The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. By Mark Haddon

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

Mark Haddon

Red Fox. First published 2003.

Cursory research on the Internet shows that Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) refers to a set of symptoms (difficulty with social communication; difficulty with social interaction; difficulty with social imagination), the intensity of which extends over a range (or 'spectrum'). When they are present, these symptoms are recognizable, even in very young children (less than a year old), and surely by the time they are 3 or 4. Though the entire range is classified as disability, the actual extent and intensity of such disability depends on the position of the patient on this range. There is some debate on whether some of the milder forms of ASD may in fact be simply behavioural traits, not related to any pathology and not requiring any treatment. On the other hand, a child with a severe forms of ASD, could require specially trained teachers and other social helpers. One particular form of ASD is called Asperger's Syndrome, in which the patient may have heightened intellectual abilities - mathematics or music or art. However the majority of people with ASD (or indeed Asperger's) do not possess any extra talents, and this condition should not be romanticized. I now know four fictional heroes with  Asperger's syndrome - explicitly stated, or implied (but no heroine, to my knowledge) - Raymond in the movie 'Rainman', Simon in the movie 'Mercury Rising', Sherlock Holmes (though this is debated, and there is no evidence this was ever Arthur Conan Doyle's intention), and now Christopher, the hero of this book. The trouble with these four characterizations is that all of them stress the great and exceptional intellectual abilities of the hero, rather than the downsides of the condition. While this makes for very good entertainment, it is hardly a true portrayal. It shows the condition as something desirable, which it is not. I have heard someone rather proudly claiming that he is autistic. Autism, of course is nothing to be sneered at, but it is not just unconventional behaviour, accompanied by great intellectual skills. It can seriously interfere with a happy life, and it is not always accompanied by what we might consider the compensations - those exceptional skills.  

This sense of what a pain autism can really be is missing in the present book as well. The book is written by Christopher, a fifteen year boy with ASD. He presents all the textbook (or rather, Wikipedia) symptoms of this condition - his inability to understand language and signs except literally, his inability to trust people and make friends, his love of solitude, his strictly repetitive behaviour, his love of order and hatred of even slight changes from routine, his inability to communicate what he wants, and so on. He has very good mathematical abilities, and is able to do very well in examinations far above the level of other children in his age-group.

Christopher narrates the series of incidents that happen to him over a few weeks. He discovers that his neighbour's dog has been killed with a pitch fork, and sets out, Holmes style, to solve the mystery. But doesn't actually get far with his detection. He keeps quoting from the Holmesian canon, and tries to follow the Great Detective's principles, but without much effect. He has a run-in with almost everybody he meets, including the local policemen. He runs away to London in order to escape his father, but is finally reunited with him. The background to his story, which involves his parents' relationship breaking down under the strain of having to look after him, is narrated at a remove, through Christopher's eyes.

I ordered the book under the impression that it was a detective story. It is not. It is in fact quite a different book, but one which is very interesting to read. I am glad I made the mistake.