Christopher's Insanity

561 Words2 Pages

In Mark Haddon's “The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-Time”, Christopher, who suffers from a mental disability, discovers the underlying truth about his neighbor's dog, and thus, his own family's secrets. As a result, Christopher uses his emotions regarding his personal affairs in order to figure out the truth about his family. This causes him to act against his true nature, proving that his developmental limitations stand no chance against his own independence. Christopher, who is on the autistic spectrum, decides to investigate the murder of his neighbor's dog once he finds Wellington's body, deceased outside on the lawn. Along the way, he comes to the fateful conclusion that it was his father who committed the act. This leads Christopher to resent his …show more content…

However, what precursors this quote is even more intriguing. “I had to get out of the house”. Now the reason I mention Christopher's autism is a key part of his complexity. Growing up with an autistic sister myself, it’s hard to believe the actions Christopher went through leading up to the premonition about his father, at least based on my personal knowledge. This affair has messed with Christopher’s mind so much so that he’s dedicated his life to it, and as a result, he believes it is unsafe to live with his own father. This is certainly a disheartening betrayal to the mind, which is why ultimately, Christopher is motivated to act rebelliously, and run away from home. This one piece of evidence alone is the turning point for the whole novel. After this, Christopher's motive shifts, as he gains a new sense of self. His emotions are now at their very peak, going as far as to outrun a police officer, proving to himself that he can survive in the world. Moving forward, his motivation is less about the dog, and more about something much more personal, his

Open Document