Austin Seminary Book Club discussion
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Wonder
August 2014
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August Book of the Month: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
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I know in my past that I have witnessed bullying of peers based upon their appearance. I've always wondered what triggered this mentality to pick on those different than us. I am sure there is no one area to point to, but rather a number of places the learned behavior can happen. Sometimes it's just a herd mentality, other times I think it comes from the family environment that can carry down. But I think it probably, and this is a guess, more often comes from a fear of difference and/or a projection of one's own insecurity onto others so that the bully isn't the one being focused on.
I like that Auggie is self-aware and understands why he is the focal point of the bullying, yet still chooses to be himself and forge ahead in spite of difficult circumstances. Jesus also was an outcast who had to deal with the most extreme form of bullying. The outcome was wondrous, indeed.
Welcome, Lisa. I began reading the book last week and find it an easy read. I will wait to comment on it until I have read more.
Hello everyone! It is good to be with you this month as we explore Wonder by R.J. Palacio. I look forward to discovering this book anew with you. Let me take am oment to introduce myself. I am an alum of Austin Seminary. I graduated with my Master of Divinity in 2011. I currently serve in a validated ministry at Austin Seminary. Validated ministry is a pastor position that is not located in a local parish. I am an avid reader and love the way books invite us into discovering something greater and deeper.
Wonder is no exception to this invitation. R.J. Palacio writes the book with ease for the reader. Yet she works on many levels within the book that you may miss two or three of them if you are not careful. I look forward to discovering anew the invitation to see Wonder and discover the wonder that awaits us all.
A few questions/thoughts to get us started. What do you think of the line ‘Don’t judge a boy by his face’ which appears on the back cover of the book? Did it set any pre-notions for you about the book?
Did the jacket cover of the book give you any pause for what the story's journey might become?
Austin Seminary - Bullying is definitely one of the many levels that Wonder works on. It speaks to so much of the bullying we see on the news and our children experience in not only school settings but life settings. It will be a wild journey to see how Auggie and how others views of bullying take shape.
Frank - I look forward to hearing your comments on the book. It is an easy read but the symbolism is so great not only for secular settings but also for church settings.
Good morning. I finished wonder yesterday. I was surprised when the narration changed from August's point of view to Via's, but when it kept changing, I found that to be very helpful, especially related to the relationship between Jack and Auggie.I wonder if this book is about community; how community is formed, and how important it is to teach and model the "precepts" of community. I wonder, too, how Augie's family might have been different ( even stronger, I hope) if they had been a part of a church community from the beginning.
Clearly, the story demonstrates the power of love to save us.
Hi, I'm Tim. I'm an incoming Mdiv student who still won't be making it to Austin for a few weeks. But I love me some books.I finished the book today and really liked it.
I thought the two places where God made an appearance in the book were really interesting.
1) When God was passed over for the core "precept" of the English teacher Mr. Browne in favor of "who we are." Is there a difference between "who we are" and who we are in terms of our relationship to God? Is it possible to be out of sync with God and still by in sync with ourselves? Can the reverse be true, can we be right with God but not right with ourselves? Or does one necessarily bring along the other? August doesn't seem to think a lot about God, and seems to do a great deal of thinking about "who he is."
2) In the graduation speech of Mr. Tushman quoting from Beecher about "seeing the face of God" in others. I think one of the really interesting places that reference can go is to consider August and how his face, as unusual as it is, can still carry just as much of the image of God as the face of any historic Christian figure. Human life is constrained to some extent as to what genetic mutations can be manifested while still allowing human life to continue beyond the womb. But especially with modern medical practices, the amount of genetic variation in human population seems to be increasing. What does it mean to be created in the image of God? And what do people who sit outside of our definition of normal do to stretch our definition of that "image"?
Nancy - I agree at first the author changing the narration perspective was a little jolting but I am so glad that she did. It gave us a chance to see the other views come into play. I believe this book is about community, how its formed, the ways in which it is formed, the ways in which community can be broken down but also built up.
The community in this book is centered around the school atmosphere. How do you think the story/plot would have changed if the family had been a part of a church community? How would the story unfold if they didn't start off in a church community but found one as they were going through Augie attending public school?
Would it have made an impact and what do you think the impact would have been?
