Little Bit of Escape to Space Being conscious of not fitting in or not being able to get involved in social circumstances is very common. However a boy with Asperger's lives in a whole different universe. A world where the audience is yet to discover, why? Mark Haddon, author of “ The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time” explores a perspective of an adolescent, Christopher, that struggles with a poor connection to the world. Haddon highlights the difficulties faced by those with Asperger's by examining Christopher's lack of understanding of figurative language, his fantasies and his inability to blend in. Aspergers is a disorder that comes with side effects. One of Christopher's difficulties is him being unable to understand facial expression and lack of feeling emotion. Although he may be oblivious towards understanding expressions and might not know of experiencing different feelings. Despite the absence of affections, he has a very captivating action of showing love to his parents. Christopher strongly dislikes being touched. Which is why him and his parents have a …show more content…
different way of displaying their mutual feeling for one another, “He held up his right hand and spread his fingers out in a fan. I held up my left hand and spread my fingers in a fan and we made our fingers and thumbs touch each other. We do This because Father want to give me a hug, but I do not like hugging people so we do this instead, and it means that he loves me” (Haddon, 16) Christopher also simply does not understand people, “[he] finds people confusing]” (Haddon,14).
The use of figurative speech confuses him because it isn’t logical. Metaphor is a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable (Dictionary.com). Christopher does not get the point in why people often use metaphors when it isn’t the actual meaning of what people speak. He can't figure out the meaning because it is not the literal meaning. In his term it is better to call it a “lie” because it is not the actual context. Individuals that speak with him must use logical statements and literal meanings. It is really hard for Christopher to keep up with society and their pace of understanding. Christopher has many thoughts of going far away because of his lack of understanding. Somewhere, where he can be left alone with his
thoughts. Christopher has always dreamed of being an astronaut. Where he has his own spacecraft where no one else can come into or find him. The thought of being left alone fascinates him and gets him to have vivid imaginations. One of his imaginations also part of his dreams is to have his personal spacecraft, where he can swim in his own thoughts, “ And I would be able to look out of a little window in the spacecraft and know that there was no one else near me for thousands and thousands of miles” (Haddon, 51). Furthermore he creates a wild utopia where everyone on the earth dies, and there will be no humanity left, “ We will know that the world is going to end soon because when we look up to the sky at night there will be no darkness, just the blazing light of billions and billions of stars, all falling (Haddon, 10) It seems like he enjoys the thought of the world ending and that there will be no way in people surviving the star explosion. Christopher likes the fact that one can work out the galaxy however they like in the mind just by looking at the sky. The reasoning for Christopher's wild imagination is because none of his thoughts have to be questions. After all, it’s all coming from his mentality. The reason behind Christopher's dream of becoming an astronaut is because he enjoys the space, but can this be the only reason? Throughout Haddon's novel Christopher seems to have difficulties understanding other individuals. He points out that “people confuse him” because they do not use literal meanings. He also identifies that people do not notice the little things, “The world is full of obvious things which nobody by any chance ever observes” (Haddon, 73). Christopher is unable to blend in with the society due to his syndrome. He is awfully uneasy of strangers, and lacks a lot of social- skills. Christopher can not create a conversation if the opposite side doesn't speak straightforward with him. He has no skills in social circumstance, also is very sensitive with sensory “ It was like standing on a cliff in a really strong wind because it made me feel giddy and sick because there were lots of people walking into and out of the tunnel and it was very echoey”( Haddon, 145). Christopher wants to be left alone because he doesn't fit in and space is a perfect spot for his escape. He solves Wellington’s mystery, and goes to London without supervision. Christopher was very fragile and afraid of many things but throughout the story faces his major fears. The different challenges of Asperger's is really tough on many, and as Haddon views these obstacles, Christopher's poor understanding, his striking visions, and his failure of fitting in becomes something possible to do so. Christopher is slowly making progress with his impossibilities. The thought of becoming an astronaut is still his dream. At the beginning of the story Christopher was afraid of many things but his attempts of facing his fears has become very successful. Taking a long ride to London, despite his detests of the colour yellow he puts up with it. He develops into a character and inspires many to try and do the impossibles. Just a little bit of escape to space can persuade him of doing many more because “[he] went to London on [his] own, and because [he] solve the mystery of Who Killed Wellington? and found [his] mother and was brave and wrote a book and that means [he] can do anything” (Haddon, 221). The littlest things can mean a lot to others.
