Wonder (Pages 161-end)

"I didn't destroy a Death Star or anything like that, but I did just get through the fifth grade. And that's not easy, even if you're not me."

-August (Page 308)

The second half of Wonder by R.J. Palacio initially continues with Jack's perspective as he tries to figure out why August is upset with him. When he finally decodes Summer's clue, he feels horrible. He is quickly given an opportunity to show his true colors when he punches Julian for taunting August. Although Jack gets suspended, Mr. Tushman ultimately understands that he had noble reasons for his actionsWe also learn that Julian is influenced by the words and actions of his mother, Melissa. She criticizes Mr. Tushman and Beecher Prep for allowing August to attend. Julian instigates a "war" among the fifth graders as he tries to turn people against Jack so that Jack will stop hanging out with Auggie.

The next section is told from the perspective of Justin, Via's new boyfriend. Justin is the first outsider who really interacts with August's family, as he takes the time to get to know Via's parents and brother. He encourages Via to try out for the school play, Our Town, even though he ends up cast as the romantic lead opposite Miranda. Justin also learns about the conflict Jack and Auggie are facing at school and he stands up for Jack when Julian, Henry, and Miles try to mess with him.

I'm going to hide the rest of the summary below because of spoilers!

Next, the perspective shifts back to August as he and Jack work on their project for the science fair. Things at school gradually improve as most other students tire of the "war" and cease playing the game "the plague." August receives hearing aids, which he fears will make him a target of bullying again. However, the hearing aids open up a world of new sounds for Auggie and are mostly ignored by his peers.

August and Via come into conflict, along with their parents, when he learns that Via didn't tell them about the school play because she didn't want him to embarrass her in front of her peers. The conflict is cut short when the family's dog, Daisy, suddenly becomes ill and is put to sleep. Via decides to invite the family to the play. At the beginning of the performance, they are shocked to see Via acting in the lead role instead of Miranda. She does a spectacular performance and earns a standing ovation. August is forced to confront the idea that he is not actually the center of the universe.

We then learn more about the events of the story from Miranda's viewpoint. She has been a minor character up to this point, but her perspective illustrates how all people are fighting different battles. She is jealous of Via's supportive family, which leads her to lie about her own home life while away at camp. Ironically, she adopts Via's story as her own, which makes her more popular. We also learn that Miranda faked being sick so that Via's family could see her act in the lead role. The two girls are able to reconcile, which makes Miranda happier than any previous popularity ever had.

The story concludes with August's perspective again. He joins his classmates on an overnight nature retreat. At first, things are going great, until he is confronted by some older students from another school. Miles, Henry, and Amos come to his aid and the boys end up in a physical conflict. Afterward, August gains respect from his peers for standing his ground during the fight.

Finally, we have the fifth grade graduation. After honor roll is announced and other academic awards given out, Mr. Tushman awards August the Henry Ward Beecher medal for his exceptional courage, kindness, and friendship. August receives his own standing ovation and realizes that, for the first time, everyone wants to be closer to him.

Style Choices

In addition to using different perspectives for the first person narrative, Palacio also plays around with the format of her writing. This add even more depth and voice to the characters. For example, she uses letters, email, and text messages to show how Jack and August reconcile their relationship, as well as introducing Melissa as another minor antagonist. It also allowed characters such as Melissa and Mr. Tushman to speak in first person without dedicating an entire section to them.

Also, Justin's section is written in the way that one might expect him to write: very formally and with no capitalization. It adds another layer to characterization without having to describe anything at all. Essentially, she shows us more about the character instead of telling us.

These different style choices give students the opportunity to expand their own writing. One activity could be to have them rewrite one of their own pieces with letters, emails, text messages, or even social media. They could also play around with different conventions to show how their character would actually write.

Sources

Palacio, R. J. (2012, February 14). Wonder. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Fiction Video - Allegory

I hope you enjoy this video about allegories. Cheers!

Wonder (Pages 1-160)

"When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind."

- Mr. Browne (Page 27)

The first half of Wonder by R.J. Palacio is divided into four parts, each from the perspective of a different character. The first part is from the perspective of the main character, August "Auggie" Pullman, a 10-year-old boy with a severely deformed face. Auggie doesn't go into much description about his deformity but illustrates the many ways that he is "not normal" and how people react to him in different facets of his life. The story begins as he is about to start fifth grade at Beecher Prep. This will be his first year in a real school since he had been homeschooled previously. Mr. Tushman, the school principal, introduces him to three students - Charlotte, Jack Will, and Julian - who are meant to guide and support him through this transition. Charlotte is kind but doesn't ultimately make an effort to befriend August. Julian is cruel, asking rude questions about Auggie's face and making it clear that his does not wish to interact with him. Jack Will, on the other hand, does take time to get to know August and the two become close friends.

