Everyone leads different lives, and often our insecurities or personal issues are sheltered from the rest of the world. I thoroughly enjoyed reading “The curious incident of the dog in the middle of the night time” by Mark Haddon, as it provided a unique perspective of the world and the family struggles often hidden in plain sight. Starting with the murder of his neighbour’s dog, Christopher who is 15 and has autism, narrates his journey towards solving the mysterious murder.
Haddon’s story is engaging with unexpected revelations, but its themes also uncover the true extent of our personal concerns. Haddon has previously worked with children who have autism, and was able to articulate their way of thinking through Christopher. He also effectively highlighted the impacts that families could encounter when raising a child with severe autism.
Christopher navigated through the twists and turns of the plot, revealing his way of thinking. He was portrayed as someone with a very logical and arguably, simple mindset. This simple mindset should not be taken negatively, and reinforced to me that we often overcomplicate our lives, leading to stress and anxiety around the simplest of issues. I enjoyed learning about the mind of a child with autism, as it gave me perspective into what is important amongst the world’s issues.
As the plot progressed, the book uncovered the pressure encountered by parents and others nearest and dearest to someone with severe autism. These pressures highlighted that we are often oblivious to what can go on in other households. The book’s characters exhibited how people with different personalities can react to different situations. These gamut of personality traits conveyed in the book show that we are all unique and can make mistakes, but most importantly, are all human. These insights show that we should not be so quick to judge others’ situations.
This children’s book by Haddon exposed extraordinarily deep themes that allow us to reflect on our own lives. Some may argue that living with autism can lead to a struggle in navigating societal norms and structures. But is it possible that neurotypical individuals are simply overcomplicating their lives and don’t consider other perceptions of the world? Haddon did an amazing job of capturing a unique perspective through one individual.
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Books for Thought 