Yes, the power of love to save us is an underlying current from the beginning. :)
Hi Tim and welcome to the Austin Seminary community. I look forward to seeing you in a few weeks around campus!God explicitly is mentioned a few times in the book and you picked up on those. I think the author writes from a Christian perspective. She states some "universal" truths throughout the book that if you aren't Christian and reading the book you might question.
Could you tell the author was a Christian even though God was mentioned only towards the end of the book?
To dive into the questions you asked:
1)I wonder if God was not necessarily passed over but rather given as a "universal" truth from the beginning as then to focus on the "who we are" part of our created being. I think the author may have made this literary move from the beginning, at least from my perspective. I think your questions about the difference between "who we are" and who we are in relationship to God seems to get at a current that is throughout the book in which may be summed up with: If we are truly created in the image of God, than what does that image have/will/can look like? It seems to get us to that root question. A "created being" question. For if we believe we are truly created in the image of God than it is a wonder that even a child who has had 20 facial surgeries may look more like God than you and I with normal attributes that we assume are in the image of God too. :) What are your thoughts about your "who we are" question if you start with the creation question? Do you see the creation question being explored in the book?
I wonder about your last statement for part one. "August doesn't seem to think a lot about God, and seems to do a great deal of thinking about "who he is"". This statement goes back to your question of is our exploration of "who we are" separate from our relationship of "who we are" to God. I think Auggie's exploration is an exploration of his relationship with God. For one might only ask that question if one ask the "created being" question which seems to be what Auggie is searching for and most often wondering about. Can one ask the "who we are" question without asking the "created being" question? Does any of the characters do this in the book?
2) I tip-toed into the second question with the first. Again, I think you picked up on the "created being" and "image of God" that seems to follow all the characters but especially Auggie throughout the book. What does it mean to be created in the image of God? For most folks they want to know what that image looks like with concreteness. A great question that you pose is how does Auggie's "image" stretch us to wonder about what the image of God looks like?
One of my fellow readers posed a question to me and I will pose the group. The author tends to paint this picture of a white-middle class family struggling with a physical deformity. How much of a stretch is it to think of this differently with not a physical deformity but rather a racial difference, a economic class difference, etc? Does/can the book Wonder stretch us even that far? Can we even begin to wonder how God creates all in the image of God?
Thanks for the insightful and challenging questions Tim! I hope others join in too!
I found WONDER to be an easy to read coming of age story of elementary age children as they relate to one another, to their parents, to their teachers, and to older youth. I was reminded how people can shape the lives others by their words and actions, both positive and negative. I am not concerned with a lack of explicit theology. Mr. Brown’s precepts are in tune with the Wisdom literature of the Bible. From a Christian point of view, I think we can affirm that Auggie and all of the other people in the story are created in the image of God. That image has little to do with physical appearance. It is rather a quality of life that is affirmed or distorted by their words and actions in relating to other people. -- Frank
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Thanks for the thoughts. I think you made an important point in that the way the characters of Wonder reflect God's image isn't strictly in their physical attributes. I have found myself often focusing strictly on that one area when I hear the phrase "Created in God's image." In doing so I am neglecting many of the other wonderful traits that the Lord possesses, one of which is the ability to communicate with others through speech and action. I think this world would be better if we focused more on that and less on the unspoken exchanges that are created based by looking at people on the surface.
-Adam Sweeney-
Thanks Frank for your comments and Adam for yours as well. The author gives us several chapters through different characters and voices. Which character would you have liked to have heard from but we didn't?
I hope everyone is either through with the book or making their way through it. What did you think about the precepts? Which of Mr. Brown's precepts made you pause and think?
If you had to write your own precept and a precept for the church what would they be?
I will post my precepts tomorrow. :)
Precept: Today you are the oldest you have ever been. Today you are the youngest you will ever be. (Shared by a 94-year-old member of the Charleston WV Civitan Club on 8/15/14)
Frank: great precept and a wise one that. My precept: To wonder is to imagine. And we should all wonder for in that wonder we were created.
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-Adam-
I agree Adam and others I have had discussions with really like that precept. Kindness invites us into something more than rightness. My grandfather use to remind me that in kindness also lies forgiveness. For in that kindness and forgiveness lies all that you might understand about the other and all that you will never understand. That was his precept.
I wonder what everyone thinks about Auggie's precept:"Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world."
Does his precept lend us to individualism or community?
The community is affirming a member of the community and that strengthens the community as well as the individual.
