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

Naoki Higashida, the author of The Reason I Jump, explains in the Preface how he first became aware of his autism when other people noticed it and told him it was a problem. He says that one of the main symptoms of his autism is his inability to have a “real conversation” when he tries to speak to another person (15). He finds this is because his words always come out wrong or “vanish” when he attempts to speak (15). However, with the help of a teacher at school, he has learned how to express his feelings through a nonspeaking means of communication. Using this method, and in producing The Reason I Jump, Higashida says he hopes to offer a glimpse into the world of a person with autism and to encourage sympathy for them.

Higashida answers the question “How are you writing these sentences?” (19). He explains that he is doing so by means of an “alphabet grid” (19). The alphabet grid, which contains the 40 basic Japanese hiragana symbols, allows Higashida to communicate by pointing directly at the symbols rather than having to write each word out. Thus, the grid allows Higashida to communicate without speaking or writing out text.