Analyzing The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night

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One in sixty-eight children has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or Asperger’s Syndrome (AS) (CDC). This means that many people in your life have Asperger’s, and you probably have no idea. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon is told by Christopher, a fifteen-year-old boy diagnosed with Asperger’s. Christopher’s symptoms are very recognizable as someone suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome. Christopher’s mother left him and his father because she was unable to deal with Christopher’s disability. A parent leaving their child because of the child’s disability is very controversial, as the parent’s morals would be in question. In Christopher’s case, his mother’s leaving was better for him than if she …show more content…
He could easily be described as antisocial. He likes to be alone so that he can think. He dreams about living in complete solitude, describing a post apocalyptic world where everyone who doesn’t have Asperger’s or something similar has died and Christopher is free to live their lives in solitary “And I can go anywhere in the world and I know that no one is going to talk to me or touch me or ask me a question. But if I don’t want to go anywhere I don’t have to, and I can stay at home,” (Haddon, 198-199). Children suffering from Asperger’s Syndrome need their alone time just like everyone else, but they need it more. Their alone time is a time to recuperate and grow. In his book The Complete Guide to Asperger’s Syndrome, Tony Attwood explains what is so good about AS children and solitude, “Solitude can facilitate learning...The difficulties experienced in [social and linguistic skills] can impede the understanding of academic concepts...some children with Asperger’s Syndrome acquire academic skills..before they attend school...They have successfully taught themselves, in solitude,” (68). Christopher’s mother didn’t understand his need for solitude and would put him in difficult situations. Her leaving was better for him to allow him more time alone to …show more content…
Christopher’s mother was short-tempered and often didn’t take Christopher’s condition into consideration. His mother had no idea how to care for him, and didn’t even seem to try. She forced him to do things that he hated. In her TED Talk, Corina Morillo talks about how you should care for a child suffering from autism, “There is no need to be an expert in autism, nor do anything heroic to include someone. We just need to be there. Really, no heroic deed. We just need to be close” (6:00). His father was very patient and always put Christopher and his needs first. He was always there for Christopher. Her leaving prevented her from keeping Christopher from prospering. Her impatience only made things worse for

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