Their friendship is wrecked on Halloween, when August, dressed as the bleeding scream, overhears Jack badmouthing him to other students - saying that he is only nice to him because his mom and Mr. Tushman forced him. He even says that he would kill himself if he looked like August. Understandably, this devastates August and makes him doubtful that anyone would ever want to be his friend. Thankfully, he is still able to connect with Summer, another student with whom he bonded over their seasonal names. 

The next part is from the perspective of August's older sister, Via. Overall, she is a supportive and loving sister although her needs are often pushed aside in lieu of Auggie's. Via provides the first description of Auggie's appearance, but states that she could never see him the way other people do since he is, first and foremost, her brother. Via struggles to face the challenges of her first year of high school (shifting friend groups, missing her departed grandmother, and growing insecurities) while her parents place most of their attention on August's difficulties at school. The relationship between Auggie and Via is crucial, since she cares for and wants to protect him while also recognizing that he need to be treated less like a baby.

In the next part, we see August from more of an outsider's perspective through Summer. She is pressured by other students to avoid Auggie, as their friendship is damaging to her reputation. She rejects this assumption and continues to be his friend, even while other students play a hurtful game called "the plague." Most students won't touch August, or anything he touches, for fear that they will contract "the plague." Summer is the only one who learns what August overheard on Halloween. She swears to keep his secret, but gives Jack the clue "bleeding scream."

Finally, we learn about the events of the story through Jack's perspective. He was initially hesitant to step up and help August because he recalls seeing the strangely deformed kid around town when he was younger. As he reflects on the encounters, he realizes that even the most well-meaning people can be cruel and he knows that Auggie doesn't stand a chance in middle school. As Jack begins to hang out with August, he learns to see past his deformity and finds out that he's actually a pretty good friend. 

Jack is oblivious to how his actions impacted August. He doesn't understand Summer's clue about why Auggie is upset and decides to embrace his new ability to hang out with whoever he wants. However, we also learn that Jack feels out of place at school because he does not fit the rich-kid stereotype of most students at the private school.

Multiple Perspectives

The novel is written in first person, although the perspective of the narrator changes as the story progresses. Some of the events are retold, giving the reader different points of view on the same plot point, whereas some events are only told through one character's perspective. This is a unique story telling device that exemplifies how voice affects our writing. Students can compare and contract how different characters viewed the same events or even write their own interpretation of how another character might describe it. For example, we could think about the inner dialogue of Mr. Tushman, the other teachers, or August and Via's parents.

Additionally, students could analyze why the author chose to write the story in this way rather than using just August's perspective or even a third-person narrator. On her website, R.J. Palacio states that she intended to "stay with Auggie for the whole story" (Palacio, n.d.), but felt that she needed to show the other perspectives in order to fully understand their motivations. She says: 

Auggie’s a smart kid, and he notices a lot of things, but he doesn’t ever really know the full extent of the impact he has on people. And I didn’t want to make him one of the precocious kids who somehow knows things he isn’t supposed to know: I find those types of characters largely unbelievable, and I wanted Auggie to always be believable to me. (Palacio, n.d.)

She also notes that she didn't give the parents their own chapters because she wanted to keep the story child-driven. She didn't want it to be dragged down by the darker and more cynical realities of Auggie's life that would be exposed through his parents' viewpoints. I think this was a smart choice in order to make the book authentic for students. However, as an adult, I'm still curious to hear more about their perspective!

Choose Kind

Kindness is a large theme of the novel, as evidenced by Mr. Browne's precept at the beginning: "When given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind."

In the video below, Palacio discusses her inspiration for writing the novel and how she wants to change the conversation around social interactions for middle-level students. I found it particularly poignant how she says that there is just an expectation that kids are going to be mean to each other, but that we can work to create a new expectation of choosing kindness. 

As a result of this book, Penguin Random House created an anti-bullying initiative called Choose Kind. Click here to find out more about how to become a Certified Kind Classroom. 

Sources

Choose Kind. (2018). Certified kind classroom challenge [Tumblr post]. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from https://choosekind.tumblr.com/certified-kind-classroom-challenge. 

Palacio, R. J. (2012, February 14). Wonder. New York, NY: Alfred A. Knopf.

Palacio, R. J. (n.d.). About R.J. Palacio. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from https://wonderthebook.com/about.

Random House Kids. (2012, July 27).Choose Kind Campaign [video file]. Retrieved November 2, 2019, from https://youtu.be/4psz--ziXB4. 

Reading Video - Making Meaning with Text Clues

I hope you enjoy this video about finding deeper meaning (i.e., making inferences) by using text clues. Happy Reading!

