So far of what I read, I think this book will be about a boy named Christopher who tries to investigate on the crime of a dead dog. Christopher says he likes animals so I think he will use his mathematics and his knowledge to find out who killed the dog. He is very curious on how the dog was killed. He was asked lots of questions by the police because he was caught hugging the dead dog by the owner. So I feel this smart kid named Christopher will find out who killed the dog.
Well i'm ready this book The Curious Incident of the in the Night-Time and it seems very interesting while reading a couple of pages. As i'm reading the book, I notice that this book can relate to the real world dealing with the police. The boy Christopher hit a police because the police took hold of his arm and lifted him to his feet and he didn't even do nothing. There's been a couple of incidents with the police this past week and I feel the police are apathetic because they show no care to people. I feel this relates to the police a whole lot because police think they have lots of power over people and try to take advantage.. Chris said "I didn't like him touching me like this. And this is when I hit him" . I can tell this book will be good because of the few pages I have read. This book is going to be my best friend for this month.
I agree with BRIGHT_BOY about his view point on the police. Generally i really don't think much of the police, i have no positive or negative feeling towards them because they have done anything to or for me. I this book however, the police man had no right to treat Christopher that way, he may of had some troubles with other criminals in the past but it doesn't give him the right to treat everyone the same especially if they aren't doing anything. Christopher had a right to hit the police officer even if its illegal to attack an officer its also legal to engage on self defense and that's what Christopher was showing, he had been taken of his comfort zone and he acted on it, what he did in my opinion is justified.
I'm not very big on reading, don't really like it, especially novels. "The Curious incident of the dog in the night-time" however is a different story. Its not like other novels and to me its what i like the most about it. The fact that Mark Haddon writes everything clearly is brilliant, instead of those other novels were they write countless of metaphors and as the readers we would have to analyze the reading to have the slightest clue of what the author is trying to say. Apart from the fact that i like the book because its clear i also love the fact that it starts of with a mystery right off the bat, i didn't have to read 100 pages waiting for something tragic to happen, in just a few pages this bog already grabbed my attention with a murder mystery. Another reason I enjoy this book is because I can really relate to the main character, Christopher. We are both very into math and we feel comfortable with that subject because there's simply one answer to every math problem so its reliable, unlike English were there could be a million different answer to one question (no offence Ms.Lambert :)) because both me and Christopher are both very into logical and find comfort in them. I can defenetly see myself finishing this book, i don't think i would be able to put it down even for a second.
I agree with Nelson in the aspect the math problems only have one answer and you don't have to be profound or transcended when it come to answering the way you have to do with English. On the other hand this book attracts my attention because the main character Christopher is so passionate about achieving his dreams and proving to others the even though he has behavior problems he could overcome them. One of his dreams is to become and astronaut, he has the capacity to handle being away and lock in small places also hes really good in Physics and math which means he could handle hard technical machines. In this form of way i can relate to Christopher because all my life i bean motivating and pushing myself to accomplish my dreams the same way he does ergo we have similarities but we want to achieve different dreams. Another reason why this book attracts my attention is because Christopher personality is so different so logical and really straight forward. Other people the don't know him view him as if he was a insolent or demented boy. His life confessions and descriptive personality is the one the keeps me motivated to continue reading this book.
I agree with Yokeiry and Nelson with their opinion on this book. To speak amongst us, I believe we all see Christopher as a gifted teenager instead of solely an autistic child with behavioral issues, as the characters in the other book might see him. Also, I partially disagree with the "math problems only have one answer" statement. In the book, pages 62-65, Christopher explains the Monty Hall Problem. This was a math problem with a complicated solution which included probability; thus held several options for answers but there was no certain one because it was created as a hypothetical problem for a Math Mathematician to solve within their logic column of a magazine.
I have bean reading this book for the past few days.The main character Christopher is a 15 year old boy who has behavior problems and go to am special education school. Although Christopher is really smart in math and Physics ergo hes going to take the A level math test in a month. Although the decision of taking the test wasn't easy because the headmistress didn't want to approve that a peculiar kid had the ability to take the test, also a rash decision like this would enhance the other kids to have the desire to be treated differently as also. In society we see this a lot just because a student needs special care and develop his personality differently doesn't mean that they can't show there capacity and intelligence.
I agree with yoko as I read more and more I feel as if I get to know more about Christopher. Christopher doesn't want to give up on solving the mystery about the dog, if I were him I would feel the same way. Even though his father said not to get into people's business, Christopher has to be told exactly what to not do. In other words Christopher has to be told what to do and how to do it. This is called Christopher's "Behavioral Problem" I put this in quotations because I don't believe Christopher has behavioral problems. I know a lot of normal people that don't like their food touching, not liking to be in little places with other people, not smiling etc. This is just how some people are; just because Christopher is different they didn't want to put him in A Level class because they would have to have an extra staff looking after him. If they started treating Christopher different they would have to start treating everyone else different. I feel as if they didn't want to put Christopher into the class because Mrs.Gascoyne didn't think Christopher's family would be in that "social class" meaning the teacher probably thought that his family didn't have the money to pay for extra help.
I've just started reading The Curious Incident of the Dog, being in a few chapters in the book I've notice I can relate myself to Christopher. The reason I can relate myself to Christopher is because of the way he thinks. I'm just like Christopher don't like when people ask me to many questions at once. When people do this it confusing and hard for me to think just like Christopher. I find it weird that Christopher has autism because he seems like a very bright individual. I also like the way Christopher sees everything in a logical way. I would've never thought that someone would have had came up with an idea of puting chapters in prime numbers that's why I say he's bright but not only that; also someone wanting to solve a mystery about a dog. I find this interesting; I'm just waiting to see what more unusual things I'll see in this book that will surprise me.
"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is no ordinary novel. The protagonist Christopher, seems to be in conflict with himself and his intelligence. Although his logic transcends others, he struggles to understand the simple traits of human behavior. I find this very interesting because he is his own juxtaposition. For example, the novel itself, said to be written by him, he explains how he wrote it, starightforward, without metaphors or similes and advance vocabulary to decode and send a across a profound messages throught the decoding. His strengths lies within numbers and reasoning, ergo, he finds himself questioning why people laugh at jokes or write complex novels; this reveals his flaw of being very socially awkward. On another note, I find it amazing that Chris is very dedicated in solving the mystery of Wellington's death. I can relate to his love of animals because he fully understands their simplicity. They don't lie, they're loyal and they are sometimes much smarter than humans. Also, through his intelligence, I've learned quite a few things within logic, earth science and astronomy through his own interpretations of religion, theories of the afterlife and imagery of serenity. They include no figurative language or complicated words, simply fact.
This story is absolutely great ! It is so interesting that a boy with his condition; being autistic can be so amazingly intelligent. Although he cannot connect well with people he still manages to connect himself to the world and figure out what's going on around him. I feel that the way the author decided to write the story through Christopher's perspective is awesome because he wants to show people how it feels to be an autistic person. This book gives a feel of how it would be if you were autistic- you can feel the sympathy for Christopher. Screw people that think autistic people are weird, they rock !!!
