Connor, 

     I would have to disagree (along with you) with anyone who thought
   that Christopher's problems fitting into society due to his difficulty
   interpreting emotions in others, his inclination toward mathematics and 
   science, and his sensory integration disorder were evidence
   of "character flaws."  To me, all of these aspects of his personality 
   are mostly by-products of the fact that his brain just happens to work
   differently from most human brains. That is not evidence of a flaw in his 
   character and it's even less a choice he made.  It is a part of who he is.  
   Now given that, it's certainly possible to find his behaviors mysterious, 
   but I think it's still possible to try to understand them and feel empathy for 
   him and for all people in the same situation.  I'm glad to see that you have
   come to some of that kind of feeling toward Christopher.  Crossing that border of 
   empathy is one of the things we hoped everyone in CHQ would experience by
   reading this book.

    Your final point, namely that it is the structure of the novel that makes it 
   possible for people who don't think like Christopher to get inside his
   head to some extent, is an excellent one.  I don't think you quite say
   it this way, but to me the fact that we are hearing about what goes on 
   in Christopher's mind from Christopher himself is what makes it possible
   to feel that we have come to understand him.  And of course Christopher
   is intelligent in just the sort of ways that would allow him to analyze
   and describe his own mental processes in a believable way.  

   A couple of writing comments:  In your final paragraph, "Christopher as 
   the narrator allows me ... " doesn't really work, though.
   You might say "The fact that Mark Haddon makes Christopher the narrator
   allows me ... " (you might also say "readers" more generally instead
   of "me").  Finally, "The success of Christopher’s future remains uncertain ... "
   doesn't completely work either.  Maybe "Whether Christopher will be successful
   in the future remains uncertain ... "

   Content: 95 (A)

   Mechanics: 92 (A-)