Wonder Discussion Questions (Via)
Name: _______________________ Class #: _______ ( )
Please answer the following questions in complete sentences.
You should type your answer in the boxes provided.
A Tour of the Galaxy
1. “And this is the way it's always been for me, for the little universe of us. But this year there
seems to be a shift in the cosmos. The galaxy is changing. Planets are falling out of alignment.
What purpose does this closing paragraph serve?
The closing paragraph foreshadows that something unusual will happen, because ‘But this year
there seems to be a shift in the cosmos. The galaxy is changing.’ It helps to make the passage
interesting and hooks the reader. It also makes the reader wonder why the ‘planets are falling out
of alignment’.
Before August
2. “After that I never so much as touched or mentioned Lilly ever again.”
Why does Via make that clear at the end of the passage?
Because Via doesn’t want Auggie to know that she thought that he looked different than others at
first, and she also didn’t want to ever remember how different he looked than a “normal” person.
Also, after Auggie was born he became the centre of the family’s attention. Via devotes herself
to her brother and Lily doesn’t matter as much anymore. This is also Via’s way of showing her
loyalty to Auggie, that she chooses him over the doll that she loved.
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Seeing August
3. “I never used to see August the way other people saw him. I knew he didn't look exactly
normal, but I really didn't understand why strangers seemed so shocked when they saw him.
Horrified. Sickened. Scared. There are so many words I can use to describe the looks on
people's faces.”
How does the author convey Via’s tone?
The author puts full stops between ‘horrified’, ‘sickened’ and ‘scared’ to convey that Via is using
an upset tone. This can enable readers to stop while reading and focus on the negativity of the
words.
4. Describe August and Via’s grandmother.
Their grandmother is considerate, supportive, wise and loving, she made it clear to Via that she’s
looking out for her in particular, since she recognises that Via doesn’t have the parental support
she truly desires. She understands that Via needs someone to whom she can be cherished and
loved. She loves both but gives enough care and attention to Via who lacks those. Auggie’s
parents put Auggie in the number one priority and unintentionally put Via by the side so their
grandmother is wise enough to see this.
August Through the Peephole
5. What does this passage reveal about the relationship between Via and her brother?
This passage reveals the close relationship between Via and her brother. It is stated that Via
knows how he feels by reading his expressions. However, she also thinks others are being
over-protective to Auggie. She thinks Auggie needs to grow up and express his feelings with his
own words.
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High School
6. “I always hated that word, but I knew it was how people described Auggie.”
Which word is Via referring to and what implication does it carry?
The word is “deformed”. It has a negative connotation, implying that there was something wrong
with the way he looks, and Via hates it.
Major Tom
7. How does the author show that Via was upset?
The sentences “I could feel my face getting hot, my smile being fake” and “I felt a lump in my
throat” show that Via was upset and she was on the verge of tears.
After School
8. “‘We stopped for pizza.’ Incredible how easily a lie can slip through your lips.”
Why does Via lie in the above excerpt?
It is because she doesn’t want Mom to know she took the subway instead of having Miranda’s
mom drive her home. Her lie convinced her mom that she took a long time because Via and
Miranda stopped for pizza.
An Apparition at the Door
9. Explain the title of this passage.
Apparition means ghostlike figures. This chapter is about Via waking up in the middle of the
night and seeing Mom standing outside Auggie’s room, listening to him sleep. Via thought she
looked like a ghost (or an angel). She thought about how many nights the “ghost” had stood
outside Auggie’s door and wondered whether if the “ghost” had ever stood outside her door.
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Genetics 101
10. “And I carry it, too.”
Why is this a separate paragraph?
This is a separate paragraph because she wanted to emphasise that she also has one copy of the
gene herself too, and she is also afraid that when she has kids of her own, they would have the
gene too.
Out with the old
11. “I gained entry through Eleanor to the smart-kids' table at lunch.”
Explain the choice of the term “gained entry”.
Gained entry means she gained permission to be with the “smart kids” since she was friends with
Eleanor and Eleanor had always been a very smart girl.
