Love?

What is Christopher’s definition of love? Do you agree with it? What is your definition of love? How do people experience love, for example between parents and their children? Given Christopher's aversion to being touched, can he experience his parents' love for him, or can he only understand it as a fact, because they tell him they love him? Is there any evidence in the novel that he experiences a sense of attachment to other people?

In the novel, Christopher gives his definition of what love is on page 87 - "...loving is someone helping them when they get into trouble, and looking after then, and telling them the truth..." Though this definition is not necessarily a bad definition, I feel that Christopher's definition is too shallow and realistic, and not thoughtful enough. By definition love is probably too broad to be explained in mere words, as there are many stages and feelings of love, all ranging differently in terms of emotional depth, and (in my opinion) can only be experienced. I learned a few  in last year's Bible course; for example, infatuation is the immature "puppy love" teenagers usually obsess over, eros is the passionate love that usually forms from sexual desires, agape is a "brotherly/paternal love," and unconditional and conditional love.

A specific definition of love, though - I would have to refer to the love of God and the love of Jesus (religion kicking in again). It is an unconditional love, where you care for someone enough to where you would sacrifice your own life in order to save theirs, as according to the Bible Jesus did to save us from death.

Love is complex, however. There is the rational and realistic side of it, which is to care for someone immensely, but there is also a more emotional and spiritual aspect of it - a connection does form between you and that person, and the care you have for the person may be irrational, but is a deep sense of connectivity. Love can be experienced through different actions (also depending on which form, of course). Between parents and children, there exist a deep bond that is formed ever since the child meets eyes with their mother and father. For me personally, I know how much my parents have worked to support me and build me up, and they did this our of their paternal love (and tough love, I guess), and I love my parents with a sense of respect and gratefulness that cannot be totally expressed in words, because it has been building up ever since I was an infant. Because of my personality, and I guess partly because of my culture, I feel very awkward displaying love through actions - as long as people know that I am respectful and attentive to them, that is enough. This love is mutual - I know I can trust my parents, and my parents prepare me for the outside world with care.

Christopher, though. I believe that Christopher thinks of love in the rational, fact-based sense. However, I think he still feels an emotional connection only to those he cares immensely about - but he cannot explain or comprehend it, and therefore goes right by him without a second thought. This is despite the fact that, realistically, he cannot form social contracts with others.

I believe this because despite the fact that his mother has not given him the respect or care she should have (I still cannot believe she did what she did. In  my opinion it breaks the "contract" between mother and son and cannot be forgiven easily), Christopher still decides to seek his mother and, in essence, loves her. This is very controversial and ambiguous, though, and I won't be quick to pass judgment on him, even though he is purely fictional (at least, I think).