Christopher's Character (Prompt 17, Chapter 73)

There is a vast amount of direct characterization throughout this novel. This is mainly done because it is told through Christopher's point of view, and as he shares on page 19, he "does not tell lies." Thus, he is quite blunt in his descriptions of himself and the people and environment surrounding him. In Chapter 73, he specifically lists his "Behavioral Problems," some of which include "not talking to people for a long time, not eating or drinking anything for a long time, not liking being touched, not liking being in really small places with other people, groaning, or not eating food if different sorts of food are touching each other" (46). The fact that Christopher is so explicit in his descriptions of himself is truly insightful into the mind of an autistic child. Mark Haddon has done a fantastic job of characterizing this autistic boy and showing the world how someone with such limitations views life.