I agree with Torres Eli. The author did a great job writing the story through Christopher’s perspective. This way we can see the world through his eyes and letting us see how the world works in his head. The more you progress in the story we see that even thought you can be an autistic child it’s not necessarily a disability. Over time you get to see the bright and the benefits. Honestly I see this as more of an advantage to be autistic than a disadvantage. Being able to only focus on one thing would be able I wouldn’t mind having, not being distracted by any other thing or worrying about something else in the back of my head wile I’m trying to do something. Multi tasking may have its perks but doing one thing at a time lets you complete your task to the best of your abilities. While reading this book instead of feeling sorry for Christopher, a person might feel that he would be somewhat fortuned to have this condition. Being autistic may very well “rock” in the words of Torres Eli. In a way instead of feeling sorry for Christopher I may aswell feel inferior to his abilities.
Such a peculiar death like Christopher mothers who die of a heart attack at such a young age brings back memory of my grandmother’s death. The death was so peculiar and nobody saw it coming because she was young at her time and didn't suffer from her heart or anything like the. Her death didn't evoke emotion to me at the time because it was shocking to know that I wasn't going to see her again. This is how I picture Christopher reaction to his mom death because he never saw her being ill or anything like the, also because he hasn't mention his emotion about it in the book yet. Throughout the time seeing the reality and admitting to yourself that the person that you love is not with you anymore it's harder than when you already see it coming. As I’m reading the book I began to think... Why didn't Christopher attend to the hospital to see his mother when he had the chance? Why didn't his father allow him to go to the funeral? I know the he was only 13 and he’s special and all but when it comes to your love ones nothing matters. The hardest thing about losing your love ones is not bean able to say goodbye to them, the same way Christopher and I experience it because adults believe that you are so young to be in a hospital.
I love Christopher's way of thinking because he fined so many loop holes in what people tell him. For example his father told him "you are not to go asking Mrs. Shears about who killed that bloody god... bloody detective game right now." In other words his father made him promise the he was going to stay away from the investigation of Wellington death and such. Although when Christopher found Mrs. Alexander in the street one day and she started to talk and make small conversations with him. He decided the he was going to ask indirect questions about Mr. Shears since his dad never mention that he couldn't. As he interrogated her he found out that Mr. Shears and his mom were having an affair. This brought more attention to me than I would imagine because the way Christopher describes his mother it seem to me the she was a good house wife even thought she was really inpatient with Christopher. Another thing the captures my attention is the he’s really good at keeping secret no matter how hard they seem to be and how the impacted his life. Putting myself in Christopher’s shoes knowing such a big secret about my mother and keeping it from another person would drive me crazy because I would love to find out more how & when did the thing occur.
I definitely agree with Yokeiry because the situation that Christopher is in will be difficult for him to describe to others without them interrogating him. Over all Christopher is a really intelligent individual and he is great at figuring things out on his own. For example his ambition to discover who killed Wellington. He also knows how to follow rules from his father because he knows that there will be consequences afterwards. This story is absolutely interesting and it grabs a readers attention because the story is coming from Christopher's point of view. Can't wait to figure out what will happen at the end of the story !
I also agree with Yoko. I like the way Christopher thinks and the way he notices things. I see where Christopher gets his detective ideas. Sherlock Holmes is Christopher's favorite detective because of his intelligence. Just like Sherlock Holmes, Christopher sees obvious things by observing them. I know this is true because earlier in the book Christopher mention he's an observant person. Even though Christopher doesn't think of himself as very smart I find him to be a clever individual. He likes to play chess and I feel in order for someone to know how to play this game you need to be smart. Christopher wants to be just like Sherlock Holmes to find out who killed Wellington but he doesnt want any "Red Herrings". He has one suspect which is Mr.Shears but I don't think he is the one who killed Wellington. Since people think he's an evil person they will suspect him. But I guess we will find the more we read.
As I read while using my gender stereotype lens I’ve noticed that “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is a little racist when it has to do with the role of women in the home. As it turns out, the owner of the dog that was murdered, Ms. Shears has been married before and went through a divorce two years ago. After Mr. Shears left and never came back Ms. Shears felt alone. As a result in order for Christopher’s father to help her deal with her divorce and loneliness was to let her stay over at their house and cook and do chores for them around the house. Thus implying that women can deal with their problems by doing what they are meant to do which would be cleaning and cooking because this would be what makes them conferrable in their lives. It seems to me that it may not just be the male roles in this book that are sexist but the females are as well. Ms. Shears honestly had no problem doing things that would support the stereotypes set that women should be the ones staying home, cleaning and making their places in the kitchen while the man would come home from work and be taken care of
I agree with Nelson's interpretation of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” using the gender theory. His ideal of the women taking her gender role a bit far after a divorce, was accurate. Although I have to slightly disagree with his diction in his statement "..it may not just be the male roles in this book that are sexist but the females are as well. Ms. Shears honestly had no problem doing things that would support the stereotypes set that women should be the ones staying home, cleaning and making their places in the kitchen while the man would come home from work and be taken care of." For starters, the females, the very few in the book that are mentioned, are not directly sexist. What Mr.Adon should've said was that they have conformed in a society that most women have conformed to also, because it was simply ingrained in them. I would rather say that not only are the men letting the women support a reputation as house cleaners but the women are allowing it themselves simply because they are used to it. Within divorced women, especially in Ms.Shears case, I believe it was extremely sexist of her finding comfort in taking care of a family that doesn't belong to her for the simple fact that she's been "trained/brainwashed" to behave that way. How could someone cope in that manner within such level of anomie? Of course, this was simply Christopher's keen observation of the world around him, which if related to contemporary America, is very true amongst most people.
"Any intuition is what People use in life to make decisions. But logic can help you work out the right answer." This quote was said by Christopher, I believe he was right. The reason I agree is because when you go to take a test without studying you have more of a possibility of failing. When you go to take a test that you're ready for you are more likely to get an A. When you know whats on the test I believe this is called Logic because you know the right answer. Just like the "you are asked to choose a door" if you stick with the door with a car behind it, 1 out of 3 times you would get a car. To me is just as you were taking a test because is like guessing on test when you don't know the right answer but when you go knowing what is going to be on the test you know the right answer. I was really intrigued in this chapter; I too see things like this at times. The ironic thing is that Christopher doesn't like math because is straightforward but because is just like life it doesn't always have the exact answer. Well at least that's what I got from the chapter.
