English IV summer reading

Over the summer I chose to read the curious incident of the dog in the night-time and I can truly say I enjoyed reading the book. I do not enjoy reading books, but this book was different and it kept me interested from page one. The way Christopher talked seemed to reach out to me as a reader, and I did not want to put down the book. There is no complex vocabulary in the book and it is a quick read, but I would rank it as one of the best books I have ever read.

Throughout the book Christopher goes to school and repeatedly tells the reader how much he likes math. Pg 61 says Mr. Jeavons told Christopher that Christopher liked math because it was safe and always had a straightforward answer in the end. Math may not always have a straightforward answer in the end, but it always has an answer, and this is why Christopher likes it so much. Math is unlike life that is complex and has many different phases and does not always make sense. Christopher says his mind works like a computer and cannot process all of people’s emotions and slang words they say to him. The fact that Christopher liked things that can be explained reached out to me because I am also like that. I do not look at the world the same way Christopher does, but the way that Christopher likes to work out problems, both math and real life situations, is relatable.

One of my other favorite books is The Catcher in the Rye. That book stood out to me because it was a boy around my age and I thought I could relate to him sometimes. It also felt like Holden was talking to me and it was almost like I was reading him just talking to me. The curious incident of the dog in the night-time is just like The Catcher in the Rye in the way the boy talks to the reader. It is as if Christopher is talking to the reader in lines like “I like dogs. You always know what a dog is thinking,” and the line “And then I did some maths practice in my head.” The way Christopher says “And I,” and “And then,” seems like he is chronicling his actions almost to justify what he is doing.

Another aspect of the book that affected me was Christopher’s relationship with his parents. The fact that Christopher’s dad lied to him about his mother and said she was dead affected because I thought it was wrong that he lied. Even though he lied because he didn’t want to have to explain everything to Christopher, I can relate to the fact that a lie can affect a relationship.

Christopher said “I like dogs,” and he is dedicated to finding out who killed Wellington. I also love dogs and would investigate who killed my dog if someone ever killed my dog on purpose. If I ever found out that my dad killed my dog and lied to me it would affect my relationship to the point were I do not know what I would do as it did with Christopher. Even though Christopher does not think like a normal human, because not many people would do what Christopher does in every situation, he is still affected by the death of an animal and lie that hid his mother from him for a long time of his life.

Mark Haddon definitely knows how to reach out to the reader by using a kid, simple language, the death of a dog, and the separation of a family. The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime is a must read book for everyone who likes a compelling narrative that will keep the reader reading until the book is finished.
(643 Words)