The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night Essay

Is uniqueness and originality in a novel enough to make one great? I believe that in order for this to be the case both need to be executed well. Mark Haddon in his novel, ‘The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night time’ (‘Curious Incident’) executes uniqueness in such a way that it successfully creates empathy and understanding in the reader. This is done through the unique voice of the narrator who is a child with Aspergers. Haddon’s novel is not a narrative concerned with ‘overcoming’ a disability but rather about finding ways to co-exist with one. His novel is great because it allows the reader to step into a worldview that they wouldn’t usually have access to. He achieves this successfully through literary techniques and quotes as evidence, ultimately exploring themes regarding Aspergers and relationships. In this essay I will explore how through a unique perspective Mark Haddon has produced a great novel.
Haddon firstly highlights and explores the theme of Aspergers syndrome through the novel’s perspective. The narrator of the text is Christopher Boone, a young boy who has this syndrome. By using this
Yes, we empathise with him, but we also begin to understand and more so see him as a real person, who is facing real difficulties. As we begin to understand him better and the struggle he lives through, readers are challenged to accept that this is real for many people in our world, and as relationships are introduced, to think about those who look after those who have Aspergers Syndrome. This novel allows us to understand the effect and influence Aspergers, or any disability for that matter, has on