When I was in Sunday school this morning, my teacher asked my class
where heaven was. Most of the other kids replied with a very expected
answer like "where ever God is" or "in the clouds". I attempted to
transcend the others, who were simply pre-teens and summarized one of
my favorite quotes from Christopher. "But when mother died, she didn't
go to heaven because heaven doesn't exist... except there might be if you
went through a black hole, but a black hole is called a singularity, which
means it is impossible to find out what's on the other side because the
gravity of the black hole is so big that even electromagnetic waves light
can't get out of it, and electromagnetic waves are how we get
information about things which are far away. And if Heaven was on the
other side of a black hole, dead people would have to be fired into space
on rockets to get there, and they aren't or people would notice." My
teacher had given me a strange look and "corrected" my answer by saying
that "it's a place full of happiness and peace and no suffering". This
made me realize how controversial topics are so easily covered by Mark
Haddon's novel. Everything was a simple fact. Also another quote I believe is profound was "When people die they are sometimes put into coffins, which means that they don't mix with the earth for a very long time until the wood of the coffin rots. But Mother was cremated. This means that she was put into a coffin and burned and ground up and turned into ash and smoke. I do not know what happens to the ash and I couldn't ask at the creamatorium because I didn't go to the funeral. But the smoke goes out of the chimney and into the air and sometimes I look up and I think that there are molecules of Mother up there, or in clouds over Africa or the Antarctic, or coming down as rain in the rain forests in Brazil, or snow somewhere." This, personally was extremely touching because, as a human being, I find the truth hard to accept, especially if I had known that my mother passed away, but this quote is perfect. Its takes my breath away every time I read it. Sometimes I think that if someone that I know passes, I would rather believe that they are in the air, floating around the wonders of the world rather than "heaven".
As i am still ready this book The Curious-Incident of the dog in the night-time i notice that I can relate to this kid Christopher. This kid is a mathematical genius and I like math myself. Chris is still trying to figure out who killed that dog and he doesn't want to give up. Like me I don't like giving up and I will try until I get what I want.He figures there are three reasons someone might kill a dog: because they hate the dog; because they are crazy; or because they want to upset the owner. Christopher cannot think of anyone who hated Wellington and does not know anyone who is crazy. He does know that most murderers know their victim and that the only person who would want to upset Mrs. Shears is Mr. Shears. Mr. Shears left about two years ago and didn’t come back. I think Chris is like this because of what happened to his mother.
I agree with Bright about the Christopher and his mathematical skills. I admire this about Christopher. For example when he showed the examples about the frogs and related to physics. I feel as if he relates mysteries to math. I find that interesting because he relates both math and mysteries. This is what makes Christopher unique, because he's a very observant person. Christopher always relates math to everything I notice. He related to the show about picking cars and now to the frogs in the pond. This is why I think Christopher is smart because he can put two and two together and not even I can do that sometimes. This makes me think if he ever finds out who killed the dog if it would be in a mathematical way. Maybe he will find out where his mom is living in a mathematical I guess we will just have to find out.
So far I find that this book is interesting because it’s showing how people in everyday life deal with people who are socially awkward. Christopher does appears to have coped with his condition and has found a method of functioning that works for him. He uses math to get through his days and avoids anything that has to do with deep thinking outside of math. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the problems that come with him being autistic and not understanding they way people work. My prediction is that something bad will happen because when he feel over whelmed he starts to melt down and react in a negative way. I can tell this is going to be a problem because Christopher does not liked to be touched and when the police officer put his hands on Christopher he hit the cop. The reason why this is such a problem is because it seems that Christopher doesn’t realize that he could get into a lot of trouble for doing things like that. I would like to see how Christopher adjust with the social world with a condition that limits him in many ways. - Shyiem Hylton
I really did not know what to expect while reading this book. But once I started I was very surprised on how alike this book was to my little brother. Christopher, the main protagonist is not just telling a story from his perspective, he is also explaining a story on how an Autistic child would speak and behave and this is what had pulled me into the book. Christopher reminds me of how my brother is because he as well is an Autistic boy and is 7years of age. My brother too can be talking and doing one thing like Chris does and switches to another. Christopher's story has also helped me understand more how to approach my brother and understand how he just like any Oberlin Autistic boy. That being said back to reading I go and learning more about this interesting Chris.
The more I continue on reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time I get more drawn into it. At the start of the book I was convinced that I was most likely going to be reading about an odd autistic boy who assumes that no one understands him because he is different from everyone try to solve a murder a dog who was mysteriously killed. To be honest I believed that the main reason that he was trying to figure out a murder of a dog was because he simply was incapable of solving a real human murder because it was too difficult for him. Neat less to say I was proven wrong, this book gets even more interesting every time you flip to the next page. It turned from an autistic boy who instead of being put down by his condition he was trying to solve a murder of dog that he liked and had a connection with, next thing you know he uncovers a dark secret that has happened between his already dead mother and the ex husband of the dog owner and how they had an affair. It appears that the longer he goes on with his investigations the more he finds out and becomes about his life.
Right now I’m at the part of he story were Christopher finds letters from his mother. It’s a bit confusing because both Christopher and myself were very confused. In the begging of the novel Christopher had made it very clear that his mother was dad from a heart attack. However I got in my head why Christopher kept saying that it was very strange that a healthy young woman such as his mother would suffer from a heart attack. I also found it very suspicious that while his mother was on the hospital Christopher’s father would still not allows Christopher to see his mother. At the time when his mother was purposively at the hospital Christopher would have had been 13, and since he virtually feels little emotions it isn’t like he was going to scared at his mother being sick at the hospital. When Christopher reads the letters that had been sent for him but that his father had hid from him, his mother writes about how her life has been in her new home and how great her new jobs are, Christopher thought that it was sent before his mother has died however he points out that he doesn’t ever remember his mother living in the address that she is sending the letter from or her mother ever having the jobs that she has now, pointing out that she is still alive. But why would his father betray his only son and keep this a secret from him?
I was also thinking the same thing Nelson what thinking. Why would his father do that to him. He made his on son feel bad that he lied to him plus he was hiding letters from him. Christopher's father should of just told Christopher what really happened to his mother. After Christopher reading the letters that was for him, he vomits and past out. His father really put him in a lot of pain. If I was Christopher it would be a long time that my father gained my trust. Christopher should just write his mom and tell him that his father was hiding the letters. Christopher is a strong boy.
Responding to nelson question. "But why would his father betray his only son and keep this a secret from him?” At the time his father was hurt and confuse to find out his wife was cheating on him with Mr. Shears, also the she was leaving with him to London leaving Christopher behind. He was really hurt and his reaction was anger toward her, so instead of saying the truth to Christopher by saying his mother is a strumpet who left him, he decided to bury her with and his anger too. That was his first reaction and looking for comfort was the next. When Mrs. Shears was helping him with the house and Christopher he felt save to know the he wasn't going to be alone again but the same way his wife left him Mrs. Shears face reality and decided to move on with her life but Christopher's dad didn't see it the way he said "I think she cared more for that bloody dog than for me, for us." Putting me in Christopher’s dad shoes is hard to realize that you not wanted. Before I get target my fellow classmate or friends No I’m not supporting Christopher’s dad lies because Christopher was old enough to understand the truth. Although his dad consider that it was better to take away the suffering of not being wanted also.
I was in shock when I read this chapter. Things that I didn't except to happen surprised me. Christopher and his father got in argument because of the book Christopher was writing. Christopher's father found the book when Christopher left it on the kitchen table. Christopher's father really doesn't want Christopher knowing about Mr.Shears and when he read that he was still asking questions about it, he hit Christopher in the face. Just like the in the beginning of the book with the cops Christopher hit his father. But his father said sorry because he didn't mean too. Even though he said sorry He didn't give the book back to Christopher. While Christopher was looking for the book he found letters that belonged to him sent from his mother. These letters were in the spot where the book was hidden. Now I'm curious to find out why Christopher's father lied to him about his Mother.
