The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime

A Character Analysis of Mark Haddon's Protagonist Christopher Boone

Jul 16, 2009

Mark Haddon's novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, is an intriguing piece told through the eyes of his unique protagonist, Christopher Boone.

Christopher Boone is a fifteen year old boy with a cognitive disability similar to Asperger Syndrome. Although he is gifted mathematically, Christopher’s condition has left him with a very limited conception of abstract concepts. Additionally, he has difficulty understanding how others think and express emotion.

As a result of his condition, Christopher sees the world through a frightening lens where metaphors and jokes cause confusion and new situations lead to intense fear. To overcome this, Christopher requires stable, ordered environment and seeks comfort in tangible concepts, such as concrete mathematics.

Christopher Boone's World

Christopher’s condition has a profound impact on how he views the world. For instance, he lacks the ability to comprehend other people’s mental states and form ideas about how they think. Consequently, Christopher’s social interactions are limited. In addition to emotions, Christopher struggles to grasp other abstract concepts, including metaphors, jokes, and imaginative play.

Christopher cannot use his imagination in the way that others do. He is unable to envision himself in any other place and time, and cannot pretend something is happening when it truly is not. To him, such thoughts constitute lies because they are not direct representations of reality. Christopher feels safe in the concrete knowledge that reality can only be one thing at any given moment. In contrast, he realizes there are an infinite number of things that are unreal, and thinking about all such possibilities can overwhelm Christopher and make him extremely insecure.

A Need for Stability

In order to be secure in his world, Christopher needs to be surrounded by stability. He requires a daily routine that remains relatively constant. Additionally, his conversations must be centered on specific, tangible ideas without use of metaphors or jokes. Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, his parents have let their own emotional issues damage the stability of Christopher’s world.

Swiftly changing circumstances and the revelation that he has been lied to make Christopher insecure in his own home for a significant portion of the novel. Throughout it all, though, his teacher, Siobhan, strives to maintain a stable learning environment and help Christopher cope with his fears. Siobhan becomes a great companion for Christopher and is a testament to the power of responsive teachers.

Unfortunately for Christopher, the world in which he lives is filled with abstractions from mass media to everyday conversation. It is difficult for him to go anywhere without encountering something he is unable to understand and, thus, fears. Consequently, Christopher remains insecure and cannot fully trust in his surroundings. This poses a great hurdle to him in coping with life events and developing as a person. However, Christopher proves to be resilient and finds ways to overcome the detrimental effects of his disorder.

See: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Christopher Haddon (Vintage: 2004)

The copyright of the article The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime in Modern American Fiction is owned by Rebecca Hersh. Permission to republish The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.