The basis of the book The Reason I Jump is based on the first hand experiences of a thirteen-year-old Japanese boy named Naoki Higashida who has autism. The focus of the book is to give an in depth understanding as to why people with autism may act a certain way in a given situation or even how they react to different social situations to make themselves feel at ease. What the author is primarily trying to communicate to the audience is that people who are autistic are really not that much different from you or me, but rather they have their own unique ways in which they approach life. The way the author brings about the viewpoint of Naoki is by simply asking him various questions as to why he acts in peculiar ways as a way to further explain the reasoning of a person with autism. For example the author ask Naoki why Naoki wonders from home where he answered, “Turning back was not permitted, because roads never come to an end” (95).…
Do you know how it feels to have autism? In Cammie McGovern’s novel Eye Contact, Adam, a nine-year-old autistic boy, is discovered hiding near to the body of his murdered classmate. Now the police are relying on Adam as the only witness to an appalling crime. But he can't tell the police what he saw—or what he heard. Barely verbal on the best of days, Adam has retreated into a silent world that Cara, his mother, knows only too well.…
The book Rules stands out amongst other novels in the literary genre of children with disabilities. It not only chronicles the challenges that David, a boy with Autism, faces, but also illustrates his struggles from the perspective of someone on the outside, specifically his sister Catherine. The simplest abilities that most people take for granted, such as interpreting social cues and demonstrating appropriate manners, are the same abilities that people with Autism lack. This novel shines a light on how pertinent these capabilities are for living a so-called “normal life,” however, it also questions if having a “normal life” can always be a possibility. Catherine learns by the end of the book that although her brother David may not be like…
Mark Haddon effectively reconstructs the perception of Asperger’s throughout ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’, transforming the preconceived concept of disability to abilities that differ, through the implementation of visual aids, first person perspective, stylistic devices and multimodal structure. The utilisation of first person perspective enabled Haddon to descriptively depict the cognition of Christopher, whilst excluding the use of a label: ultimately ensuring the audience would disregard their preconceived perception of autism. Haddon’s inclusion of varying visual aids accompanied by a logical explanation clarifying his reasoning, assists in the portrayal of Christopher’s unorthodox process of cerebration. The inclusion…
The novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher, along with millions of others in today’s world, are shown misdirected concerns due to his/her condition, are limited but also advantage over others, and have…
Lears, L., & Ritz, K. (1998). Ian's walk: a story about autism. Morton Grove, IL: Albert Whitman. Ian's Walk told an uplifting story about a little boy named Ian who had autism. According to Ian's sister, Julie, Ian did not act like all the other children; he was different, and that disappointed her.…
Everyone is taught that honesty is crucial to living peacefully; Christopher Boone however cannot say the same. In Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Christopher encounters countless problems when he lets his curiosity get the best of him. Through a psychoanalytic lens, readers are able to spot several different themes throughout the novel, feel the ultimate struggles the characters go through, understand the rough feelings of frustration with the main character whom has a form of autism, put themselves in Christopher’s shoes even though he views the world much differently, and still be shocked with every page turn. Several themes are portrayed though out this book; the utmost powerful theme is that certain things…
We often look towards public figures in these uncomfortable situations, but when they also do not know who to respond, serious problems can occur. In novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, the main character Christopher Boone has a form of autism spectrum disorder. Throughout the novel he has several accidental police encounters. In nearly all the encounters the officers do not know how to handle Christopher in a gentle and acceptable way for his condition. Even though this is a fictional novel, these types of encounters are a true fact of life, even today.…
Many people with disabilities are more often misunderstood and are judged by everybody else. Both the character Grendel, from the novel Grendel, and Christopher, from the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, have a disabilities in different ways. Their perspectives on everyday people gives one a different thought on society in general. Their subjective point of view shows the loneliness that stems from their disability. Looking through the character 's view helps us understand their disabilities, thus giving one the knowledge of what they go through.…
“Autism, clearly is a condition that has always existed, affecting occasional individuals in every period and culture” (190). Autism has always been present in the world, even before it was diagnosis in modern times. It has affected people throughout time, no matter the time period or the location. The quote exhibits that this condition has always been present in the world. But the point to note is that for centuries no one understood what this condition even was.…
Exiting Nirvana: A Daughter’s Life with Autism does not proceed in a chronological order of Jessy’s triumph of becoming normal, but rather the narrative looks into instances in Jessy’s life that focus on the autistic perspective of talking, thinking, painting, and living. Therefore, the book focus on Jessy’s journey of becoming more aware of others as the title indicates, exiting out of her world, Nirvana, and engaging with the real world as well as not losing her identity during the process. Even though the narrative is from the perspective of a person without a disability, Clara effectively illustrates Jessy’s progress of adapting in the real world while not losing who she is. Exiting Nirvana: A Daughter’s Life with Autism has deepened my…
I decided to read the book Al Capone Does My Shirts by Gennifer Choldenko, because I have many friends who have read it and really enjoyed it. It is an historical fiction novel, written in 2004 for young adults, and it is a Newberry Honor Book. A major theme of the book is the impact of disability on family, because the main character’s sister has autism. Moose Flanagan has to learn to deal with moving because of his sister Natalie’s disability, as well as often feeling second to his parents.…
Mark Haddon’s, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, is a well written piece of fiction, that displays unique literary merit. From the very first page of the novel the reader is plunged into the interior mental landscape of a fifteen year old autistic boy named Christopher. Christopher’s understanding of the world is distinctly different than an ordinary persons. Haddon is successful in making The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, a work of art attracting and entertaining both children and adult audiences. The structure in which Haddon writes The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, mirrors Christopher's approach as to the way he processes and views things in the world.…
Parents often find themselves frustrated and lost when they fail to understand the actions of their children, but try their best to adapt to new situations. In The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon, the protagonist, Christopher Boone is a fifteen year-old autistic boy living in a dysfunctional family. Ed Boone and Judy Boone, the father and mother to Christopher, are estranged, with Ed being the primary caregiver to Chris. Ed faces many difficulties in raising his son alone in a world where few understand autism and where he himself does not fully comprehend this disorder. Furthermore, readers demonize Ed, and do not stop to consider how he positively influences Christopher by complying to his needs; asks for forgiveness…
In the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Mark Haddon introduces Christopher Boone. A 15 year old boy who discovers his neighbors, Mrs. Shear’s dead dog in his backyard. In this paper I will explore the reasons why this is actually a murder-mystery novel, why Christopher would be considered autistic, analyze some of the major characters in the novel and how they relate to the themes of the novel, and explain my take of the ending. Christopher at the start of the novel explains that this is a murder mystery novel, one which he is writing. Even though most would argue that it is not.…