The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
I read this book for two reasons.
The first: I felt this was a book I needed to have read. Before having read it, I perceived it to be a modern classic - the title is extremely well-known, it has been adapted into a stage show, it has won awards and been shortlisted for even more awards. It must be good.
The second: it was on the A-level maths reading list. I take A-level maths, and at the beginning of the course we were given an information pack, which contained, among other things, a list of books that might interest an A-level mathematician. I was intrigued to see why this book had made that list.
Now I have read Curious Incident, I am pleased to report that I understand both why it was on the A-level maths reading list, and why it is a modern classic that I needed to have read.
Haddon has written a great story - a murder mystery that evolves into a family drama that is arguably a bildungsroman (a coming-of-age story). But what makes this book so unique is not the story, but the perspective from which it is told. The main character, in whose voice the book is written, is teenage Christopher Boone, who has autism. He loves maths, (and is extremely good at it!) has an incredible photographic memory and an unwaveringly logical attitude. But he finds it difficult to understand people. He struggles to read complex facial expressions, he has a very literal understanding of language, and as a result is at a major disadvantage in society.
The narrative voice that Haddon has created is very distinctive. The language throughout is always very formal, there is a startling lack of imagery, and - putting my A-level English Language spectacles on - a large proportion of the sentences are written using the declarative mood. The declarative mood describes sentences that are statements of fact. This sentence is in the declarative mood.
Although there is no imagery, there are descriptions, and these descriptions are very very precise - tiny details, like the writing on signs, and the colours of people's socks, and the time on the clock down the exact minute.
There are also many mathematical titbits interspersed throughout, in diagrams, facts and even an example A-level question complete with a worked solution! Plus the chapters were numbered as prime numbers rather than in the conventional numerical order, which I thought was a nice detail reflecting Christopher's mathematical mind. I liked these mathsy bits, because I am an A-level mathematician, but also from a literary perspective they were effective for building up the character of Christopher, and demonstrating the way he thinks about the world.
While I was reading this book, I found myself wondering whether this character Haddon had created was a realistic representation of an autistic person. I am not autistic, and I can't really pretend to understand autism, although I try my best to be understanding. To my untrained eye, Christopher seemed to have a number of the 'typical traits' - on paper, it seemed a fairly accurate representation. But how accurate was it really?
There's always a danger with literature like this, literature that aims to sympathise with a minority group. There's a danger that it achieves the opposite outcome to its intention, and instead of sympathising, ends up creating an unrealistic and exaggerated portrayal, and perpetuating stereotypes. I have found this to be the case when studying feminist literature - sometimes texts that seem to be in favour of women are actually painting females in a stereotyped way, enhancing society's existing view of women rather than changing it. Could this have fallen into the same trap?
I did a little bit of research, and it didn't take me long to discover that this is actually rather a contentious issue. There are a number of reviews of this book out there that claim Haddon's representation of autism is indeed exaggerated and unrealistic.
But on the other side of the debate, considering that autism comes in many different forms, and differs vastly between individuals, did Haddon really have any hope of getting it exactly right?
I think that even though there is debate over Haddon's portrayal of autism, it is a successful book in one very important way - it forces you to see the world from the perspective of someone different. Christopher is very likeable; I became hugely fond of him. And although some of it was rather painful to read, such as his habit of groaning when overwhelmed in public, my heart went out to him and I found myself resenting the thoughtless passers-by who just didn't understand him! This then creates a challenge to the reader - because in reality we are all passers-by who just don't understand.
I think it is a book that encourages you to see the world differently, and to consider the way in which someone like Christopher might see the world, but crucially calls you to be accepting of people who are different. Christopher's differences, realistic or not, are what make him so loveable, and what make this book such an emotional read. It was most certainly a book that I needed to have read, and I'm glad I have now done that!