My View

I enjoyed reading “Wonder’ tremendously. It is a very touching book, especially since there are many characters for the readers to identify with, in their reactions to August Pullman and his ‘hideous’ face, as well as their growing acceptance and friendship with him.
It is nice that there are people who stand by August no matter what. The way that the reader travels with the book through the character’s ups and downs makes it one of the best books that I have ever read. For instance, Summer, who impresses me the most. One of her many kind acts is to sit with August on the first day of school at recess when nobody else would. More than that, she continues to sit with him for the rest of the year – what a selfless and wonderful act.
During the nature retreat, Miles, Henry and Amos redeem themselves by rescuing August and Jack. By saving the two friends from a group of seventh graders who were bullying them, Miles, Henry and Amos showed that they were not pure mean, just misguided by gang leader Julian. Under him, they pick on the weak and defenceless. With Julian gone, they are much nicer people.
What really disappointed me was that August cut off his ‘Padawan Braid’, which took him a long time to grow. I guess he felt odd enough in school, without adding on more oddities. Or maybe he did not want to add more labels to himself (he was already being called the Orc, Freak and so on). This was evident later on in the book when he was preparing to go for a school camp and he asked his mother to get him a new plain duffle bag, as he did not want to bring his Star Wars one.
The book is one of the many ways to spread awareness that there are such people amongst us, people who are different from us, in looks and intellect. After all, the idea for the book was sparked when the author herself had her first encounter with a child who suffered the same syndrome. All in all, the book leaves the reader with a thought to ponder on – What would we do if we saw someone like August?

Nate & Isabel Pullman’s Kind Act

August’s parents. Throughout the book, they come across as really kind, patient and understanding parents. They love their children very much, though their attention is more on August because of what he was born with and the many surgeries he had to undergo. Not only are they kind and loving to their own children, they are warm and welcoming to their children’s friends too. They take them under their wings and love them like their own. For instance, when they found out that Justin was going to be the lead actor in the school play, they wanted to be there to support him too. That was nice and giving of their time, I thought.

Mr Tushman’s Kind Act

Principal at Beecher Prep School. He is very kind and understanding. When Jack punched Julian and knocked out his baby tooth, Mr Tushman did not immediately jump to conclusion that Jack was the naught one and so deserve any punishment. From Jack’s reluctance to explain himself, Mr Tushman probably guessed that it had something to do with August. Because he had to punish Jack for it is wrong to punch someone else, no matter how deserving they are, he sort of suspended Jack for the rest of term, since it was the last few days of school anyway. He told Jack to return to school after the winter break on a clean slate. Meanwhile, Jack had to write an explanation to Mr Tushman and an apology to Julian. As an example of what a kind and understanding man he is, Mr Tushman told Jack: “I know you’re a nice kid, Jack. And I know that sometimes even nice kids do dumb things.”

Miranda’s Kind Act

Via’s best friend till the summer before ninth grade when Miranda went away to camp and came back changed. Not just in appearance but in action as she drifted to the popular group in school and neglected Via.
Miranda’s kind act was during the opening night of the school play where she and Justin were playing the lead roles and Via was her understudy. Miranda peeped through the curtain at the people taking their seats in the auditorium. She saw Via’s family in full turnout. On the spur of the moment, Miranda pretended to be sick, thereby allowing Via to take over her role and be the lead actress. She felt some regret when the audience were giving standing ovation to the cast of the play, but she was happy for what she did, especially when the Pullman family included her in their dinner celebrations after the show.

Justin’s Kind Act

Via’s boyfriend. One of his kind acts in the book was to Jack whom he had met for the first time at Via’s and Auggie’s home. He was asked to walk Jack to the bus-stop when he witnessed the younger boy being bullied by 3 schoolmates. Justin realised that Jack was being ridiculed for choosing to befriend ‘the freak’
After Jack had got on his bus, Justin set off to send a warning to the three bullies. His fiddle case looks like a machine gun, and he used it to effect as he put on a mean look and approached the boys, telling them not to mess with Jack or they will be “very, very sorry.” Justin didn’t have to do that, and it was nice of him.

Summer’s Kind Act

Summer is the type of girl who is comfortable with herself, and confident with her abilities. She does not feel the pressure to conform to fit in. She is compassionate too, as evidenced when she decides to sit with August at recess, on his first day in school. As she said: “It’s hard enough being the new kid even when you have a normal face. Imagine having his face?”
Summer is true to her feelings, carrying out her acts of kindess not being she is asked or forced to. People seem to think she is doing this humongous sacrifice in being with August. To her, it is “not a biggie”. She said: “I wish people would stop trying to turn it into something major.”

Jack’s Kind Act

Jack is very much the typical kid who tries to be good and do the right thing. Originally he does not want to be one of the welcome buddies to August. He changes his mind however when he finds out that one of the other befrienders is Julian Albans, a bully in school. He realises who the ‘special’ kid is and that if normal kids will react badly to his looks, what more bullies like Julian.
Jack is a reluctant friend to August initially. He feels bad for August. At the same time, I think he miss being with the usual crowd. After the incident at Halloween when he badmouths August, Jack realises the worth of August. Given the opportunity to make amends, he did, and the two becomes fast friends again.
Jack proves himself as a reliable friend time and again. Once he punches Julian for insulting August, getting himself suspended from school in the process. He could have told on Julian but did not see the point of doing so. Instead he bore his punishment. Quite the hero. Because of his friendship with August, Jack is ostracised by his schoolmates. The situation slowly improves when the rest of the student body realise the muck Julian is making, and they start being friends with Jack and August again.

Via’s Kind Act

Via is August’s sister Olivia. She is older than August by 4 years. At 14, she is a mature teenager and a loving sister. She has always played second fiddle to August at home. She feels that her baby brother has been shortchanged by the universe and so feels guilty if she were ever to demand for anything from her parents. So she doesn’t. Via is very protective of Auggie. She feels very strongly the need to be her own person and so does not invite her family to her school play. In the end, because Auggie realises that Via does not inform their parents about the play as they then will take him along, she caves and gets invites to the play for them.