Wow ! I just can't get enough of this book. I really like this kid Christopher. It was sad when Christopher found out what his mother was really alive and what had really happened with her. His mother admits that the stress of caring for Christopher destroyed her marriage with Father and caused her to leave the family. Christopher's father was wrong for lying to his son about his mother being dead. He should of just sat him down and talked about it and also gave him the letters his mom were writing to him. Like me Christopher was a trouble maker but he as changed. This kid is very intelligent and interesting. People assume that computers are just machines without minds. But Christopher explains that in actuality the mind is a complicated computer, and that even feelings are just a picture in your mind of what is going to happen tomorrow or next year, or what might have happened instead of what did happen. I like the way Christopher thinks.
As I continue to read this book, I realize the simple way to interpret this novel. With all the amazing facts and use of knowledge, Christopher has proven himself very intelligent. But I often ask myself," what is intelligence?". I haven't found the answer but I can clearly say that Christopher is not as 'intelligent' as the reader may think. Thinking back to my past, I struggled with socializing with others, like Chris. I was very quiet and completely scared of interacting with people I don't know. This was during a transition from one middle school to an elite academy. Being quiet and observing others was all I could do. With my behavior, I learned the daily routines at school such as student behavior and teaching patterns. I knew all the answers to all the questions asked by my classmates simply because I focused hard enough; I chose not to do anything else. It's the same way with Christopher. He's not very smart, he has a mental disorder that denies him the ability to grasp several ideas simultaneously; if he were as intelligent as I expected, he could comprehend simple things such as jokes, metaphors and complex writing. This is not an interpretation stating he is "dumb" but it is the main point of Mark Haddon's novel. This story promises a different perspective but most would see it as "an amazing story about how an autistic boy gets over his disability". What we must acknowledge as readers is that we should not feel joy when a mentally challenged person triumphs but recognize that everyone has their flaws and in their own way, holds impediments in their minds just as Chris does. I believe this novel holds a much greater purpose. Talking to people and doing things that scare us, Chris and I slowly do things we don't like, but are necessary to help us grow and achieve what we want. Mark Haddon, through the actions and diction of Christopher Boone, has taught me that if I want something I've never had I must be willing to do something I've never done.
Right know I’m at the part were Christopher’s dad confess the he killed Wellington because he had and argument with Mrs. Shears and the dog attack him when he was leaving Mrs. Shears house. He also confess why he lie to him about his mother and how bad he felt. Christopher didn’t react well to the news so he decided to run away to London and find his mother because he didn’t felt save with his dad anymore. It’s a struggle for Christopher being on unknown streets and seeing too many people around him. Even going into the train platform is a struggle he had to sit down and comfort himself because he was so scared. Reading this brings and image to my mind as if Christopher was a 7-8 year old being loss in the big city who tries to find his parents. Not Christopher a 15 year old logical boy who believes that his smarter than most special needed kids from his school. As I keep reading the author Mark Haddon keeps contradicting his own point of the book which is showing Christopher differently than what we normally would see him as which is an autistic person.
I can’t believe how Mr. Shears acted when he saw Christopher and hear the story of the death of Wellington and why he didn’t wanted to live with his father he said “Ok. He can stay for few days.” Another sentence the he told Christopher was “You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you…, I bet you’re really pleased with yourself now, aren’t you.” These two sentences got me so mad because he didn’t care about Christopher, he only cared that he was with Christopher’s mother. This applies to reality in the way that many people are so coldhearted and are capable of mistreating others without thinking. On the other hand I Love Christophe’s dad reaction once he found out were his son was, he wanted to get Christopher from the women the abandon him and wanted to fix the mistake he once committed and was sorry for. Although I expected Christopher to understand and listen to his father, also realize how sorry his father was instead of staying with his mother. Those few days the Christopher’s mom spend with him it show me the reader the her decision of leaving him was kind of the best because it show the lack of patience she had for him and the made me imagine all those years she struggle with the. Although I believe that if she already had years handling those struggles she should have kept going with them to not feel sorry after.
The main reason Christopher who is the main character started writing this book was because he wanted to write all his detective work and clues the would help him discover who killed Wellington the dog. As the reader I imagined that everything about the book was going to be related to the dog death but it didn’t turn out like that. It turns to be a life story of an autistic teenager who struggles with life at school, making sense of life. Also having a single parent looking after him because the other one “pass away”. On the other hand this noble has another life story included in which is Christopher’s dad life story; being left with an autistic child to race, handling work to maintain his home, all just because the mother prefer to leave him for another man. Deciding the lying to his child was the best solution instead of confessing the he was abandon. Hiding all those letters to cover up his lies. Doing anything to make his child happy and move on with his life. Looking for comfort in Mrs. Shears arms and trying to make a family once again. But then realizing and being told the he wasn’t wanted again made him angry and the cause the stabbing of a garden fork on Wellington
I agree with Yoko, this story's main focus is suppose to be about a dog's murder but is not. This story is about Christopher at his young age. Of course this book is going to be about Christopher, but what keeps you intrigued is the way Christopher see things. When you read this book you wouldn't think an autistic boy would be so observant like him, which is ironic. He notices everything at a place and he could tell actually what was there and how was it. He relates everything to math which keeps me interested in the book. For example, the way he creates a time table for he can know what to do and when to do it. He believes if he doesn't have a times table he would be lost in time. This shows that Christopher doesn't like surprises because he likes to know what is happening for the day. In other words, I really enjoy how this story is ironic and that is really related to mathematics.
Well, I finally found out who killed Wellington. It was shocking because that's the last person I would have thought to kill the dog. As I think back I realize that's maybe that's why Christopher's father got upset when Christopher wanted to find out who killed the dog. I understand why Christopher screamed and didn't want to touched by his father when his father told him that he killed the dog; because I would feel the same way. Even though, I believe that Christopher should of stayed home and not leave to London. The reason I believe Christopher should have stayed is because his father is more understanding than his mother, and his father and him could have probably worked it out. Christopher was young so I don't blame him. As you grow older you get wiser like Christopher telling the story at a older age.You realize some things you did when you were young weren't the smartest decisions.
I was appalled when I found out that Christopher's mother was cheating on his dad with Mr. Shear's. Now I understand why Christopher's father didn't want his name to be mentioned. I will never stop repeating that this book is amazing. Due to the fact that Chris is autistic he is very intelligent and can figure things out on his own. We have been discussing the topic of reader response and I can truly connect to this story because my father had cheated on my mother, therefore I realize how hard is for Christopher to accept that. This story is breath taking and it's amazing to see how a kid that doesn't understand everything clearly can connect and overcome life's challenges. For instance dealing with the fact that his mom had died, finding out that his mom had cheated and also following his father's rules without breaking them.
What do you think this book will be about?
ReplyDeleteSo far of what I read, I think this book will be about a boy named Christopher who tries to investigate on the crime of a dead dog. Christopher says he likes animals so I think he will use his mathematics and his knowledge to find out who killed the dog. He is very curious on how the dog was killed. He was asked lots of questions by the police because he was caught hugging the dead dog by the owner. So I feel this smart kid named Christopher will find out who killed the dog.
