"Father"

Whether or not a reader can relate with a character is one of the most defining aspects of a novel. The more believable and interesting a character is to the reader, the more his or her actions will create an atmosphere that we, as fellow humans, can relate to. The essence of humanity, if I may be so bold as to presume to have an inkling of what it is, would have to be the ability to be flawed and yet still be an appealing person. In Mark Haddon’s The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, this characteristic is found in the protagonist’s father, called simply “Father” throughout the book by the protagonist, Christopher.

In a sense, even the name of the character Father is appealing; in the reader’s mind he becomes one’s own father, who, despite his flaws, loves you no matter who you are or what you do. Although most fathers are not quite like Christopher’s (I asked, and my dad has never killed a dog with a garden fork), there is no father out there who does not lose his temper every once in a while. Admittedly, Father has to put up with far more problems than the average parent due to Christopher’s autism, but this perseverance only strengthens his resolve in the eyes of the reader. For example, despite the fact that he is a single working father he manages to cater to Christopher’s unique dietary and educational needs. Furthermore, he willingly does it without a single real gesture of returned affection from Christopher. To me, his steady belief in Christopher’s unspoken love makes their relationship far more inspiring than if Christopher readily returned such adoration. The father aspect appeals to two different mindsets at the same time: those of the fathers and those of the sons. Because every father is a son (but not every son is a father) some readers are able to relate twice as well to Father’s personality; they can envision their own reactions through both viewpoints. Although the novel obviously sympathizes with Christopher’s situation, I myself felt more than a little pity for Father.

When Father’s imperfections are shown to Christopher, they are also shown to the reader. After Christopher learns about the lies his father has told him about his mother, Father breaks down, his formerly rock-like dependability crumbling with each additional word: “God knows, I try, Christopher, God knows I do, but… Life is difficult, you know. It’s bloody hard telling the truth all the time. Sometimes it’s impossible. And I want you to know that I’m trying, I really am” (120). It is the moments like these that define a characters role in the novel; without them, the reader would not be able to see much more into a character than a fabricated name and personality. Only when the character displays flaws can the reader truly begin to relate with him; in Father’s case, one feels sorry for his situation but at the same time recognizes the awful things that he’s done. Complex relationships such as this between the reader and character are what make a good writer great. (523)