As I have done this brief 3 years in a row now, another part of the research I found really helpful was looking into the story synopsis (even though I have seen the film) and gather any key points that I think may be useful. I also think its useful to research into the themes and symbols of the book because these could then possibly be translated onto the cover design.
About the story
Wonder, a story about a ten-year-old boy who lives in Manhattan and who has a rare physical deformity, was published in February of 2012 and was author R.J. Palacio's first novel.
Palacio was inspired to write Wonder after taking her son to buy ice cream one day and witnessing him cry when a girl with facial birth defects sat next to him. She tried to move her son away so as not to upset the girl and her family, but an ice cream spill occurred and the situation only got worse. Later, while listening to Natalie Merchant's song "Wonder," Palacio reflected on the situation and began writing the novel, hoping that a tense scene from her own life could turn into a valuable lesson.
The novel is told from the points of view of multiple characters: primarily the deformed Auggie himself, but also his sister, his friends, and his supposed enemies. Such an array of perspectives allows readers to understand how Auggie's entire community struggles to learn compassion and empathy. While interacting with someone who looks different from them on the outside, these other characters discover that Auggie has so much to offer on the inside.
Themes
Kindness features prominently in this novel, as many of Auggie's struggles in life are linked to the unkind responses of others. At the end of the novel, Mr. Tushman makes an important graduation speech about the importance of being kind to all people, regardless of background, circumstances, or appearance. Indeed, by the final chapters, both Auggie and his fellow students have learned important lessons about how essential kindness truly is.
Middle school is often a cutthroat place, and kids who are different in any clear way will stand out from the crowd and face bullying as a result of their differences. Auggie's differences are evident the minute he steps foot in school; however, the other kids must try to get used to the way he looks and accept him for who he is. The more the other kids spend time around Auggie, the more they realize that his outward appearance does not make him any different from them on the inside. Auggie's presence at Beecher Prep helps everyone in the school become more tolerant and more accepting.
Auggie's family is crucial to his growth and maturity over the course of the novel. The other Pullmans are a constant source of support, encouragement, and love, no matter how rough it gets of Auggie as he tries to fit in beyond his family unit. Family is also important because other characters do not have the luxury of a close family like Auggie's: both Justin and Miranda comment that the Pullmans' family dynamic is so special because they themselves come from split-parent families. While the universe has been unkind to Auggie in many ways, in perhaps the most important way it has blessed him with a loving, supportive family that can help him get through almost anything.
Auggie shows great courage in surmounting all of the obstacles that he faces in his life. He pushes on despite the kids who mock him, torment him, and bully him, revealing true strength of character. It takes a tough person to be as courageous as Auggie is, and while it seems unfair for a child so young to have to face so many challenges, his bravery in the face of all of it sets an example for readers both old and young.
It only takes one person to help someone who was once lonely feel much more confident and secure, and the friends that Auggie makes in the course of the novel play a huge role in helping him to get through his first year at school. Summer is a true friend to Auggie right from the very beginning: she is there for him during his toughest time. While Jack screws up and says things he does not mean, he eventually realizes the error of his ways and apologizes, seeing at last how important Auggie's friendship is to him. True friends make it so much easier to face and overcome any challenge in life.
The novel explores a complicated theme when it addresses the differences between the way someone looks on the outside and who the same person is on the inside. Auggie does not want to be defined by the way he looks, and hopes that people can see through his unexpected appearance. He has multiple conversations with both Summer and his mother about heaven, particularly about whether or not people keep their faces after they die. He likes to think that sometime, in another life, he might be known for something more than his unusual face.
Popularity is an important theme in this novel: multiple characters struggle with the choice between doing what will make them popular and doing what they know is right. Jack tries initially to fit in with Julian because he wants to be popular, but eventually realizes that being a friend to Auggie is more important. Miranda tells lies at camp to be popular, but loses her best friend as a result of this dishonesty and comes to see that being friends with Via is what really matters to her. Popularity is a huge concern for middle school and high school students. Wonder explores their constant desire to want to fit in, no matter the cost.
Symbols
The astronaut helmet given to Auggie by Miranda when he was much younger is a symbol of Auggie's own insecurity about the way he looks. In order to be normal, Auggie felt that he had to hide his true self. As he gets older, though, he becomes more comfortable with his appearance and learns to deal with the responses of others to his condition. After he loses the helmet, he realizes he can get by without it. His eventual positive response to Dad's final revelation, that the helmet was thrown out, confirms that Auggie has lost this old insecurity.
Auggie's various Star Wars toys, games, and merchandise are symbolic of his childhood. As he grows up over the novel, he attempts to shed this old persona and become someone new and more mature. Star Wars will always be important to him, but part of growing up is seeking out new interests and learning to leave some things behind in the past.
Certain sections of this novel contain motifs that call attention to the universe. Via begins her section with a description of the universe that is her family, and the way their universe revolves around Auggie. Justin continues this motif in his section, as he acknowledges how the universe has been unkind to Auggie in many ways, but has also blessed Auggie by giving him a loving family. The idea of the universe is important because it emphasises that there is always something out there bigger than any single person, something guiding the way the world works.
Daisy the dog is an important symbol of the Pullman family's love and loyalty. Daisy ties the Pullmans together in a way that nothing else can, helping them to move past their fights and arguments. She is also a symbol of unconditional love; no matter what Auggie looks like, she loves him no matter what. When Daisy dies, the Pullmans have to learn to come together without their beloved dog; however, the new puppy, Bear, is a symbol of the hope they have for the future.
In any coming-of-age novel, a graduation ceremony is an important milestone that symbolises the growth that a character has exhibited over the course of the narrative. Auggie has grown up so much during his first year at Beecher Prep, and the award he receives at graduation is representative of his kindness and courage in the face of adversity.