DeleteWell i'm ready this book The Curious Incident of the in the Night-Time and it seems very interesting while reading a couple of pages. As i'm reading the book, I notice that this book can relate to the real world dealing with the police. The boy Christopher hit a police because the police took hold of his arm and lifted him to his feet and he didn't even do nothing. There's been a couple of incidents with the police this past week and I feel the police are apathetic because they show no care to people. I feel this relates to the police a whole lot because police think they have lots of power over people and try to take advantage.. Chris said "I didn't like him touching me like this. And this is when I hit him" . I can tell this book will be good because of the few pages I have read. This book is going to be my best friend for this month.
ReplyDeleteI agree with BRIGHT_BOY about his view point on the police. Generally i really don't think much of the police, i have no positive or negative feeling towards them because they have done anything to or for me. I this book however, the police man had no right to treat Christopher that way, he may of had some troubles with other criminals in the past but it doesn't give him the right to treat everyone the same especially if they aren't doing anything. Christopher had a right to hit the police officer even if its illegal to attack an officer its also legal to engage on self defense and that's what Christopher was showing, he had been taken of his comfort zone and he acted on it, what he did in my opinion is justified.
DeleteI'm not very big on reading, don't really like it, especially novels. "The Curious incident of the dog in the night-time" however is a different story. Its not like other novels and to me its what i like the most about it. The fact that Mark Haddon writes everything clearly is brilliant, instead of those other novels were they write countless of metaphors and as the readers we would have to analyze the reading to have the slightest clue of what the author is trying to say. Apart from the fact that i like the book because its clear i also love the fact that it starts of with a mystery right off the bat, i didn't have to read 100 pages waiting for something tragic to happen, in just a few pages this bog already grabbed my attention with a murder mystery. Another reason I enjoy this book is because I can really relate to the main character, Christopher. We are both very into math and we feel comfortable with that subject because there's simply one answer to every math problem so its reliable, unlike English were there could be a million different answer to one question (no offence Ms.Lambert :)) because both me and Christopher are both very into logical and find comfort in them. I can defenetly see myself finishing this book, i don't think i would be able to put it down even for a second.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nelson in the aspect the math problems only have one answer and you don't have to be profound or transcended when it come to answering the way you have to do with English. On the other hand this book attracts my attention because the main character Christopher is so passionate about achieving his dreams and proving to others the even though he has behavior problems he could overcome them. One of his dreams is to become and astronaut, he has the capacity to handle being away and lock in small places also hes really good in Physics and math which means he could handle hard technical machines. In this form of way i can relate to Christopher because all my life i bean motivating and pushing myself to accomplish my dreams the same way he does ergo we have similarities but we want to achieve different dreams. Another reason why this book attracts my attention is because Christopher personality is so different so logical and really straight forward. Other people the don't know him view him as if he was a insolent or demented boy. His life confessions and descriptive personality is the one the keeps me motivated to continue reading this book.
DeleteI agree with Yokeiry and Nelson with their opinion on this book. To speak amongst us, I believe we all see Christopher as a gifted teenager instead of solely an autistic child with behavioral issues, as the characters in the other book might see him. Also, I partially disagree with the "math problems only have one answer" statement. In the book, pages 62-65, Christopher explains the Monty Hall Problem. This was a math problem with a complicated solution which included probability; thus held several options for answers but there was no certain one because it was created as a hypothetical problem for a Math Mathematician to solve within their logic column of a magazine.
DeleteI have bean reading this book for the past few days.The main character Christopher is a 15 year old boy who has behavior problems and go to am special education school. Although Christopher is really smart in math and Physics ergo hes going to take the A level math test in a month. Although the decision of taking the test wasn't easy because the headmistress didn't want to approve that a peculiar kid had the ability to take the test, also a rash decision like this would enhance the other kids to have the desire to be treated differently as also. In society we see this a lot just because a student needs special care and develop his personality differently doesn't mean that they can't show there capacity and intelligence.
ReplyDeleteI agree with yoko as I read more and more I feel as if I get to know more about Christopher. Christopher doesn't want to give up on solving the mystery about the dog, if I were him I would feel the same way. Even though his father said not to get into people's business, Christopher has to be told exactly what to not do. In other words Christopher has to be told what to do and how to do it. This is called Christopher's "Behavioral Problem" I put this in quotations because I don't believe Christopher has behavioral problems. I know a lot of normal people that don't like their food touching, not liking to be in little places with other people, not smiling etc. This is just how some people are; just because Christopher is different they didn't want to put him in A Level class because they would have to have an extra staff looking after him. If they started treating Christopher different they would have to start treating everyone else different. I feel as if they didn't want to put Christopher into the class because Mrs.Gascoyne didn't think Christopher's family would be in that "social class" meaning the teacher probably thought that his family didn't have the money to pay for extra help.
DeleteI've just started reading The Curious Incident of the Dog, being in a few chapters in the book I've notice I can relate myself to Christopher. The reason I can relate myself to Christopher is because of the way he thinks. I'm just like Christopher don't like when people ask me to many questions at once. When people do this it confusing and hard for me to think just like Christopher. I find it weird that Christopher has autism because he seems like a very bright individual. I also like the way Christopher sees everything in a logical way. I would've never thought that someone would have had came up with an idea of puting chapters in prime numbers that's why I say he's bright but not only that; also someone wanting to solve a mystery about a dog. I find this interesting; I'm just waiting to see what more unusual things I'll see in this book that will surprise me.
ReplyDelete"The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" is no ordinary novel. The protagonist Christopher, seems to be in conflict with himself and his intelligence. Although his logic transcends others, he struggles to understand the simple traits of human behavior. I find this very interesting because he is his own juxtaposition. For example, the novel itself, said to be written by him, he explains how he wrote it, starightforward, without metaphors or similes and advance vocabulary to decode and send a across a profound messages throught the decoding. His strengths lies within numbers and reasoning, ergo, he finds himself questioning why people laugh at jokes or write complex novels; this reveals his flaw of being very socially awkward. On another note, I find it amazing that Chris is very dedicated in solving the mystery of Wellington's death. I can relate to his love of animals because he fully understands their simplicity. They don't lie, they're loyal and they are sometimes much smarter than humans. Also, through his intelligence, I've learned quite a few things within logic, earth science and astronomy through his own interpretations of religion, theories of the afterlife and imagery of serenity. They include no figurative language or complicated words, simply fact.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThis story is absolutely great ! It is so interesting that a boy with his condition; being autistic can be so amazingly intelligent. Although he cannot connect well with people he still manages to connect himself to the world and figure out what's going on around him. I feel that the way the author decided to write the story through Christopher's perspective is awesome because he wants to show people how it feels to be an autistic person. This book gives a feel of how it would be if you were autistic- you can feel the sympathy for Christopher. Screw people that think autistic people are weird, they rock !!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Torres Eli. The author did a great job writing the story through Christopher’s perspective. This way we can see the world through his eyes and letting us see how the world works in his head. The more you progress in the story we see that even thought you can be an autistic child it’s not necessarily a disability. Over time you get to see the bright and the benefits. Honestly I see this as more of an advantage to be autistic than a disadvantage. Being able to only focus on one thing would be able I wouldn’t mind having, not being distracted by any other thing or worrying about something else in the back of my head wile I’m trying to do something. Multi tasking may have its perks but doing one thing at a time lets you complete your task to the best of your abilities. While reading this book instead of feeling sorry for Christopher, a person might feel that he would be somewhat fortuned to have this condition. Being autistic may very well “rock” in the words of Torres Eli. In a way instead of feeling sorry for Christopher I may aswell feel inferior to his abilities.
