or other parent's approval? She shouldn't be asking why Christopher never wrote to her, she should be calling his father and telling him that Christopher is safe and with her. I just would like to talk to the characters in this book and ask them some serious questions (lol). As for the adults different points of views, I would like to elaborate on Mr Shears. First of all, why does he have to act so mad and bitter at both of Christopher's parents? If I recall, didn't he run off with Christopher's mother and convince her that her life would be better off without all the stress and worries of dealing with Christopher? Technically, I'm surprised Christopher's father doesn't seek his revenge on him right then a there. Just because Mr.Shears doesn't care for Christopher as much because he isn't his kid, he has no reason to act like such a jerk...UGH!
Christopher's father (Ed) becomes extremely emotional, along with Christopher's mother and Mr.Shears when they have an interaction. During this point in the novel I feel that Ed becomes the most vulnerable character. His wife left him for another man, she also in turn left her son. Christopher is the only thing that Ed has left that is a significant part of her. Throughout the whole novel I felt like Christopher's father was losing it more and more as things went on , but come to find out he was the one that had killed Wellington in the beginning so he had really been lost all along. At this point though he has completely lost control of everything and I think that he doesn't know what to do next. If he loses Christopher he will be completely alone with nobody, no family. I believe all these emotions are rushing through him at once and that adds to his vulnerability. I can't imagine going through the emotional journey that Ed has gone through, but I also would like to think that I could never make some of the irrational decisions that he has made.
I think that through the reactions of the people trying to help Christopher symbolize how uncaring people can be in our society. Many of the people who meet Christopher are very short with him, and show that they find him odd. The police officer was kind at first, but when he found him on the train he was angry and short with him. The majority of people simply shrug him off as weird and avoid him. People watch Christopher sit and stare with a troubled look and just find it as weird and go out of their way not to offer emotional support. It troubled me that there was so many people who avoided Christopher on his journey, and so few who offered him any kind of kindness.
What I found to be a little strange in this part of the novel is when he was imagining that the trains were not able to enter and exit the station. Christopher earlier in the novel describes how he does not like imagining things because it is like "lying", however he felt even more scared facing the fact of the trains that were coming and going. Its just one big mess. Christopher is concerned that his father or the police will be on one of the trains, coming to get him and bring him back. What I don't understand is why Christopher does not make an attempt to move away from the loading and unloading part of the station. If only Christopher would stay further away from the trains he could avoid his fear a little easier.We know that he chooses one at random and decides to get on. At this point I was wondering what the H-E double hockey sticks is this kid doing. He is all alone in such a large area, full of people and strangers,(which we know is not good for a child like Christoper). Thankfully Christopher Purchases a map which he uses to get to his mothers house.
Throughout the story I would say that Christopher's mothers emotional state and attitude is acceptable due to the events. Once we find out that Christopher's father lied about his mother being dead, Christopher runs away to his mother (With good reason as well). Christopher's mother brings up that Christopher has never written her back and she wanted to know why? Christopher goes on to telling his mother why he ran away in the first place. Christopher's mother is obviously extremely furious (this makes me think of mother bear stepping in). She loves Christopher.I find it alarming and uncalled for that Christopher's father would lie to Christopher about such a thing.
The reactions of the those that Christopher came in contact with during his trip to London show that people in our society are incredibly self-absorbed and heartless. Most of the people Christopher met showed no intreset, care, or deep concern for him looking confused or lost. Christopther would sit there for hours looking uneasy and puzzled and nobody even bothred to ask if he needed any assistance. Especially with Christopther's age, I find that very appalling. People in today's world are too consumed with themselves to have the time to worry about others, and I think that is very, very, sad.
Christopher's coping mechanisms seem strange to me. For example I don't understand how he thinks screaming will help make him feel better. Especially because noise seems to overwhelm him. I would have thought that he would be able to realize that he is just adding to the noise. Having said that, I don't mind his strange behaviors because they work pretty well, they got him all the way to London. I like that he is in tune with himself enough to know what will help him through because he is not in tune to much else, especially time. I also liked reading about his coping mechanisms because it helped me to understand his thought processes better. For instance I appreciated knowing why he would make barking noises at people. I feel like I could apply this new knowledge to real life if I ever see someone acting strangely. It would help me to be less insensitive, which is what I found the people at the train station to be. I'm assuming the fact that he has some sort of mental disability is obvious but the people at the station held him to the standards of a normal person. The policeman even made some sort of comment about his behavior which I thought was unfair even though Christopher didn't notice.
