The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night - Time Isn't a Novel About Disability. It Shows Us That Everyone Has Behavioural Problems

‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time’ is a novel exploring the world of Christopher Boone, a 15-year-old boy with Asperger’s Syndrome. This condition, as a consequence, leaves Christopher’s ability to emotionally connect with other people all but non-existent. Along with this emotional detachment, Mark Haddon’s explores Christopher’s many behavioural problems however it is soon clear that it is not only Christopher that has these. What the novel shows is that both this parents have behavioural problems of their own which cause the family to fall apart.

It is apparent from the beginning of the novel that Christopher Boone has a variety of behavioural problems. His condition, despite creating an immense mathematical and logical intelligence, causes him behavioural problems that are often hard not only for himself to deal with, but also his parents. Christopher himself finds it easy to pinpoint these problems expressing that he doesn’t like “being touched”, “not liking yellow things or brown things and refusing to touch yellow things or brown things” and “groaning”. Christopher’s behavioural problems placed stress on both of his parents, most notably his mother who left him, as she was not able to deal with him being “different”. Christopher’s problems required the special attention of his father who has to cook his meals which involve his many eating habits, wash his clothes, look after him on weekends and when he gets sick or into trouble. Christopher’s behavioural problems are seemingly what broke up his parents’ marriage as they both had different opinions about to deal with them.

Judy Boone, Christopher’s mother, indeed showed that she has behavioural problems of her own such as a short temper, pessimism, and acting on sudden impulses which led to her abandoning her son. She was short-tempered and suffered from depression, which was part of the reason she decided to leave as she felt that Christopher “didn’t really need [her] anymore”. She admits that she was not a very good mother and lacked the patience to deal with Christopher’s condition however still found herself incapable of changing. She saw Christopher as incapable of changing also making the excuse that if he had been “different”, she “might have been better” at mothering him. This pessimism about her difficulty coping with such a demanding child indicated her depression as she had “pills to take every morning to stop her feeling sad”. Judy left Christopher without saying goodbye, which was a suggestion that she was acting on sudden emotional impulses rather than thinking through her actions. These problems displayed led to Judy leaving her family and demonstrate