DeleteSuch a peculiar death like Christopher mothers who die of a heart attack at such a young age brings back memory of my grandmother’s death. The death was so peculiar and nobody saw it coming because she was young at her time and didn't suffer from her heart or anything like the. Her death didn't evoke emotion to me at the time because it was shocking to know that I wasn't going to see her again. This is how I picture Christopher reaction to his mom death because he never saw her being ill or anything like the, also because he hasn't mention his emotion about it in the book yet. Throughout the time seeing the reality and admitting to yourself that the person that you love is not with you anymore it's harder than when you already see it coming. As I’m reading the book I began to think... Why didn't Christopher attend to the hospital to see his mother when he had the chance? Why didn't his father allow him to go to the funeral? I know the he was only 13 and he’s special and all but when it comes to your love ones nothing matters. The hardest thing about losing your love ones is not bean able to say goodbye to them, the same way Christopher and I experience it because adults believe that you are so young to be in a hospital.
ReplyDeleteI love Christopher's way of thinking because he fined so many loop holes in what people tell him. For example his father told him "you are not to go asking Mrs. Shears about who killed that bloody god... bloody detective game right now." In other words his father made him promise the he was going to stay away from the investigation of Wellington death and such. Although when Christopher found Mrs. Alexander in the street one day and she started to talk and make small conversations with him. He decided the he was going to ask indirect questions about Mr. Shears since his dad never mention that he couldn't. As he interrogated her he found out that Mr. Shears and his mom were having an affair. This brought more attention to me than I would imagine because the way Christopher describes his mother it seem to me the she was a good house wife even thought she was really inpatient with Christopher. Another thing the captures my attention is the he’s really good at keeping secret no matter how hard they seem to be and how the impacted his life. Putting myself in Christopher’s shoes knowing such a big secret about my mother and keeping it from another person would drive me crazy because I would love to find out more how & when did the thing occur.
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with Yokeiry because the situation that Christopher is in will be difficult for him to describe to others without them interrogating him. Over all Christopher is a really intelligent individual and he is great at figuring things out on his own. For example his ambition to discover who killed Wellington. He also knows how to follow rules from his father because he knows that there will be consequences afterwards. This story is absolutely interesting and it grabs a readers attention because the story is coming from Christopher's point of view. Can't wait to figure out what will happen at the end of the story !
DeleteI also agree with Yoko. I like the way Christopher thinks and the way he notices things. I see where Christopher gets his detective ideas. Sherlock Holmes is Christopher's favorite detective because of his intelligence. Just like Sherlock Holmes, Christopher sees obvious things by observing them. I know this is true because earlier in the book Christopher mention he's an observant person. Even though Christopher doesn't think of himself as very smart I find him to be a clever individual. He likes to play chess and I feel in order for someone to know how to play this game you need to be smart. Christopher wants to be just like Sherlock Holmes to find out who killed Wellington but he doesnt want any "Red Herrings". He has one suspect which is Mr.Shears but I don't think he is the one who killed Wellington. Since people think he's an evil person they will suspect him. But I guess we will find the more we read.
DeleteAs I read while using my gender stereotype lens I’ve noticed that “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” is a little racist when it has to do with the role of women in the home. As it turns out, the owner of the dog that was murdered, Ms. Shears has been married before and went through a divorce two years ago. After Mr. Shears left and never came back Ms. Shears felt alone. As a result in order for Christopher’s father to help her deal with her divorce and loneliness was to let her stay over at their house and cook and do chores for them around the house. Thus implying that women can deal with their problems by doing what they are meant to do which would be cleaning and cooking because this would be what makes them conferrable in their lives. It seems to me that it may not just be the male roles in this book that are sexist but the females are as well. Ms. Shears honestly had no problem doing things that would support the stereotypes set that women should be the ones staying home, cleaning and making their places in the kitchen while the man would come home from work and be taken care of
ReplyDeleteI agree with Nelson's interpretation of “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time” using the gender theory. His ideal of the women taking her gender role a bit far after a divorce, was accurate. Although I have to slightly disagree with his diction in his statement "..it may not just be the male roles in this book that are sexist but the females are as well. Ms. Shears honestly had no problem doing things that would support the stereotypes set that women should be the ones staying home, cleaning and making their places in the kitchen while the man would come home from work and be taken care of." For starters, the females, the very few in the book that are mentioned, are not directly sexist. What Mr.Adon should've said was that they have conformed in a society that most women have conformed to also, because it was simply ingrained in them. I would rather say that not only are the men letting the women support a reputation as house cleaners but the women are allowing it themselves simply because they are used to it. Within divorced women, especially in Ms.Shears case, I believe it was extremely sexist of her finding comfort in taking care of a family that doesn't belong to her for the simple fact that she's been "trained/brainwashed" to behave that way. How could someone cope in that manner within such level of anomie? Of course, this was simply Christopher's keen observation of the world around him, which if related to contemporary America, is very true amongst most people.
Delete"Any intuition is what People use in life to make decisions. But logic can help you work out the right answer." This quote was said by Christopher, I believe he was right. The reason I agree is because when you go to take a test without studying you have more of a possibility of failing. When you go to take a test that you're ready for you are more likely to get an A. When you know whats on the test I believe this is called Logic because you know the right answer. Just like the "you are asked to choose a door" if you stick with the door with a car behind it, 1 out of 3 times you would get a car. To me is just as you were taking a test because is like guessing on test when you don't know the right answer but when you go knowing what is going to be on the test you know the right answer. I was really intrigued in this chapter; I too see things like this at times. The ironic thing is that Christopher doesn't like math because is straightforward but because is just like life it doesn't always have the exact answer. Well at least that's what I got from the chapter.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was in Sunday school this morning, my teacher asked my class
ReplyDeletewhere heaven was. Most of the other kids replied with a very expected
answer like "where ever God is" or "in the clouds". I attempted to
transcend the others, who were simply pre-teens and summarized one of
my favorite quotes from Christopher. "But when mother died, she didn't
go to heaven because heaven doesn't exist... except there might be if you
went through a black hole, but a black hole is called a singularity, which
means it is impossible to find out what's on the other side because the
gravity of the black hole is so big that even electromagnetic waves light
can't get out of it, and electromagnetic waves are how we get
information about things which are far away. And if Heaven was on the
other side of a black hole, dead people would have to be fired into space
on rockets to get there, and they aren't or people would notice." My
teacher had given me a strange look and "corrected" my answer by saying
that "it's a place full of happiness and peace and no suffering". This
made me realize how controversial topics are so easily covered by Mark
Haddon's novel. Everything was a simple fact. Also another quote I believe is profound was "When people die they are sometimes put into coffins, which means that they don't mix with the earth for a very long time until the wood of the coffin rots. But Mother was cremated. This means that she was put into a coffin and burned and ground up and turned into ash and smoke. I do not know what happens to the ash and I couldn't ask at the creamatorium because I didn't go to the funeral. But the smoke goes out of the chimney and into the air and sometimes I look up and I think that there are molecules of Mother up there, or in clouds over Africa or the Antarctic, or coming down as rain in the rain forests in Brazil, or snow somewhere." This, personally was extremely touching because, as a human being, I find the truth hard to accept, especially if I had known that my mother passed away, but this quote is perfect. Its takes my breath away every time I read it. Sometimes I think that if someone that I know passes, I would rather believe that they are in the air, floating around the wonders of the world rather than "heaven".
