1. Challenging the Notion of a "Normal" Character:
* Christopher's Autistic Perspective: The novel is told from the perspective of Christopher, a 15-year-old boy with autism. This immediately disrupts the "normal" reader expectation of a character's thoughts and behaviors. We encounter the world through Christopher's unique lens, which is characterized by intense sensory perception, logical thinking, and difficulty with social interaction.
* Shifting the Focus from Interiority to External Reality: Haddon doesn't delve deeply into Christopher's internal thoughts and feelings in the way we're accustomed to with traditional characters. Instead, the emphasis is on Christopher's meticulous observations of the external world and his attempts to understand and navigate its complexities.
2. Challenging the Concept of "Sympathy" and "Empathy":
* Shifting from Sympathy to Understanding: We're not meant to simply feel sorry for Christopher. Rather, the novel invites us to try to understand his perspective, his strengths, and his challenges. This shift from sympathy to understanding requires a more nuanced approach to how we engage with the character.
* Challenging the Notion of "Normal" Social Interaction: Christopher's social interactions are often awkward or unconventional. This forces us to confront our own expectations about "normal" behavior and to recognize the limitations of judging someone solely based on social conventions.
3. Challenging the Idea of "Character Development" in a Conventional Sense:
* Christopher's Limited Emotional Range: Christopher's emotions are often expressed in a more limited way than we expect from fictional characters. This makes it difficult to apply traditional notions of "character development" to him, as he doesn't undergo the same kind of emotional transformations.
* Emphasis on Skill Development: Instead of emotional development, Christopher's journey focuses on his increasing skills in understanding the world and interacting with others. He learns to navigate his surroundings, solve problems, and even form bonds with those around him.
4. Challenging the Concept of "Narrative Voice":
* Christopher's Unique Style: Christopher's narrative voice is distinctive. It is characterized by factual language, a strong emphasis on logic and order, and a lack of typical emotional nuance. This challenges the conventional way we expect narratives to be conveyed.
* Blurring the Lines Between Author and Narrator: Haddon skillfully blends his own voice with Christopher's, creating a unique narrative experience where the reader constantly grapples with the question of where the author's voice ends and the character's begins.
In conclusion, "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" forces us to re-examine our assumptions about characters in literature. It challenges us to embrace the perspectives of those who are different, to move beyond simplistic notions of "normalcy," and to appreciate the complexities of human experience in all its forms.