1. Date: April 16th 2013 Themes in The Curious Incident available online @ msbeenen.wikispaces.com

2. Loss ✤ Multiple characters face loss in the story. ✤ Christopher has lost his mother, his father has lost his wife, Mrs. Shears has lost her husband, Wellington has lost his life etc. ✤ Each character copes with their loss differently. ✤ As Christopher grows throughout the novel, the characters learn to handle their loss better.

3. Subjectivity ✤ Christopher’s autism allows him to see the world in a very different way. ✤ Through his narration we are able to see that all things are subjective. How we may think of something is not how everyone else thinks. ✤ Even when the reader understands the true reason for something happening, we also start to understand why Christopher would view it differently (mothers death)

4. Struggle for Independence ✤ Like most teenagers, Christopher is struggling to become independent. His autism clearly makes him dependent on others but he seeks to understand things on his own and do things on his own. ✤ This “murder mystery” becomes a way for Christopher to do something for himself. ✤ Christopher even hopes to be the last person on earth, no longer needing authority figures. If that doesn’t happen, he will settle for college and living by himself. ✤ As Christopher searches for independence he becomes more confident in himself. His problem solving skills come in handy and he begins to see that he is valued in this society.

5. The natural disorder of life ✤ Christopher craves order in his life. When things do not make complete sense it disrupts his thought pattern. ✤ He obsesses over schedules, colours, Wellington’s death etc. ✤ This intense need for order actually makes his life harder because life is disorderly! ✤ As Christopher gains more confidence and coping mechanisms he is able to handle disorder better.

6. Thought Catalog ✤ What is it? Thought Catalog is a website that accepts writing entries from anyone. The entries go through a screening process and are then posted. ✤ What are they about? Anything and everything, some are funny, some are deep and thoughtful, some are a waste of time. Much like blog posts, youtube, tumblr, twitter etc. Thought Catalog posts have tags that give you an idea about what the post is about. ✤ Thought Catalog includes prose, poetry, journal entries, rants, lists, memorials etc.

7. Class Task ✤ Create a class Thought Catalog ✤ Pick one of the themes in CIODINT and write about it. At 18 you are facing or have faced all of these themes, this is your chance to talk about them. ✤ Use any form you want: poem, prose, list with explanations, rant etc but it should fill up a page! ✤ USE THOUGHT CATALOG TO GIVE YOU IDEAS AND INSPIRATION! ✤ Take that page and decorate it with symbols and pictures representing who you are and what is important to you. ✤ At the end I will compile them into a book for our own ENG4C Thought Catalog.