Student Question

In Wonder, why does it take Auggie longer to realize the girl is screaming about his face and how has school changed him?

Quick answer:

It takes Auggie a few seconds to realize that the girl is screaming about his face because the kids at his school had stopped having such an averse reaction to his physical deformity and had started payindg more attention to him as a person. The other kids began to appreciate Auggie's fun, easygoing nature. They stopped playing the "Plague" game and began to accept Auggie.

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According to the text, the fifth graders of Beecher Prep enjoy a three-day stay at Broarwood Nature Reserve in Pennsylvania every spring.

One of the highlights of the stay is Big Movie Night, when the park plays a feature movie for the schools in attendance. This time, three schools participate in Broarwood's annual spring program. They are Beecher Prep School (the school Auggie attends), Glover Academy, and William Heath School.

During the movie, Jack tells Auggie that he has to relieve himself. He heads off to the trees at the edge of the field, past the orange cones. Although Auggie knows that students aren't supposed to go past the cones, he decides to follow Jack anyway.

As they emerge from the woods, the boys run into a group of kids from another school. They notice that these kids (four boys and two girls) smell like firecrackers and cigarettes. Almost immediately,...

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one of the girls begins screaming and holding her hand over her eyes.

Auggie doesn't immediately realize that his face is the reason for the girl's reaction. Here's why: Over the school year, the kids at Beecher Prep have come to learn an important lesson. Contrary to their expectations, Auggie has turned out to be nothing like they imagined.

It's Auggie's sense of humor and fun, easygoing nature that inspire the other kids to change their minds about him. As a result, they eventually stop taking Julian's side and cease playing a game called the "Plague." In the game, anyone who accidentally touches Auggie has only thirty seconds to wash their hands or use hand sanitizer before catching the plague.

So, as time progresses, Auggie begins to feel more comfortable in school. This is the main reason he doesn't initially realize what the girl is screaming about. It's only when one of the boys from the other school points to his face and calls him Gollum that Auggie finally realizes what's happening.

But, all is not lost. We learn what a difference Auggie has made at Beecher Prep when Miles, Henry, and Amos (his previous enemies) show up to defend him and Jack.

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