Themes In The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time

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What screws us up most in life is the picture in our head of what it's supposed to be.
-Socrates
This wise quote is one that describes something many people, myself included, have experienced over time. No matter how much we plan and imagine, fate, it seems, always has a different outcome for us and we end up disappointed and yearning for what could have been. Coincidentally, this theme has also been portrayed in a wide range of literature. The popular novel turned play, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” is an excellent example of one. As parents of a high functioning special needs boy, two of the characters, Ed and Judy, each struggle with all the challenges and obstacles that have so unexpectedly become a part of their …show more content…

Already, her life is predetermined by the confines of her society-- her status, job and lifestyle. Yet, besides these constraints she is genuinely content. Secretly and deeply in love, and at the start of a promising career as a musician, she has her entire future mapped out ahead of her. After being so close to living the dream she has always desired, however, it is all ripped away as life takes the reins. Entered into a fierce competition, she is whisked away to contend for the prince’s heart and the opportunity to one day rule. It is a classic and romantic fantasy for some, but for America it is a devastating nightmare. Leaving behind her love Aspen and her doting family, the competition shatters her every fantasy. All she ever asked for was Aspen and to play music, “[she] didn’t want to be royalty. And [she] didn’t want to be a One” (Cass, 2012, page 1). Without control, America’s only choice is to make the best of her unsought situation. However, life at the palace with the prince proves to be unlike anything she has experienced and as she adapts, she is forced to reevaluate her feelings. As she comes accept her new life, she realizes maybe her new future can be just as wonderful as the dreams she once

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