I'm really enjoying the book; I appreciate your choice, Lisa. I am a little behind, so just "lurking." I like the author's style--the thoughts and mannerisms of junior high children are well captured. The use of Mr. Browne's precepts is an effective literary device. I am also a fan of the precept: "When given the choice between being right or being kind, choose kind." I appreciate Frank and Adam posting their thoughts and I just wanted to let you know someone else is "here" even if not participating in every discussion.
As I was reading "Wonder," I thought a lot about my grandchildren who are 4 1/2 and 1 1/2. They are attractive, smart, highly articulate children - and not just because they are my grandchildren! But I thought of how easy life is for them in many ways because they are so attractive.And so I loved reading about Auggie, about how he challenges me to think about the image of God, about how we classify people by how they look - race, supposed economic status, etc., about the value of kindness (which we need desperately in our world), and about the need for a supportive community. I believe any congregation would benefit from reading "Wonder" and discussing the challenges and benefits that might take place if Auggie and his family were a part of the congregation.
I am grateful to have been introduced to this book. Thanks, Lisa.
Gordon - Thanks for jumping in on the conversation. Lurking is good too. :) You have mentioned the precept that I wanted to dive into this week. It is the precept that I think a lot of mainstream media is hinging their hat on at the moment. Kindness.
Thanks for spurring us along!
Elizabeth - Thanks for joining in on the discussion and I'm glad you enjoyed the book!You bring up a wonderful point in that congregations could use this "easy read" as a way to reflect on the congregation's members and those who are missing from our congregations because of our ability to "not see". I use "not see" in not only the sense of eyes but heart too.
Your comment reminds me of a similar story in a book titled "Searching for Truth" by Thomas Currie III. He tells a story of Cecil who is severely mentally retarded and his face was profoundly disfigured. He was brought to church by an elderly couple. He was always in his Sunday best. Cecil was our project, Currie writes. Or so we thought. Cecil then became ill. He had been diagnosed with cancer and as his pastor I went to visit him. Cecil the project had somehow become Cecil the person. Cecil was our project and we were just playing church, but now this project had become a life, a life that had a claim on our hearts, a life that had become a gift to us. Cecil taught us differently, writes Currie. He taught us that the church lives as it bears witness to the truth of Jesus' death and resurrection, that that truth enables us to love one another in all our difference and strangeness, not out of some "goodwill" or risk-free compassion. Cecil helped us see the miracle and the mystery of being Christ's church, something we had almost forgotten in our eagerness to be of service. Cecil enlarged our Christian imagination. Cecil helped us to wonder.
Do you think congregations can wonder like this today? In what ways could it happen? What would it take?
Thanks Elizabeth for reminding me of Cecil's story and how similar it is to Auggie's. Not only similar but what it means for the church to wonder.
I am enjoying Via's perspective. She is not only smart (she read War & Peace), she is amazingly pastoral with her little brother, even though she recognizes that the attention he gets siphons off much of the attention she would normally get from her parents. The situations and relationships seem very real. Palacio is a good writer.
Gordon - I'm glad you are enjoying Via's perspective and the author's decisions to write the way she did.
I wanted to take a moment and thank everyone who commented and those who watched the thread discussion. I hope you are able to read this book with others and with your church groups. I hope the discussion questions and thoughts were provoking you into deeper conversations about how the church can wonder with God.
It was a blessing and honor to moderate the book club this month. I look forward to what the September book holds for us all.
Grace and Peace, Lisa
Lisa, thank you for your leadership. When I was visiting with our 11 year old granddaughter last weekend, we were talking about what we are reading. I mentioned reading WONDER and she said "That's a great book." She had also read it. It was, she said, a good story about relationships among her peers.
Frank - The book has something for us all even at a young age. I'm glad she also enjoyed the book!
Wonder is about character August Pullman, who was born with a facial difference that, up until now, has prevented him from going to a mainstream school. Starting 5th grade at Beecher Prep, he wants nothing more than to be treated as an ordinary kid—but his new classmates can’t get past Auggie’s extraordinary face. Wonder begins from Auggie’s point of view, but soon switches to include his classmates, his sister, her boyfriend, and others. These perspectives converge in a portrait of one community’s struggle with empathy, compassion, and acceptance.
Please welcome Lisa Juica to the Austin Seminary Book Club!