Topic > Depiction of Asperger's Syndrome in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Many people with Asperger's syndrome have difficulty socializing and connecting with other people. Forming meaningful relationships is also a challenge. One of the main reasons is because they have difficulty making eye contact and holding conversations. On top of this, they may have sensory issues where they are very sensitive to others touching or approaching them. However, most people with Asperger's are extremely intelligent. Christopher, the main character of Mark Haddon's The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, has been diagnosed with Asperger's and must overcome the difficulties of living with autism. He also has many of the social, emotional, and physical traits that accompany this diagnosis. He struggles to talk to strangers and make eye contact, and cannot be touched or he will fall to the floor and start crying. However, one of his strengths is that Christopher is extremely intelligent and performs at a superior level in his math class. In the novel, Christopher shows an accurate portrayal of Asperger's syndrome because he demonstrates almost all of its characteristics. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon is an accurate depiction of Asperger's syndrome because Christopher has many of the real characteristics seen in people with Asperger's. People with Asperger's have difficulty in social situations, and this is also true for Christopher. As a result, he doesn't like crowded or noisy spaces. For example, when Christopher's pet mouse, Toby, had climbed onto the train tracks and Christopher jumped down to find Toby, and a man spotted Christopher. Christopher says, "And then the man with the diamond pattern on his socks grabbed me and pulled me and I screamed, but he kept pulling and pulled me up onto the concrete and we fell and I kept screaming because he had my shoulder” (183). This quote shows how bad he is in physical and social interactions because he is physically touched. Another example of when Christopher didn't like crowded spaces and on the train. "There were a lot of people on the train and I didn't like it because I don't like a lot of people I don't know and I hate them even more if I'm stuck in a room with them. lots of people I don't know." "I don't know and a train is like a room and you can't get out of it when it's moving" (158). This shows how scared and uncomfortable Christopher feels when he's around lots of strangers, especially in the immediate vicinity. Just like almost all people who struggle with Asperger's syndrome, Chrisopher feels uncomfortable in congested and noisy areas. Many people with Asperger's syndrome like Christopher often have superior intelligence but lack emotional abilities; this is all true for Christopher in the book. Throughout the book it is clear how intelligent Christopher is. There were many instances where it was evident how quickly he could memorize things and remember any facts. However, there are many times when Christopher struggles to emotionally connect and respond to other people. One day Christopher's father came home from work. Christopher says: “At 5.48pm my father came home. He says, hello partner, this is a joke you play. I said, “Hi” (80). This shows how intelligent he is, in knowing the exact minute his father arrived home, but his response of hello also shows that he cannot relate emotionally.