The Reason I Jump: The Inner Voice of a Thirteen-Year-Old Boy with Autism

To what extent are normality and abnormality relative concepts constructed by society? Discuss with reference to the short story “Earthling and Autisman.”

Consider the role of storytelling in The Reason I Jump. How far does storytelling in the text eliminate or generate ambiguity around the topic of Higashida’s autism?

Consider Higashida’s discussion of repetitive behaviors and compulsions. To what extent should these behaviors be seen as defensive reactions to ward off anxiety or positive sources of joy?

Consider the form of The Reason I Jump as a biography. What are the advantages and disadvantages of such a form in terms of understanding autism?

How critical is the role of the body in effective communication? Consider the extent to which problems with controlling their bodies hamper some people with autism’s ability to communicate.

To what extent do the differences in the way some people with autism perceive the world allow for a different appreciation of beauty? Consider this with reference to the difference between observing details and observing a whole scene.

Consider the relationship between some people with autism and nature. How far can Higashida’s love of nature be understood in terms of a desire to be part of something greater than himself?

To what extent is the sense of continual unease felt by some people with autism a more explicit or self-aware form of the alienation all human beings feel in the modern world?