Nighttime Empathy

“When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen, “advised the great American 20th century novelist Ernest Hemingway. The novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, written by Mark Haddon, inspires empathy in the reader for people who operate in a different manner than themselves. This allows them to perceive the world in a different light and understand another perspective by knowing their situation. Ironically, the tale is told by someone who cannot empathize. The novel is told by a seemingly robotic Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old with Asperger’s syndrome from Swindon, England who unravels the mystery of his neighbour’s murdered canine. The reader journeys with the young boy in hopes of uncovering the conundrum

This creates an emotional empathy due to the fact that when Christopher is excited or proud, the reader will be able to “live” through the heartwarming moments. In addition to viewing his life first hand, reading these usually intimate details are ways of bonding with Christopher. To clarify, in the bittersweet conclusion, Christopher reflects on his future in relation to his past as he says, “I will become a scientist. And I know I can do this… because I solved the mystery of Who Killed Wellington and I was brave… and that means I can do anything” (221). This once mousy young boy who endures a tremendous amount of anguish, fear, and isolation overcomes his hardships. He matures and becomes braver than he was initially, which causes a sense of pride to overcome the reader. As readers journey with Christopher as he attempts to achieve his goals, they tend to root for him. As a result, their affection for the young boy manifests. As they see the mountains he must climb to achieve them, once he reaches the top, their affection for Christopher causes them to praise his efforts. His emotions are transferred to the readers because his accomplishments become their accomplishments. Therefore, readers may feel a connection to him due to the process where he influences the behavior of readers through the unconscious induction of

They understand Christopher’s view by learning his situations and emotions through text. In the novel, Christopher behaves differently to the majority of the world due to his inept social skills. Unaware of the social norms, he refuses to utilize unsanitary or unfamiliar restrooms to the point where he urinates in his clothing. He also demonstrates a parallel to the reader through unspoken emotions. His joy or pride in his accomplishments is mirrored by the reader as they grow to love the boy when they follow his journey. In addition, acts of cruelty are reflected when the thoughts of Christopher and the reader become one in the same. Anger or brutal acts seem justifiable because the reader understand his pain. As Greek Philosopher Aristotle deduced, “To perceive is to suffer.” While ignorance is bliss, on the other side of the coin the truth hurts. The knowledge that people like Christopher, who may not act in a conventional way, exist, function properly, and are not sick may pain the readers, although they may not admit or realize it. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is targeted towards