The Outsiders (Chapter 7-12)

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Note: There will be no "spoiler button" on this post, since it is impossible to discuss the second half of The Outsiders without delving into the major plot points. If you haven't read the novel in its entirety, I implore you to close your device, read the book, and take some time to reflect. Trust me, it's worth it!

With that said, spoilers below:

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"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold."

-Johnny Cade, Chapter 9

There are few last words as memorable in young adult literature as those spoken by Johnny as he lay dying from wounds sustained in the church fire only a day prior. Ponyboy and the other greasers had just beaten the Socs in the rumble, but the celebration was cut short when Johnny's condition took a turn for the worse. 

After his loss, the greasers exemplified different stages of grief. Most of them vacillated between depression and acceptance, but Dally was swept up by anger at Johnny's death. He robbed a grocery store and committed suicide by police, threatening the officers with an unloaded gun to force them to shoot him. 

Ponyboy, on the other hand, was stuck in denial for weeks. He couldn't bring himself to acknowledge that Johnny was really gone and even began to convince himself that he was the one who killed the Soc earlier - not Johnny. He was adamant about this fact during his court hearing, though the judge acquitted him and allowed him to return home with Darry and Soda. He was finally forced to face the truth when he discovered a letter Johnny wrote him from his death bed. 

While Ponyboy reeled from the loss of both Johnny and Dally, his conflicts with Darry escalated while his grades slipped. Sodapop finally brought the brothers together when he broke down over constantly being in the middle of their fighting. Ponyboy's English teacher offered to pass him if he submitted a well written final theme. He realized that only he can tell the story of Johnny, Dally, and all the other greasers. His theme began with the opening words of the novel: "When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home."

Elements of Fiction - Main Conflict, Climax, Resolution

Initially, the story builds toward the big rumble between the greasers and Socs as being the climax. However, the fight itself is anti-climatic when the greasers easily win. One might argue that Johnny's death is the true climax, but I believe it occurs much later when Ponyboy discovers the letter from Johnny. This illustrates that the main conflict was not just the battle between the two groups, but rather Ponyboy's internal struggle to grow up amidst so much tragedy and violence. The resolution is his acceptance of Johnny's death and writing his theme about his life as a greaser.

To help students unravel these important elements, I would have them diagram the plot points, especially focusing on the conflict, climax, and resolution. I would have students explain why they chose specific parts for those elements. It is important to understand how those elements work together, rather than just picking the most exciting part of the story as the climax. 

Film Version

Another activity that could help students understand the major themes in The Outsiders would be to watch the film version. Students can increase their understanding of the novel by comparing the two versions to find similarities and differences. Depending on my students, I might wait to watch the film until we have read the whole novel in order to experience each as an independent work. Or, we might watch segments of the film after we've read that part in the novel in order to help students who struggle with reading comprehension access the important parts of the story. It would depend on the level of my students.

While I generally reside in the "The Book Was Better" camp, I think the film adaptation is very well done and would not hesitate to use it as part of my instruction. Both the film and the book draw the viewer/reader into Ponyboy's world and demonstrate his struggle to find his place. 

Source

Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

The Outsiders (Chapters 1-6)

"It seemed funny to me that the sunset she saw from her patio and the one I saw from the back steps was the same one.  Maybe the two different worlds we lived in weren't so different.  We saw the same sunset."

- Chapter 3

In The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton draws the reader into the life of 14-year-old Ponyboy Curtis - a member of a lower-class gang known as the greasers. He and his fellow East side friends are constantly at odds with the Socials (or Socs) from the West side. Ponyboy lives with his older brothers, Sodapop and Darry, since his parents died in a car crash. Other greasers include Dally (a toughened criminal), Steve (Sodapop’s best friend), Two-Bit (the jokester), and Johnny (Ponyboy's close friend who is still scarred from being jumped by the Socs).

When Ponyboy and Johnny get attacked by a group of Socs for spending time with the "wrong" girls, Johnny kills a Soc in self-defense. The two boys hide out in an abandoned church in a nearby town until Dally comes to retrieve them. They learn that the violence between the greasers and Socs has escalated and that one of the girls, Cherry, is acting as a spy for the greasers. 

On their way home, they see that the church has become engulfed in flames. While helping save a group of schoolchildren from the burning building, Johnny is struck by a piece of timber. Ponyboy has a sense of calm as they head home, though the reader is left feeling dread for the upcoming battle.

A Different Time

Since this book was published over 50 years ago, students may have trouble understanding the setting and cultural references. I would use a variety of music, videos, and photographs to illuminate the references to Paul Newman, the Beatles, Elvis Presley, corvettes, mustangs, and the different clothing styles of 1960's teens. 