Is killing a dog really the best choice of gaining knowledge? In Claire McCarthy’s article, Dog Lab, she explains why determining right from wrong can sometimes be challenging. She tells her readers her experience as a medical student allowing her to perform cardiovascular surgery on a dog. She explains her journey through acknowledging personal experience, creating a tone, and implying diction. The tone of the story never the less, changes drastically as you read. It goes from sadness, to discomfort, then, eventually, disappointment. Throughout the article, McCarthy has to make some the hardest choices, and most challenging decisions despite her preparation in her field. In order to gain more knowledge McCarthy has to choose between stepping
In the book Into the Wild, Jon Krakauer wrote about Christopher McCandless, a nature lover in search for independence, in a mysterious and hopeful experience. Even though Krakauer tells us McCandless was going to die from the beginning, he still gave him a chance for survival. As a reader I wanted McCandless to survive. In Into the Wild, Krakauer gave McCandless a unique perspective. He was a smart and unique person that wanted to be completely free from society. Krakauer included comments from people that said McCandless was crazy, and his death was his own mistake. However, Krakauer is able to make him seem like a brave person. The connections between other hikers and himself helped in the explanation of McCandless’s rational actions. Krakauer is able to make McCandless look like a normal person, but unique from this generation. In order for Krakauer to make Christopher McCandless not look like a crazy person, but a special person, I will analyze the persuading style that Krakauer used in Into the Wild that made us believe McCandless was a regular young adult.
In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mark Haddon, English novelist, delivers a murder-mystery of Wellington, Mrs. Shears’ dog through an autistic view. Haddon uses the murder-mystery and other incidents during his lifetime to unwrap specifics of his disorder. He encounters specific situations, such as arriving at the train station, to explain how it takes groaning to calm him down and how he does not allow strangers to lay a hand on him. In his unraveling of his disorder and his quest to solve the murder-mystery, Haddon uses rhetorical devices such as details, metaphors, and imagery to develop his character.
The commercial, “The boy and his dog” is about a young boy who lost his dog and surprisingly finds him. A commercial that can attach the audience, it involves rhetorical devices like pathos and a little ethos. Chevrolet made this commercial and wanted to show the audience something special not like other commercials out there. They showed off a product of course but to catch the attention of people they added a little more than just of a vehicle of theirs. Relatable and honestly amazing commercial of a great relationship that you should never give up on the ones you love and care about no matter what.
First, those who suffer from Asperger’s tend to lack the basic social skills required in everyday life, such as hugging, communicating, or expressing their feelings. For example, in “The Curious Incident” Christopher hits people who touch him in an unwelcome manner. So when his father became angry with him, and he latched onto Christopher’s arm: “I don’t like when people grab me. And I don’t like being surprised either. So I hit
Have you ever felt different from everyone else? Does your mind function in a unique way? Have you ever wanted to just live alone in a world of your own? In the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon, a fifteen year old boy with Asperger's named Christopher, tries to solve a mystery involving the perplexing murder of his neighbor's dog. Christopher, being the narrator, takes readers on a journey inside his psyche, as he navigates the troubling and hectic world around him.