Christopher's father is the person with the biggest emotions in this situation. He is feeling angry, sad, and betrayed at the same time and I think he is justified in having all of these emotions until they start affecting Christopher. His feeling of betrayal comes from his wife leaving him. This emotion should have stopped at the beginning because it caused him to lie to Christopher about his mother and is caused him to kill the dog, which is what sends Christopher over the edge. His anger comes from Christopher's mother believing she has been an equal parent despite her leaving and only sending letters. He is entitled to this emotion but he should keep it away from Christopher because it frightens him a lot. His sadness is from seeing that his mistakes might have just pushed his son away for good. This is the only emotion that I thought he kept in check and handled well with Christopher. He realized that the only way to get his trust back was to work on it together and slowly.
The deal with Mr. Shears is that he definitely is not a nice person. I mean just the way he acted when Christopher came and he wasn't welcoming him in but was like he cant stay. I mean its not like he needed to have a party but be a little bit happy because Christopher’s mom was pretty happy so at least you could have the same courtesy. I also feel that by Christopher barely being there for 24 hours and he already was scared of Mr. Shears should tell you a lot about a person because Christopher doesn’t exactly pick up on emotions and has they say kids are the best judge of a person. As Christopher continued to stay there Mr. Shears true colors started coming to light. I was a little bit scared for him when Mr. Shears got drunk and came into his room and started coming at him. What had me intrigued was that he didn't seem emotional at all to it but more like a narrator just simply observing it.
I figured Christopher was going to get into trouble when Toby went missing. Christopher didn't really know what he was doing. His main concern was getting Toby back, not that a train was about to run him over. It's a good thing that the guy pulled him up even though Christopher was fighting him and screaming. Toby is really important to Christopher but I don't think he was worth Christopher jumping down into the track.
I think Christopher is much calmer at navigating London because it like a problem he has to solve and all of his attention is focused on finding the way to get to his mother’s house. It is much different than the train because on the train he was more aware of things that bothered him and couldn’t do anything to change the situation, in London he is able to walk around and do his own thing. Throughout the novel Christopher hasn’t been able to comprehend a lot of emotion especially when it isn’t happy or sad. He was also extremely confused about what was happening and everything had changed so fast and the only way he could deal with the situation was to try and take backseat and just report the facts of what happened, but not show much emotion. I feel bad for Christopher’s dad because he didn’t mean for any of these terrible things to happen and he is just trying to make things better, but all Christopher can focus on is the terrible things even though his mother did some pretty terrible things herself. I think it was good for his father to come after him and try to talk things out with Christopher. The whole situation is pretty crazy and I really feel for Christopher being confused , it also made me a little sad when he said that he didn’t care that he put on yellow shorts because he was just so tired, it must take a lot for a child with autism not to react to something that normally sets them off.
Christopher really seems far apart from the world around him in his mental train of thought. I concluded this when he was in the train station and he wanted to get Toby back and he didn’t think about the immense danger he was putting himself in, by pouncing down into the tracks. Christopher was focused on the task of getting Toby back. It was almost like he was a Navy Seal, and he wasn’t going to stop until he got him back. Failure was not an option. He feels detached from the world around him because he has no one to lean on. Christopher is not a normal child. He is a very clever kid and thinks outside of the box. I found it rather interesting how he thought London and the train was a video game.
I sympathize so much for Christopher's confusion because this is like an entirely new world for him, and he is alone and without a clue of what to think/do. Christopher almost was killed while trying to get Toby, and while it may seem crazy to anyone else, it was completely normal for Christopher. It goes to show a level of compassion that Christopher has that we don't understand that he would put his life down on the line with no questions asked in order to save another. The reactions of people trying to help Christopher trouble me deeply, as this is exactly what our society has turned into. We as a whole have taken a "every man for themselves" mindset. There are some good people out there, but for the most part many people care about themselves before others and are very judgmental to those who don't act or think the same way as they do.
Christopher risked his life to save his pet rat because the rat was important to him. While the man did rescue Christopher, he wasn't exactly nice about it and said some things that aren't exactly nice. He said these things because he didn't understand the importance of Toby to Christopher. Christopher saw this man as a stranger who forcefully grabbed him. Society wasn't ready for people like Christopher; however, I believe we are still not ready for people like him.