Character Analysis

The variety of characters presents another challenge in reading this novel. To help students keep track of the main characters, they can create a character guide for reference. As they learn new details about key characters, they can add them to their guide. This might be done as a jigsaw activity in which groups of students analyze different characters and create a poster to show their character's name, nicknames, physical characteristics, personality traits, relationship to other characters, and any other relevant information.

A sample character poster from a 7th grade language arts class.

Still Relevant

It's incredible that the themes throughout this story are still relevant for teens today. Almost everyone goes through a struggle to find their place, throughout which they are shaped by the people around them. Hinton was only 15 when she began writing the novel, which is evident through how she conveys the teenage experience. The greasers and Socs are trapped in a cycle of violence that, unfortunately, continues to be prevalent in many communities. Furthermore, Ponyboy explicitly states that this violence is born from the differences in their social classes. 

I look forward to reading the end of the novel to find out what happens to this ragtag family!

Sources

Croy, S. (2018, May 17). The outsiders character autopsy project! [Twitter post]. Retrieved October 16, 2019, from https://twitter.com/mrs_croy/status/997114841335820288.

Eby, M. (2017, April 26). Why 'the outsiders' still matters 50 years later. Retrieved October 16, 2019, from https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-news/why-the-outsiders-still-matters-50-years-later-194014/.

Hinton, S. E. (1967). The outsiders. New York, NY: Penguin Books.

Hatchet (Chapters 11-19 & Epilogue)

Come on, he thought, baring his teeth in the darkness—come on. Is that the best you can do—is that all you can hit me with—a moose and a tornado?

- Chapter 16

In the second half of Hatchet, Brian continues to learn how to survive in the unforgiving wilderness. He makes a bow and arrows that he uses to catch fish, improves his shelter, and begins to feel almost welcome among the wild animals.

After failing to be rescued by a passing airplane, Brian plunges into depression and even tries to end his own life. He comes to accept that he is no longer the same person who crashed so many weeks ago. Rather, he is stronger and more resilient. He even refers to his actions as things that "new Brian" does and things that "old Brian" would have done. "New Brian" is able to survive a moose attack and a tornado - talk about a bad day!

Click below for many, many spoilers.

The tornado brings the plane wreckage to the surface of the lake, prompting Brian to retrieve the survival pack hidden in the plane. He hardly gets a chance to use the rifle, sleeping bag, food packets, and other items because he notices a strange electrical device. It turns out to be a transmitter, which is ultimately the catalyst for his rescue.

The epilogue wraps up rather quickly, much to my disappointment. It's a testament to Paulsen's writing that I didn't want the story to end. I had so many questions about how Brian would readjust to life back in the "real world." The reader learns that Brian never tells his father The Secret, but his parents do still continue with their divorce. He is forever changed by his time in the woods, though he still recalls many memories of it fondly. I'm glad that Paulsen continued this series because he does an excellent job of leaving you wanting more at the end.

I also found it interesting that the epilogue mentions how difficult it would have been for Brian to survive in the wilderness through winter. That's because the third book in the series, Brian's Winter, is actually an alternate ending in which Brian didn't activate the transmitter. Apparently, Paulsen did not plan this in advance. Rather, he wrote Brian's Winter, as a response to criticism that he left Brian's story unfinished in the original.

Difficult Themes

Brian's suicide attempt is a tricky part of the story, when it comes to discussing this book with students. I don't think that the topic of suicide should automatically mean the book can't be read by middle schoolers. However, I do think it should be handled delicately. Even though Brian comes to believe in his ability to survive without being rescued, he still struggles with loneliness and having to overcome many failures. It can be dangerous to convey the idea that one can simply "toughen up" and get over depression because that's just not the nature of the beast. It's more beneficial to focus on the theme of learning from failure, rather than just on the power of positive thinking.

I would consider using this as a read aloud depending on the age and maturity level of my students. Even if I didn't read it aloud or assign it as independent reading, I would definitely have it in my library and recommend it to students who enjoy stories about survival.

STEM Connections 

Brian's struggle to survive in the wild lends itself perfectly to challenge-based learning. The students can use math, science, and engineering to devise their own plan for surviving. You could even look at different areas that Brian may have been stranded to see if your survival plans change based on the location. 

Sources

Paulsen, G. (1987) Hatchet. New York, NY: Bradbury Press.

New York Public Library (Producer). (2016, August 31). Live chat with author Gary Paulsen (K. Ralston, interviewer). [Live IM chat transcript]. Retrieved from http://www.npr.org/2011/04/22/135634400/science-diction-the-origin-of-the-word-robot