As i am still ready this book The Curious-Incident of the dog in the night-time i notice that I can relate to this kid Christopher. This kid is a mathematical genius and I like math myself. Chris is still trying to figure out who killed that dog and he doesn't want to give up. Like me I don't like giving up and I will try until I get what I want.He figures there are three reasons someone might kill a dog: because they hate the dog; because they are crazy; or because they want to upset the owner. Christopher cannot think of anyone who hated Wellington and does not know anyone who is crazy. He does know that most murderers know their victim and that the only person who would want to upset Mrs. Shears is Mr. Shears. Mr. Shears left about two years ago and didn’t come back. I think Chris is like this because of what happened to his mother.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Bright about the Christopher and his mathematical skills. I admire this about Christopher. For example when he showed the examples about the frogs and related to physics. I feel as if he relates mysteries to math. I find that interesting because he relates both math and mysteries. This is what makes Christopher unique, because he's a very observant person. Christopher always relates math to everything I notice. He related to the show about picking cars and now to the frogs in the pond. This is why I think Christopher is smart because he can put two and two together and not even I can do that sometimes. This makes me think if he ever finds out who killed the dog if it would be in a mathematical way. Maybe he will find out where his mom is living in a mathematical I guess we will just have to find out.
DeleteSo far I find that this book is interesting because it’s showing how people in everyday life deal with people who are socially awkward. Christopher does appears to have coped with his condition and has found a method of functioning that works for him. He uses math to get through his days and avoids anything that has to do with deep thinking outside of math. It will be interesting to see how he deals with the problems that come with him being autistic and not understanding they way people work. My prediction is that something bad will happen because when he feel over whelmed he starts to melt down and react in a negative way. I can tell this is going to be a problem because Christopher does not liked to be touched and when the police officer put his hands on Christopher he hit the cop. The reason why this is such a problem is because it seems that Christopher doesn’t realize that he could get into a lot of trouble for doing things like that. I would like to see how Christopher adjust with the social world with a condition that limits him in many ways. - Shyiem Hylton
ReplyDeleteI really did not know what to expect while reading this book. But once I started I was very surprised on how alike this book was to my little brother. Christopher, the main protagonist is not just telling a story from his perspective, he is also explaining a story on how an Autistic child would speak and behave and this is what had pulled me into the book. Christopher reminds me of how my brother is because he as well is an Autistic boy and is 7years of age. My brother too can be talking and doing one thing like Chris does and switches to another. Christopher's story has also helped me understand more how to approach my brother and understand how he just like any Oberlin Autistic boy. That being said back to reading I go and learning more about this interesting Chris.
ReplyDeleteThe more I continue on reading The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time I get more drawn into it. At the start of the book I was convinced that I was most likely going to be reading about an odd autistic boy who assumes that no one understands him because he is different from everyone try to solve a murder a dog who was mysteriously killed. To be honest I believed that the main reason that he was trying to figure out a murder of a dog was because he simply was incapable of solving a real human murder because it was too difficult for him. Neat less to say I was proven wrong, this book gets even more interesting every time you flip to the next page. It turned from an autistic boy who instead of being put down by his condition he was trying to solve a murder of dog that he liked and had a connection with, next thing you know he uncovers a dark secret that has happened between his already dead mother and the ex husband of the dog owner and how they had an affair. It appears that the longer he goes on with his investigations the more he finds out and becomes about his life.
ReplyDeleteRight now I’m at the part of he story were Christopher finds letters from his mother. It’s a bit confusing because both Christopher and myself were very confused. In the begging of the novel Christopher had made it very clear that his mother was dad from a heart attack. However I got in my head why Christopher kept saying that it was very strange that a healthy young woman such as his mother would suffer from a heart attack. I also found it very suspicious that while his mother was on the hospital Christopher’s father would still not allows Christopher to see his mother. At the time when his mother was purposively at the hospital Christopher would have had been 13, and since he virtually feels little emotions it isn’t like he was going to scared at his mother being sick at the hospital. When Christopher reads the letters that had been sent for him but that his father had hid from him, his mother writes about how her life has been in her new home and how great her new jobs are, Christopher thought that it was sent before his mother has died however he points out that he doesn’t ever remember his mother living in the address that she is sending the letter from or her mother ever having the jobs that she has now, pointing out that she is still alive. But why would his father betray his only son and keep this a secret from him?
ReplyDeleteI was also thinking the same thing Nelson what thinking. Why would his father do that to him. He made his on son feel bad that he lied to him plus he was hiding letters from him. Christopher's father should of just told Christopher what really happened to his mother. After Christopher reading the letters that was for him, he vomits and past out. His father really put him in a lot of pain. If I was Christopher it would be a long time that my father gained my trust. Christopher should just write his mom and tell him that his father was hiding the letters. Christopher is a strong boy.
DeleteResponding to nelson question. "But why would his father betray his only son and keep this a secret from him?” At the time his father was hurt and confuse to find out his wife was cheating on him with Mr. Shears, also the she was leaving with him to London leaving Christopher behind. He was really hurt and his reaction was anger toward her, so instead of saying the truth to Christopher by saying his mother is a strumpet who left him, he decided to bury her with and his anger too. That was his first reaction and looking for comfort was the next. When Mrs. Shears was helping him with the house and Christopher he felt save to know the he wasn't going to be alone again but the same way his wife left him Mrs. Shears face reality and decided to move on with her life but Christopher's dad didn't see it the way he said "I think she cared more for that bloody dog than for me, for us." Putting me in Christopher’s dad shoes is hard to realize that you not wanted. Before I get target my fellow classmate or friends No I’m not supporting Christopher’s dad lies because Christopher was old enough to understand the truth. Although his dad consider that it was better to take away the suffering of not being wanted also.
DeleteI was in shock when I read this chapter. Things that I didn't except to happen surprised me. Christopher and his father got in argument because of the book Christopher was writing. Christopher's father found the book when Christopher left it on the kitchen table. Christopher's father really doesn't want Christopher knowing about Mr.Shears and when he read that he was still asking questions about it, he hit Christopher in the face. Just like the in the beginning of the book with the cops Christopher hit his father. But his father said sorry because he didn't mean too. Even though he said sorry He didn't give the book back to Christopher. While Christopher was looking for the book he found letters that belonged to him sent from his mother. These letters were in the spot where the book was hidden. Now I'm curious to find out why Christopher's father lied to him about his Mother.
