Previous
August: Driving
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Wonder, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Difficulty of Kindness
Independence and Growing Up
Status and Bullying
Identity
Parenting and Guidance
Summary
Analysis
August explains that he wasn't nervous about meeting Mr. Tushman because he didn't know that he'd also be meeting other kids. He and Mom arrive at Beecher Prep a few weeks before school starts, and August immediately starts giggling at the sight of Mr. Tushman. He looks perfectly normal and greets August kindly. Mom reminds August not to mumble, and Mr. Tushman suggests a tour of the school. August again feels betrayed at this unexpected turn of events, but he takes Mom's hand and follows her into the school.
August's sense of betrayal suggests that Mom may have intentionally withheld details of what this meeting might hold in the hopes that August would go along with it in the moment. Essentially, Mom is encouraging August to behave maturely by putting him in a situation where it would be extremely obvious if he doesn't do what she wants him to do.
Themes
