We are in the middle of reading R.J. Palacio’s now well-known book, Wonder. Some of us have finished reading it on our own. Some have even already been to see the movie, which is never as good as the book, right‽ As a group, however we are currently in the section from Jack’s perspective.
Jack is an interesting character. They all are, but what I find interesting about Jack is the particular set of flaws and challenges he has. Jack’s flaws are different from and less obvious maybe than August’s or less infuriating than Julian’s, but he has them. I find Jack’s challenges interesting to think about because they are familiar and common. How does one actually manage to do the right thing when it would require confronting friends and other peers, would draw a lot of attention and could mean being excluded?
Conflict is unpleasant, but to take on the kind of confrontation Jack might face were he to take a stand and declare his loyalties, especially as an adolescent when peers, friendships and social standing take on new significance, would require not only courage but the ability to think clearly and weigh big issues. Are there any of us who hasn’t avoided having an unpleasant conversation? It might be easy, reading a story, to decide what a character should have done, and that’s one great reason to read novels. Characters & stories give us a chance to think through conflicts that help us figure out who we are and who we want to be. But if I was facing Jack’s situation, as a 5th-grader, I’m not sure exactly how I would have dealt with it. I would hope I’d have done the right thing, but doing the right thing when we are called to act and in the face of all the complications of relationships & emotions is not so easy.
I do think Jack deserves a little of our scorn, but I wouldn’t want to be too quick to condemn him for having a very normal difficulty negotiating the kind of challenge we are all likely to struggle with. His character, his situation, and this whole story all help me reflect on important matters, and that is what draws my interest.
I’d like to know which characters you find particularly interesting. Who do you think is facing a particularly interesting challenge that wouldn’t be so easy to handle? What do you hope you might have done in the same situation? What do you hope the character would have done or will do?
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