ReplyDeleteWow ! I just can't get enough of this book. I really like this kid Christopher. It was sad when Christopher found out what his mother was really alive and what had really happened with her. His mother admits that the stress of caring for Christopher destroyed her marriage with Father and caused her to leave the family. Christopher's father was wrong for lying to his son about his mother being dead. He should of just sat him down and talked about it and also gave him the letters his mom were writing to him. Like me Christopher was a trouble maker but he as changed. This kid is very intelligent and interesting. People assume that computers are just machines without minds. But Christopher explains that in actuality the mind is a complicated computer, and that even feelings are just a picture in your mind of what is going to happen tomorrow or next year, or what might have happened instead of what did happen. I like the way Christopher thinks.
ReplyDeleteAs I continue to read this book, I realize the simple way to interpret this novel. With all the amazing facts and use of knowledge, Christopher has proven himself very intelligent. But I often ask myself," what is intelligence?". I haven't found the answer but I can clearly say that Christopher is not as 'intelligent' as the reader may think. Thinking back to my past, I struggled with socializing with others, like Chris. I was very quiet and completely scared of interacting with people I don't know. This was during a transition from one middle school to an elite academy. Being quiet and observing others was all I could do. With my behavior, I learned the daily routines at school such as student behavior and teaching patterns. I knew all the answers to all the questions asked by my classmates simply because I focused hard enough; I chose not to do anything else. It's the same way with Christopher. He's not very smart, he has a mental disorder that denies him the ability to grasp several ideas simultaneously; if he were as intelligent as I expected, he could comprehend simple things such as jokes, metaphors and complex writing. This is not an interpretation stating he is "dumb" but it is the main point of Mark Haddon's novel. This story promises a different perspective but most would see it as "an amazing story about how an autistic boy gets over his disability". What we must acknowledge as readers is that we should not feel joy when a mentally challenged person triumphs but recognize that everyone has their flaws and in their own way, holds impediments in their minds just as Chris does. I believe this novel holds a much greater purpose. Talking to people and doing things that scare us, Chris and I slowly do things we don't like, but are necessary to help us grow and achieve what we want. Mark Haddon, through the actions and diction of Christopher Boone, has taught me that if I want something I've never had I must be willing to do something I've never done.
ReplyDeleteRight know I’m at the part were Christopher’s dad confess the he killed Wellington because he had and argument with Mrs. Shears and the dog attack him when he was leaving Mrs. Shears house. He also confess why he lie to him about his mother and how bad he felt. Christopher didn’t react well to the news so he decided to run away to London and find his mother because he didn’t felt save with his dad anymore. It’s a struggle for Christopher being on unknown streets and seeing too many people around him. Even going into the train platform is a struggle he had to sit down and comfort himself because he was so scared. Reading this brings and image to my mind as if Christopher was a 7-8 year old being loss in the big city who tries to find his parents. Not Christopher a 15 year old logical boy who believes that his smarter than most special needed kids from his school. As I keep reading the author Mark Haddon keeps contradicting his own point of the book which is showing Christopher differently than what we normally would see him as which is an autistic person.
ReplyDeleteI can’t believe how Mr. Shears acted when he saw Christopher and hear the story of the death of Wellington and why he didn’t wanted to live with his father he said “Ok. He can stay for few days.” Another sentence the he told Christopher was “You think you’re so fucking clever, don’t you…, I bet you’re really pleased with yourself now, aren’t you.” These two sentences got me so mad because he didn’t care about Christopher, he only cared that he was with Christopher’s mother. This applies to reality in the way that many people are so coldhearted and are capable of mistreating others without thinking. On the other hand I Love Christophe’s dad reaction once he found out were his son was, he wanted to get Christopher from the women the abandon him and wanted to fix the mistake he once committed and was sorry for. Although I expected Christopher to understand and listen to his father, also realize how sorry his father was instead of staying with his mother. Those few days the Christopher’s mom spend with him it show me the reader the her decision of leaving him was kind of the best because it show the lack of patience she had for him and the made me imagine all those years she struggle with the. Although I believe that if she already had years handling those struggles she should have kept going with them to not feel sorry after.
ReplyDeleteThe main reason Christopher who is the main character started writing this book was because he wanted to write all his detective work and clues the would help him discover who killed Wellington the dog. As the reader I imagined that everything about the book was going to be related to the dog death but it didn’t turn out like that. It turns to be a life story of an autistic teenager who struggles with life at school, making sense of life. Also having a single parent looking after him because the other one “pass away”. On the other hand this noble has another life story included in which is Christopher’s dad life story; being left with an autistic child to race, handling work to maintain his home, all just because the mother prefer to leave him for another man. Deciding the lying to his child was the best solution instead of confessing the he was abandon. Hiding all those letters to cover up his lies. Doing anything to make his child happy and move on with his life. Looking for comfort in Mrs. Shears arms and trying to make a family once again. But then realizing and being told the he wasn’t wanted again made him angry and the cause the stabbing of a garden fork on Wellington
ReplyDeleteI agree with Yoko, this story's main focus is suppose to be about a dog's murder but is not. This story is about Christopher at his young age. Of course this book is going to be about Christopher, but what keeps you intrigued is the way Christopher see things. When you read this book you wouldn't think an autistic boy would be so observant like him, which is ironic. He notices everything at a place and he could tell actually what was there and how was it. He relates everything to math which keeps me interested in the book. For example, the way he creates a time table for he can know what to do and when to do it. He believes if he doesn't have a times table he would be lost in time. This shows that Christopher doesn't like surprises because he likes to know what is happening for the day. In other words, I really enjoy how this story is ironic and that is really related to mathematics.
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ReplyDeleteWell, I finally found out who killed Wellington. It was shocking because that's the last person I would have thought to kill the dog. As I think back I realize that's maybe that's why Christopher's father got upset when Christopher wanted to find out who killed the dog. I understand why Christopher screamed and didn't want to touched by his father when his father told him that he killed the dog; because I would feel the same way. Even though, I believe that Christopher should of stayed home and not leave to London. The reason I believe Christopher should have stayed is because his father is more understanding than his mother, and his father and him could have probably worked it out. Christopher was young so I don't blame him. As you grow older you get wiser like Christopher telling the story at a older age.You realize some things you did when you were young weren't the smartest decisions.
ReplyDeleteI was appalled when I found out that Christopher's mother was cheating on his dad with Mr. Shear's. Now I understand why Christopher's father didn't want his name to be mentioned. I will never stop repeating that this book is amazing. Due to the fact that Chris is autistic he is very intelligent and can figure things out on his own. We have been discussing the topic of reader response and I can truly connect to this story because my father had cheated on my mother, therefore I realize how hard is for Christopher to accept that. This story is breath taking and it's amazing to see how a kid that doesn't understand everything clearly can connect and overcome life's challenges. For instance dealing with the fact that his mom had died, finding out that his mom had cheated and also following his father's rules without breaking them.
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