BOOK REVIEW 3: “WONDER”

My 3rd Book Review cum Summary:

My two earlier reviews of the books “The God of Small Things” by Booker Awardee Arundhati Roy and “Disgrace” by Nobel Laureate J.M. Coetzee were quite appreciated. Here, I am going to review the 3rd book I read recently, i.e., Wonder by R.J. Palacio.

“I think there should be a rule that everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their lives.”

-R.J. Palacio

Sometimes God deprive some people of some qualities that make their lives quite difficult in the mainstream society. But along with that deprivation comes something as add-on. This is what I feel after reading, now one of my favourite books, “Wonder”.

The book emphasises on choosing being kind over other choices like being smart or beautiful. This is story of a little boy, August Pullman, nicknamed as “Auggie”, born with a face deformity. He kept wearing an astronaut’s helmet that was gifted by his father on a Christmas to hide his face whenever he goes out because people stared at him and some even ridiculed him. He was home-schooled by his mother for many years but now his parents feel it necessary to admit him to a school so that he may get exposed to the society. The boy was a sensitive kid and as expected he was often ridiculed for his facial features by others in the school. He was even bullied by some of his classmates like Julian who belongs to parents who belongs to one of the big business houses of the city due to which Auggie didn’t like to go to school for initial days.

Auggie had parents who were extra careful for him. Auggie also had an elder sister who also had recently joined high school and she craved for her mother’s love that was totally dedicated to Auggie. But gradually time made her understand the situation.

Auggie was a smart kid with great interest in Science. Auggie loves Star Wars. He got a friend too at the school. His name was Jack Will or simply Jack. Jack was an average kid. He was not that good in Science but Auggie helped him in studies. After so many days of humiliation and isolation Auggie finally had a friend. Halloween was Auggie’s favourite holiday because he remained in costume with face covered and didn’t get stared by anyone weirdly. One halloween, Auggie wore a skeleton attire. His face was hidden. He saw his friend Jack talking to Julian that he behaves nicely to Auggie because School Principal Mr. Tuchman had told so otherwise he didn’t like him at all, he went forward in saying that he washed his hands after touching Auggie so that he wouldn’t get plague. Jack didn’t know that Auggie was there as he was behind the Halloween Mask.

It was a heavy day again for Auggie. He cried alot. But his parents and sister consoled him. From next day Auggie stopped talking to Jack. Jack didn’t understand the reason for it. One day everyone was making fun of Auggie which Summer didn’t like. Summer is another classmate of Auggie. Now Summer and Auggie were friends. Auggie told Summer what Jack was saying about him.
Jack wanted to be friend with Auggie again. It was under peer pressure in group of Julian that he uttered such words for Auggie. Jack asked Summer about Auggie’s reluctant behaviour towards him. Summer gave only one clue “Skeleton Mask” as she promised Auggie not to tell anyone what he shared. Jack realised everything. One day Jack even fought with Julian for ridiculing Auggie for which he was even suspended from school for two days. By coincidence it was Science exhibition in School after few days and teacher made group of two keeping Jack and Auggie together in one group. Jack apologized to Auggie. Auggie forgave him too. They were now friends again. Both of them won first prize together in Science exhibition. This was not liked by Julian. He bullied Auggie again and this time after getting caught by a teacher, Julian got suspended. Julian was sorry this time but his parents pulled Julian’s name out from the school.

Gradually everyone started liking Auggie. Whole class became his friends. It was graduation ceremony and Auggie was awarded the Henry Ward Beecher Award of the school which was awarded to the kid who “carried up the most hearts”. Everybody applauded Auggie.

In this simple yet heartwarming story, author has tried to show us different facets of life. He has tried to show that by being good you can win hearts irrespective of your external beauty. He has tried to show that all lives are not same and nobody knows exactly what other person is going through in his life, so author considers being gentle and kind is the highest virtue of life as reflected by an incidence in the story where Mr. Browne, English teacher of Auggie’s school while teaching a lesson “Precepts” told everyone in the class:

“WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.”

Thank you. Enjoy reading.

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