“Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world.” ——August Pullman

Wonder by R.J.Palacio tells a story about an inborn deformed boy named August Pullman(Auggie) who is encouraged by his parents to go to school(Beecher Prep). He first refused to because he worried he would be “a lamb to be slaughtered” since he suffers from unkind views from others since young. Very luckily, the boy has a sister, and a dog named Daisy, and his parents in his family educate children with love. He walks on the path of growing up and developing social skills in school. His English teacher offers precepts to guide him and his classmates on the right path and the wise school principal Mr. Tushman attributes great care to August’s school life, also by the support of his friends Jack, Summer, and Charlotte…, he is awarded the Beecher Prep award, which cites the greatest students of the grade, showing exemplary spirits of resilience, positive and friendly. He achieves himself a wonder and also his family and friends.

The author illustrates the story from multi-perspectives. All the major characters have their own section to show the readers their perspective of what is going on and explain the misunderstanding on others’ part. R.J. Palacio, however, never pushes too far from the main storyline. It always comes back to August. The language of the book seems childish when it is August and his friends speaking, and certain parts depict the children’s characteristics livelily. In every part, the author writes in first person, which constructs a sense of conversation between the characters and the readers. Also, the author knows exactly what to convey to the readers, which she embeds naturally into the plot and Mr. Brown’s precepts. On one hand, the storytelling structure provides a clear understanding of the plot. On the other hand, it implies that not just Auggie, everyone becomes a wonder.

August’s friends accept the uniqueness of August and they learn not to harm others even if they don’t mean to, which is the highest quality of respecting others. Like Jack’s mother has said: “Jack, sometimes you don’t have to mean to hurt someone to hurt someone.” It is amazing for the children to grow up with August and learn how to treat others respectfully. In the school, a popular child named Julian discriminates against August and a lot of the others support him. However, brave kids like Jack, Charlotte, and Summer stay by August’s side although they realize that they will not be accepted by the public. No one would seat with them for lunch and no one plays with them, but they still choose to do the right thing, to protect August. Jack even punched Julian for August, and they finally win others’ respect. People like Miles and Henry, who used to be neutral or On Julian’s side start to support August. On the camping trip, while August and Jack are bullied by the seven’s graders, Henry and Miles helped them to escape. Like Mr. Brown’s precepts says: “WHEN GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN BEING RIGHT OR BEING KIND, CHOOSE KIND.” The act of kindness makes them wonders. Compared to what is “right”, being kind is nobler, although requires some sacrifices like losing some friends, it is not mediocre to do what everyone thinks is “right”.

August’s family has taken much more burden than other families to some extent. This is represented mostly by Olivia, August’s sister. Because of August, she was paid less attention by her parents. She learned basically everything by herself and never let down or worry her parents. She has a good GPA, takes care of her emotion herself, and work hard to get into a good school. She tries her best to help her family with the burden and she protects his brother from being harmed by others when August was young. But as time passes by, although she knows that she should not complain, she believes that her brother has been overprotected. When August’s parents cannot open August’s mind, Olivia plays the role of making him feel better and telling him what to do. When August finds that Jack betrays him, he feels helpless and refuses to talk to his mother. But Olivia learned about it and she solves it by asking August to tell nothing about what he thinks and what he knows. August takes the advice and turns out that Jack does find out about the attitude and August does nothing to make Jack apologize. In this case, the families are wonders, too.

Lastly, for August, there is nothing he does wrong to make him look like this. The genetic error caused his deformed appearance. However, he is treated by his family with not abandonment but more love. He exactly proves that if you want to be qualified to be loved, you have to learn to care about others. After his dog dies, he realizes that the world is not just about himself and he learns more about how to care about others. When his mother is bitten by the dog, he shows great care for the wound. Although his appearance is unique, he never feels ashamed of it. Instead, he accepts this and sometimes makes fun of his own appearance. His enthusiasm and kindness attract others to make friends with him. He proves to the others that his charming personality can reverse his disadvantage and can as well live happily in this world, and have a lovely family and loyal friends. Just like Mr. Brown’s precept of October: “Your deeds are your monuments.” Compared to one’s appearance, what’s more, important is one’s deed, if one has a heart of kindness and inner treasure. Olivia’s boyfriend Justin once mentioned that: “Maybe it is a lottery, but the universe makes it all even out in the end. The universe takes care of all its birds. So doesn’t that make the universe a giant lottery, then? you purchase a ticket when you’re born. and it’s all just random whether you get a good ticket or a bad ticket. it’s all just luck.” Just as he says, although the lottery and your luck has decided what you get inborn, the universe will make it even if you know how to make what you have into gold. Indeed, the universe makes it all even out in the end, the universe takes care of all its birds.