August is a boy with a fatal disease. Every time he goes outside, people move to the other sidewalk, look down, or whisper to someone next to him/her. He has gotten used to it and acts like he doesn’t notice and care, but deep down, it hurts him. August, from the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio is a fortunate kid. He is fortunate because he survived a deadly disease, he has an caring and understanding sister, and he has two real friends, Summer and Charlotte.
August is lucky because he survived a deadly disease. On page 7, paragraph 1, it says “the nurse whispered in her ear when the doctors told her (his mom) I wouldn’t survive. ¨He has been through lots of surgery because of his disease. On page 104, it says, ¨he has some of these mutant genes occur pregnancy sometimes their inherited from one parent carrying the dominant genes.¨ August´s surgeries has affected his education. He hasn't been able to go to school. The surgeries have gotten less when August has started school, but if that didn't happen, they wouldn't have been deadly in the “surgery” way but that could affect him as he got older.
August Pullman has a caring and understanding sister. When she was going through hard times, she would be there for him. On page 112, it says, ¨´Tell me what happened,´ my sister said. And I told her what happened. I had overheard some very mean things some boys were saying about me. I didn't care about what the other boys said, I expected that , but I was hurt that one of the boys was my ¨best friend¨, Jack Will.” August's sister has also been going through hard times (she's in high school) but she always makes the time for August. She’d be the first person he would tell about what goes on at school. When they walked outside and people stared and looked away, she said “What the heck are you looking at?¨ even to grown-ups.
Lastly August is lucky because he has a real friend. Summer is a friend to August because she is there more than he needs her. Summer is always by his side and she is always nice to August. An example of how Summer is nice to August is on page 51, paragraph 1 where it says ¨’Hey, is this seat taken?’ I looked up, and a girl I've never seen before was standing across from my table with a tray of full of food.” And on paragraph 6, it says ¨My name is Summer, by the way. What´s yours?¨ That indicates that Summer wanted to sit with August and wanted to make friends.
Although August had some people who hurt him, he also had some people who helped him. Even though I don't have a fatal disease like August, he still taught me that when people put you down, you get up and keep on trying and you don't let those people take you down.
By depicting how Kumalo is robbed upon arrival in Johannesburg, the novel reflects the crime that was prevalent in urban areas of South Africa in the 1940's.
