Knowing/Understanding

We have talked about whether or not Christopher understands abstract concepts. I think he comprehends abstract things as long as he can reason them out. Christopher demonstrates this with most of the math equations he explains and his knowledge of things like time and relativity. His teacher thinks he likes math because it is concrete and straight forward but Christopher explains how he likes the more complicated problems that take more reasoning out. Christopher breaks the problems down into logical steps in order to understand them.

He also understands the world by using his “Search” in his VCR-like memory. All the similes he uses are related to things he already knows and understands. He does a “Search” to compare new information with what he has already seen, like a feature on a person or whether or not someone is having an epileptic fit. He can realize the connections between actual things involving his senses (like sight and smell mostly) but has trouble understanding metaphors which often connect things less directly. More than metaphors, he seems to hate expressions because they are not logical (like apple of my eye).

Our discussions have also focused on what Christopher knows and what he understands. His mother realized this discrepancy and tells him that she wasn’t to explain why he left so he’ll “know” even if he may not “understand.” He doesn’t understand what her leaving means and can only comprehend that his father lied to him. He is upset because his truth and certainty has been shattered but can only connect his emotional pain to his physical injury scarping his knee. He can also only connect other people’s emotions with little emoticon pictures, but gets confused when they move past basic ones like happy and sad. These are also the only two feelings he acknowledges when he explains feelings. He can the effects feelings have on people but only sees the two extremes.