Christopher had his mind made up that he was no longer going to live with his father, but live with his mother. Christopher is scared of his father because he killed Wellington, and he thinks his father is going to come after him next. So when Christopher ends up at his mothers house and his father shows up, he doesn't feel much about the situation because he wasn't open for discussion. He wanted to stay with his mother and that was that. He did want his mom to go back with him to his hometown so he could resume life how he left it, but without his father.
It definitely caught me off guard how unbelievably rude and cynical these people in the train station are. These people are extremely open and blunt with their criticisms of Christopher. Christopher was probably in complete misery after everything that happened at the train station. We know that he isn't exactly fond of large crowds of people. Even though he does a well enough job of coping with this, he recently got the idea that police officers are now a threat to him. That officer was going to take Christopher back to his father, who probably was in an extreme state of panic over the loss of his only family. Christopher still thinks his father will murder him the next chance he gets. At this point, he doesn't think he can trust anyone.
Christopher is obviously a very logical person who enjoys order and pattern. I think this is why he could easily navigate his way through London better than he could the train station. In the station, people are moving fast and there are loud noises everywhere. Even I would be overwhelmed with everything going on. It would be easy to get confused with all the arrows and different junctions and I’m positive even I would somehow end up at the wrong place. He actually managed to navigate London quite well, though. Many cities have streets like grid patterns that are easier to figure out, and with the help of the map Christopher bought, finding his mom’s place was a piece of cake. Although the city has a huge population, the density of people on the streets compared to inside a busy train station was probably much easier for Christopher to handle and gave him room to breathe.
Im with Christopher as he makes this decision of finding his mother. After being lied to thinking that your mother died not getting a chance to even say goodbye to her which, would have put anyone into deep depression, and now realizing that there is still that chance to make things better for yourself. Why would you not take it. As a momma's boy myself I am absoulutly furious at Christopher's father. And it truly bothers me that Christopher is not as furious about the situation he just keeps it to himself.
Also I find it interesting that a necessity to bring when running away is usually money, probably some clothes. For christopher he has to bring his matchbooks along which is quite amusing to me.
One of the things I admire about Christopher is some of his coping skills he has with being surround by a crowd of people. Before it was said he used to scream and throw a fit but when he was in the train station and the sub way he used a completely healthy way to deal with it. This shows how much he has grown himself from a kid not knowing how to deal but just doing his natural reaction. To this older mature person calming themselves and blocking out the unnecessary noise. But his coping skills do take too much time calming him down because he sat at the train for like 2 hours and the subway for longer. The calming exercise would be very affected it it was used quick so he can move on and not be stuck. I feel that in the future that Christopher’s way of not freaking out with people surrounding him could get better as long as he keeps up with his deep breaths and closing his eyes.
The concept of Christopher imagining the train station as a video game is very clever. He could treat the people as simple AI in the background, which allows him to deal with the large crowds of the train station. Any awkward situations he encounters could be treated as gigantic puzzles. He has used mathematics to calm his nerves several times before; therefore, it is very probable that he would use logic-based puzzles to calm himself as well. Since he focuses on so much of his environment at once, this would help by allowing him to focus his concentration on one particular situation.
Christopher’s mom is quite the person. First she leaves her family because she thinks they don;t need her and they would be ok with it especially her husband when she's running away with another man. Then she starts writing letter which to me is sweet but yet she had to have realized after a while that he wasn't getting them so why not call. That would be a more sensible thing to do when her husband isn't home and just Christopher was there. Its not that hard just pick up the phone. Also I feel that she shouldn't have just have the right to claim
Christopher when he ran away because she hadn't been there for about 2 years. Christopher’s father was right he was there for everything all she did was right. i mean i get that she had problems and couldn't exactly
I find Christopher's rescue to be an interesting point of view. Why? Because it is one that is completely out of the norm for most people. If I was on tracks and I had to be pulled up by a stranger in order to be saved, I would take the sore arm and bruises over being crushed by a train or something. Just like many other people would. However, Christopher is almost offended by the action. He sees them as nothing more than a stranger who had hurt him. They're not a hero to him, unlike what many other's would think of someone who saved their life- they're just a stranger. And I find that interesting because people are never portrayed in that light.
But also with that being said, the man does not react well to Christopher. He cannot see why Christopher would be on the tracks in the first place, let alone why he was down there to save a rat. It makes no sense to him why Christopher would risk his life for a rodent. Not to mention, the man tops it off when he acts rude because he is bothered by the fact that Christopher is not grateful for being saved. Like Kayla Thomas said, it shows that a lot of people cannot handle people who are "different". But in time, I think many people can learn.
Post a Comment