Once Upon a Midnight Dreary

A character from the book Wonder by R.J. Palacio, August Mathew Pullman is a young boy with a facial deformity who attends the private world school for the first time in grade five.

Today we will dive deep to study a bit more about August and state our perception of him.

The Appearance of August

August has a different face from others which highlights him amongst his peers. He has a unique facial condition called mandibulofacial dysostosis, which has deformed his face. August knows how he looks, and he wears a helmet in public to avoid weird gazes.

But August is much more than his deformed face. He is interested in the stars, universe, and mysteries of the cosmos, making him a lively and curious person. His interests are quite cool, allowing him to connect with others who have similar likings.

August’s Family

August is very close to his parents and loves them dearly. He also has an older sister, Olivia, whom he calls via. Her parents are very supportive of him and have gone through great lengths to support him and his education. They have homeschooled him for the most part, but when it comes to sending him to a mainstream school, they did so while also having his back the whole time.

Being parents, they are sure they taught him all the essential parts to help him prepare for the real world.

Coming to his sister, Olivia was his protector and offered him immense support. Olive had her own struggles with education n relationships, but she was ways there for August to confide support in him. Olivia supports her in all ways possible and navigates him a lot. The family bond is beautifully described in this book which proves how the right help from the family can often be the strength that most of us need to shine the light in us brighter.

Friends of August

Apart from just having strong family connections, we also come to know about August's friends. August had three noticeable friends - Summer, Jack and Julian. Summer is the first to reach out to August, and they quickly become friends.

Jack was hesitant at first. However, he becomes friends with him and becomes his loyal confidante. Finally, we have Julian, Summer's boyfriend who bullies August but soon the dynamics change.

Eventually, these friendships help August become close to people outside of his family. Because of these connections, he has faith in humans and values this relationship. He loves how his friends see beyond his flaws, making him more empathetic and open-minded towards others. Like all of us, August’s friendships definitely help him develop his character in a positive way.

Things We Learn About Him

One of the main themes of this novel is his journey to self-acceptance. Although knowing his flaws, he accepts them rather than sulking over them. Just like all of us, August feels embarrassed and shameful of his features, so he wears a space helmet initially.

But then we see him opening up to self-acceptance, creating a picture of him which goes far beyond physical looks.

In a Halloween party scene, August dresses up as a ghost for the party. The min intent of this was to hide his face. But later, he takes up the decision of not doing so and goes as himself to surprise his friends and classmates.

This shows his courage to accept himself and his bravery to expose himself in front of all, even though he was not 100% confident back then.

August had a lot of noticeable traits, which we are going to cover here. One of the traits which deserve a lot of attention is his courage. Having a deformed face, he faces a lot of challenges, which not everyone might have faced. Yet he was graceful about it and never let it hold him down. August is brave not only due to his physical nature but also his mentality.

It is quite common that people like August will have a fear of being rejected or feeling ridiculed. Yet he was not afraid to put himself out there. He was no silent observer of injustice and stood up for himself. We see the biggest example of his courage when he accepts to attend Beecher Prep.

He knew it was not going to be easy, yet he took up the decision to attend it. Although he becomes subjected to bullying, laughs and feeling excluded, this doesn't bring him down. Rather his motivation and courage are an example for his classmates, friends and family.

Another noticeable trait that we see in August is his empathy towards others. August is very empathetic towards others, and he understands their problem from their perspective.

Knowing his condition, he does not pity or sympathize with others but offers them empathy and support. Although he was subjected to bullying and harsh behaviour, he did not take it out on others. He only shows love, affection and brotherhood towards each other with an open heart and mind.

What Does the Book Teach Us?

The book, Wonder, based on August Pullman, teaches us to appreciate others as well as others. We learn about a boy named August who has a deformed face, yet he is very charismatic and energetic. He is excited about life and looks forward to it. He has meaningful connections with his family and also with friends he makes at school.

He has a friendly personality and an extraordinary mind. Due to his defect, he has been subjected to harsh words, yet he does not let those define him.

 August is empathetic and caring towards others. He has a very creative mind and a great interest in outer space. We realize that he is not much different from us even though he does not look like us. It opens our eyes to the lives of those who face similar conditions or physical ailments.

The book also teaches us to be more grateful in life and fill the cup of those who suffer from this with happiness rather than making them feel small.

This book will teach you to be confident, resilient, brave and not let fears hold you back. View Examples

Conclusion

August’s story has given hope and strength to many. He embarks on resilience, acceptance, and kindness, which has moved the hearts of many. Even though he was just 10 years old, he showed many acts of bravery, which few of us can do.

We see how brave he was to get so many surgeries at a young age. Also, his decision to go to private school required immense courage. His journey about accepting himself and being brave makes his story different and a symbol of encouragement and hope. Although he looked different from others, he does not let it define him and trap himself in a box. Rather he went out in the world head-on and made his place.

This book is inspirational for many in the right ways. If August can live his life to the fullest, then so can we. After all, we all face some troubles, but we should not let them define us and rather be more optimistic.