In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, the narrator’s monotonous tone makes the reader experience a lack of emotion and feeling. The novel starts off describing Mersault’s current job and how he must go on leave in order to attend his mother’s funeral. He and his mother have been disconnected for some time as they had come to a mutual agreement with her staying in an elderly home. Mersault, the main protagonist, did not have the money or time to tend to his mother. The elderly home was the best option for the both of them. When he returns home from the funeral, Mersault gets caught up in external affairs he should not be in. He ends up writing a break up letter to Raymond’s girlfriend, which drives the rest of the story. Raymond beats his
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time exhibits real life situations experienced by an autistic, 15-year-old boy, from his own panorama. Christopher’s use of first person perspective ensures that his view on events are explained with accurate, detailed description, enhancing the responders understanding of how the mind of one with Asperger’s syndrome functions. This concept is elaborated on in Christopher’s struggle to become independent as the responder is able to grasp Christopher’s defensive mechanisms to dealing with stressful situations. Christopher narration “so I groaned to make the time pass quicker and not think” during a fit where his tendency to shut down and curl himself into a ball is essentially revealed substantiates his struggle to become independent as his
While trust is a somewhat common theme in modern novels, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime manages to portray how it affects people in their day to day lifestyle. The book tells the story of Christopher Boone a young boy with autism and his murder mystery novel about the murder of his neighbor's dog. Why this novel is significant is because Mark Haddon tells the story that many young people with autism, like Christopher, live everyday and who’s view on life and the idea of trust and understanding of the world is drastically different than any teenager.
Today’s economy and the environment are hurting due to the lack of nurture we have been providing. Conventional farming rules the world of agriculture, but not without a fight from organic farming. Organic farming is seen as the way of farming that might potentially nurture our nature back to health along with the added benefit of improving our own health. With her piece “Organic farming healthier, more efficient than Status Quo,” published in the Kansas State Collegian on September 3, 2013, writer Anurag Muthyam brings forth the importance behind organic farming methods. Muthyam is a senior at Kansas State University working towards a degree in Management. This piece paints the picture of how organic farming methods
The cause of AS is still very much unknown.Children with Asperger syndrome start to show signs as early as one to two years old; however a diagnosis is rarely given until later, usually around the ages of th...
Every individual's mind functions in a different and unique way. We all have idiosyncratic behaviours and functions. These distinctive characteristics are what make us who we are. But not all neurological differences help us in our day -to-day lives. Every individual also possess some psychological defects. These issues are clearly portrayed in the novel, The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon. In this story the protagonist is an autistic boy who faces many challenges in his life. Both his parents also face some complications in coping up with their son. Therefore the central theme in the novel, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, delineated by Christopher (the autistic boy), the father, and the mother, is that everyone has psychological problems that they need to overcome.
In the short story, “The Story of An Hour”, written by Kate Choppin, a woman with a heart trouble is told her husband had passed away in a railroad disaster. Mrs. Mallard was depressed, then she came to a realization that she was free. Back in the day this story was written, women did not have many rights. They were overruled by their husband. As she became more aware of how many doors her husband death would open, she had passed away. The doctors had said she had died of heart disease--of the joy that kills. The irony in the situation was that as she was dying, her husband walked through the door, alive.
The subject of death is one that many have trouble talking about, but Virginia Woolf provides her ideas in her narration The Death of the Moth. The moth is used as a metaphor to depict the constant battle between life and death, as well as Woolf’s struggle with chronic depression. Her use of pathos and personification of the moth helps readers develop an emotional connection and twists them to feel a certain way. Her intentional use of often awkward punctuation forces readers to take a step back and think about what they just read. Overall, Woolf uses these techniques to give her opinion on existence in general, and reminds readers that death is a part of life.
Many people across the world are unfamiliar with disorders associated with autism. Some people do not even know what autism actually is. Asperger’s Syndrome is one perplexing disorder, of countless, that needs to be acknowledged. Although it is one of the more well-known disorders, an understanding of Asperger’s is far from common knowledge. There is an abundance of misconceptions and people unaware of what Asperger Syndrome actually is. Being uncertain about the characteristics of a person with Asperger’s allows people to go through life not understanding the disorder itself and people who have it.