Christopher Boone Independence

The modern novel, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime,’ by Mark Haddon vigorously explores Christopher Boone’s problematic issue of independence due to his disability of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Established within the novel, it’s apparent that being independent is an arduous concept in which affects Christopher’s adaptation to society and his future. His struggle of becoming independent primarily involves gaining self-confidence and moving beyond the rigidly defined comfort zone it restricts him from completing basic tasks. This is depicted through the use of characterization, themes, representation of his disability as well as the writing style in which reveals a sufficient amount about Christopher’s personality, attributes and his difficultly being independent.

Christopher’s goal of becoming independent and finding his role within society is investigated. Since, he experiences adversity understanding other people, dealing with new environments and making decisions (when confronted with an overload of new information) it causes Christopher to feel overwhelmed. This is sincerely portrayed in the novel, in chapter 227 where it explicitly underlines how Christopher copes with sensory overload from the train station where countless individuals are touching him as well as those speaking with an authoritative tone and this causes Christopher to become uncomfortable and apprehensive. However, Christopher’s trip to London serves a noble step towards independence as it epitomizes the factors that he finds distressing, such as social interactions and navigating new environments. By overcoming these obstacles, he advances in his ability to face any challenge on his own. Therefore, publicizing the theme of independence, it provokes a unique aspect to the novel by providing readers with diverse perspectives and interpretations on how others perceive the