The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime Analysis The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon, relies on the narration of a fifteen year old autistic boy to tell a simple yet convoluted story of murder, betrayal and triumph. At first thought, Christopher Boone, would not seem to be a reliable narrator yet Haddon asks the reader to take a leap of faith by believing in Christopher’s abilities despite the limitations of autism.
Using Christopher’s point of view, straightforward and honest narrative diction, imagery as well as the physical images Christopher draws, Haddon approaches many questions in his writing. Among these are how does society view people with disabilities and differences, how can adversity be overcome, and how does Christopher’s family become the catalyst that sends him on his quest? The curious incident of the title is the murder of Wellington, a neighborhood poodle. When Christopher decides to take it upon himself to solve the mystery of Wellington’s death, a series of events unfolds which prove Christopher’s bravery and adaptability.
Haddon makes this clear by allowing Christopher to narrate his own story in his own point of view which, in turn, allows the reader to understand Christopher more completely than if Haddon had just offered a description of the character. Christopher has no filters so he reports honestly and factually about what he sees creating more reliability to his narration. As Christopher first finds Wellington, his report of Wellington’s condition does not use euphemism or show any squeamishness, “I pulled the fork out of the dog and lifted him into my arms and hugged him.
He was leaking blood from the fork holes” (Haddon, 3). Because of his condition, Christopher is not capable of sanitizing life and Haddon makes that clear from the start of the book through the selective choice of vocabulary. As the story progresses, Christopher unflinchingly describes bodily functions and their products which shows, again, that Haddon understands that Christopher is matter of fact about natural events and does not have the instinct to use euphemisms or to edit his story to avoid talking about unpleasant events.
While describing the restroom on the train to London, Christopher describes, “And it was horrible inside because there was poo on the seat of the toilet and it smelled of poo, like the toilet at school when Joseph has been for a poo on his own, because he plays with it” (162). By repeating the word poo, Haddon illustrates how undisturbed Christopher is by natural function which is how he views the world. Again, the language Haddon employs shows how honest and guileless Christopher is and helps the reader understand him better by getting a glimpse into his thoughts.
And Christopher’s thoughts, as well as his actions, can be odd and intimidating which Haddon illustrates through several encounters with family and strangers alike. Haddon allows Christopher to use politically incorrect words to make the point that people view autistic children as abnormal. As Christopher explains why he and his classmates are considered to have Special Needs, he remembers that, “… people used to call children like that spaz and crip and mong, which were nasty words. (44) As he continues, Christopher says that children now yell “Special needs, special needs! ” so the language does not matter, the mean thoughts behind the labels are the same no matter what the words. By having Christopher express that realization, Haddon has use those specific and cruel words to illustrate both the depth of Christopher’s intelligence and the fact that he understands how the world views him. Yet Haddon also shows the other side of autism when Christopher travels to London.
His actions frustrate and anger people who try to help him and through their words the reader grasps how a prejudice against Christopher is understandable. Several incidents force Christopher into interactions with strangers; these encounters end in exasperation for the supposed helpers. As Christopher is in the train station trying to get to London, a policeman tries to help him. After engaging Christopher in conversation which is not literal enough for Christopher to understand, the policeman comments, “You are a prize specimen, aren’t you. (152) although this expression is lost on Christopher, it does indicate a sarcastic attitude toward an adolescent who clearly needs help.
Another example of kindness turning to anger as Christopher’s difference is revealed happens when Toby, Christopher’s pet rat escapes onto the railroad tracks and Christopher jumps down to save him. As a bystander comes to Christopher’s rescue he grabs the boy which Christopher cannot stand. As Christopher screams, making it apparent that he needs extra care, the man loses his temper, “What the fuck do you think you are playing at? (183) When Christopher answers calmly and honestly that he was saving Toby, the man still does not treat Christopher with kindness and responds with, “Fucking Nora. ” Haddon shows, through actions and words, that society is not always kind to those who are different.
Even Christopher’s mother admits to having problems caring for him. When Christopher finds a letter from his supposedly dead mother, she recalls a time when she became “cross” (106) with her son and another incident when “you started to shout and I got cross and I threw the food across the room. (108). Even Christopher’s own mother had a difficult time understanding her son. By making this point, Haddon questions how we could try harder to care for those of us who need extra patience. In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Haddon also typifies what Thomas C. Foster would describe as a quest. As Foster outlines, Haddon has identified a questor, Christopher, a destination which is London, a specific reason for christopher to go to London which is to escape his father.
Christopher encounters many “challenges and trials en route,” (Foster 3) and a real reason for the quest which is to find out his mother is alive and to show how a person with autism can be brave, brilliant and resourceful. Unwittingly, Christopher’s parents create the circumstances that start his quest. His mother has an affair, his father tells him his mother is dead, Mr. Boone hides the letters from Christopher’s mom and he admits to killing Wellington thereby scaring Christopher and generating the need, in Christopher’s mind, for his quest.
As Foster states, “the real reason for a quest is always self-knowledge” (Foster 3). Haddon makes great use of Christopher’s illustrations and equations to show his actual knowledge. Ironically, Christopher, due to his autism, is not capable of true self-knowledge so his quest does not quite fulfill Foster’s requirements and becomes a modified quest with supporting characters gaining self-knowledge and Christopher learning as he always does with deliberation and insight but with a faulty logic that defines his thought process.
Through the questions raised by Haddon’s prose, it becomes clear that The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time is less about the curious incident itself and more about one teenanger with autism who uses his particular way of thinking to prove himself. Christopher’s point of view, which illustrates his brilliance, also allows the reader to see how a person with a disability can be ignored or diminished. Haddon’s overall use of literary devices, coupled with individual yet relatable characterizations, allows the reader to find the answers to the essential questions about Christopher and his world.
