The Curious Incident...: Key Quotes

The Curious Incident…: Key Quotes

Understanding Christopher’s Character

• “I see everything”: This quote is significant as it shows Christopher’s unique way of perceiving the world. It underscores his literal thinking and high attention to detail, traits associated with autism.
• “And that means I can do anything”: This declaration of self-belief and independence reveals Christopher’s courage and determination to overcome challenges.
• “This will not be a funny book. I cannot tell jokes because I do not understand them”: This underlines Christopher’s struggle with typical social conventions, highlighting his neurodiverse perspective.

Christopher’s Identity and Independence

• “I find people confusing”: Here, Christopher admits his difficulty in understanding people and their emotions, a common characteristic for individuals on the autism spectrum.
• “I did it because I wanted to do it”: This demonstrates Christopher’s driven nature and his need for independence and control over his actions and life.

Perception of Reality and Truth

• “I think prime numbers are like life. They are very logical but you could never work out the rules, even if you spent all your time thinking about them”: This shows how Christopher connects with mathematics - it offers certainty and order in a world he often finds confusing.
• “But the mind is just a complicated machine”: Christopher’s comparison of mind to machine demonstrates his literal, logical approach to understanding the world around him.

Christopher’s Relationship with Others

• “I do not like people shouting at me. It makes me scared”: This showcases Christopher’s sensitivity to loud noises and his difficulty in handling emotional outbursts.
• “Father said that everyone has to live their life in a bit of a mess sometimes”: This line reveals one of the key life lessons imparted by Christopher’s father, and highlights the chaotic reality of human lives that Christopher often finds hard to comprehend.

When revising these quotes, remember to consider not only their surface meanings, but also how they reflect significant themes like neurodiversity, individualism, and the search for order in chaos.