The Nighttime Conflict
In the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, by Mark Haddon, Christopher struggles with internal and external conflicts that do not help him grow. In the novel, Christopher is a boy who has autism. He lives with his dad, and one day he sees that his neighbor’s dog is dead. He decides to be a detective and solve the mystery of who killed the dog. He begins to write a book, but his dad finds and takes it from him. When he goes into his father's room to find it, he finds letters from his mom who he is told is dead. He becomes afraid of his dad who has lied to him, and he runs away to London to meet his mom. In the novel, Christopher has many internal and external conflicts that hinder him in growing up.
In the novel …show more content…
Christopher does his detective work but his dad scolds him telling him not to go in other people's business. When finds Christopher's book he barks,"What is this?...Did you talk to Mrs. Alexander?... How stupid are you?"...What...did I tell you, Christopher?" (80-81). Christopher has disobeyed his dad who has told him not to get in others people's business and to stop doing his detective work. Christopher is acting childish which has caused him to have his book taken away from him. Christopher is not growing up from this conflict with his father. Later in the novel, Christopher lives with his mom because he does not trust his dad. He and his mom go back to Swindon and see Christopher's dad. Christopher feels he can not rely on his dad and expresses, “I had to go to Father's house between 3:49 p.m. and 5:30 p.m...so I pushed the bed against the door in case Father tried to come in. And sometimes he tried to talk to me through the door, but I didn't answer him. And sometimes I heard him sitting on the floor outside the door quietly for a long time" (217). When Christopher is at his dad's house he sits in his room and pushes the bed against the door. He refuses to talk to his dad stating that he can not trust him because he has lied. Christopher's father wants to be able to talk to his son and Christopher is not allowing this. Christopher is acting very immature, and this is not helping him grow up. He should just sit down with his dad or at least try and talk to him. Christopher's conflicts with his dad do not help him
In the novel …show more content…
Christopher does his detective work but his dad scolds him telling him not to go in other people's business. When finds Christopher's book he barks,"What is this?...Did you talk to Mrs. Alexander?... How stupid are you?"...What...did I tell you, Christopher?" (80-81). Christopher has disobeyed his dad who has told him not to get in others people's business and to stop doing his detective work. Christopher is acting childish which has caused him to have his book taken away from him. Christopher is not growing up from this conflict with his father. Later in the novel, Christopher lives with his mom because he does not trust his dad. He and his mom go back to Swindon and see Christopher's dad. Christopher feels he can not rely on his dad and expresses, “I had to go to Father's house between 3:49 p.m. and 5:30 p.m...so I pushed the bed against the door in case Father tried to come in. And sometimes he tried to talk to me through the door, but I didn't answer him. And sometimes I heard him sitting on the floor outside the door quietly for a long time" (217). When Christopher is at his dad's house he sits in his room and pushes the bed against the door. He refuses to talk to his dad stating that he can not trust him because he has lied. Christopher's father wants to be able to talk to his son and Christopher is not allowing this. Christopher is acting very immature, and this is not helping him grow up. He should just sit down with his dad or at least try and talk to him. Christopher's conflicts with his dad do not help him