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A Comparison between Christopher Boone and Raymond Babbitt Essay

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A Comparison between Christopher Boone and Raymond Babbitt Asperger´s disorder is not a disease, but a developmental brain disorder. It is four times more prevalent in boys than in girls and it shows no racial, ethnic or social boundaries. Family income, lifestyle and educational levels do not affect the chance of Asperger´s disorder's occurrence. According to Hans Asperger: It is important to know that the person with AS perceives the world differently. Therefore, many behaviours that seem odd are due to those neurological differences and not the result of intentional rudeness or bad behaviour. Both Christopher Boone, from the novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, and Raymond Babbitt, from the movie Rainman, …show more content…

He can count 246 spilled toothpicks in an instant and calculate square roots in a flash. Furthermore, Christopher and Raymond are similar regarding social interaction. They experience a lack of social or emotional reciprocity. Christopher knows very little about human beings and their behaviour. He also has a fear of strangers and new places, and his favourite dream is one in which all normal people, those who are unlike him, die. In addition to that, he is over-sensitive to information and stimuli. For this reason, he screams and reacts violently to people who touch him. However, he does not mind pressing his fingers against those of his parents as a gesture of love. He curls up and groans to protect himself against overwhelming noise or information. Removed from his feelings, Christopher can only respond with logic, or with the anger which sometimes overwhelms him as a result of fear or frustration. Just as Christopher knows very little about human beings and their behaviour, so does Raymond. He is a methodical, mechanical, flat-voiced middle-aged man. He shows little emotional expression and does not make eye contact, except when he is in distress. Moreover, he can not express himself and understand his own emotions in the traditional way. He does not like being touched, especially hugged, and screams when he is scared. According to Vern, who is Raymond?s doctor, ?People are not his first priority.? In addition, both Christopher and Raymond

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