Analysis Of Marc Haddon's Novel 'Two Worlds Of Difference'

Two Worlds of Difference

Marc Haddon’s novel, the curious incident of the dog in the night-time, is a true Bildungsroman novel, a story that chronicles the coming-of-age of a central character. However, Haddon’s novel is refreshingly unique from typical tales of adventure and self-discovery. The novel turns to everyday life to communicate the story of Christopher John Francis Boone, the fifteen-year-old, autistic narrator. Instead of a dastardly antagonist, the staggering differences between the novel’s two physical settings of Swindon and London present many obstacles for the narrator and give rise to the evolution and development of Christopher’s character throughout the novel.

Christopher’s journey from the enclosed suburbs of Swindon

For Christopher, being able to predict the behaviors and actions of people makes communicating and comprehending information easier. However, in the dynamic atmosphere of the crowded public transportation systems and the city of London, Christopher is forced to react as his situation changes and is denied the luxury of predictability. Through this facet of his setting, he develops a higher level of comfort with and appreciation for interpersonal communication. To illustrate, Christopher approaches a woman in a London metro station, saying “I could feel my heart beating very hard and I could hear a noise like the sea in my ears. And I when I got to the window… I said, ‘How do I get to 451c Chapter Road, London NW2 5NG?’” (Haddon 171). The woman replied, “‘Take the tube to Willesden Junction’”. In this quotation, Christopher is forced to confront his dislike of strangers and conversation by directly interacting with the lady, even though he has no chance to observe her, ask her questions, or become adequately acquainted with her. In an immediate sense, casual and random communication with people he does not know gives him experience in the ever-changing, unpredictable world around him, which reinforces the self-confidence he initially gains through conquering the unfamiliar. In a deeper application, his acceptance of the

While staying at his mother’s home, Christopher explains “I looked out of the window in the dining room to count the cars in the street to see whether it was going to be… a Good Day or…a Black Day…I saw 5 red cars in a row and 4 yellow cars in a row, which meant it was both a Good Day and a Black Day, so the system didn’t work anymore” (Haddon 205). Christopher’s rituals provide him with a sense of safety in the world and allow him to organize his entire life into coherent patterns; however, when his logical system fails, he is forced to realistically examine his life instead of simply relying on established habits. The absence of logic in London forces him to let his own emotions, which Christopher typically tries to avoid, guide his outlook on life, such as when he struggles with the disappointment of not being able to take his pre-college math examinations. Through abandoning his previous world-view and becoming comfortable with his own emotions, Christopher is finally able to comprehend the complex, multi-faceted, and emotionally driven truth behind the curious incident of the