'WONDER' (TALES OF INCLUSIVITY) #Blogchatter #WriteAPageADay

                                                  Jacob Tremblay as Auggie Pullman
 

*Spoiler Alert for those who have not watched the movie ‘Wonder’!

Have you ever walked into a room, and had the chatter come to a stop? Where the silence speaks volumes, as you try and find a familiar face? A welcoming smile? Then the whispers begin to make their way across the room, but each time you look for the source, there is a sudden cessation, and yet another silence that speaks volumes.

Often, this happens amongst children when a newcomer comes into their lives, especially one who looks different. Maybe a newcomer who has never attended school before because he looks different, which is not his fault at all.

This is the premise of the beautiful movie ‘Wonder’ based on the novel by R J Palacio that came out in 2017. The movie was directed by Stephen Chbosky and had amazing actors like Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. However, it was young Jacob Tremblay who stole the show with his sensitive portrayal of the ten-year-old August ‘Auggie’ Pullman, suffering from a condition called the Treacher Collins Syndrome. Born with the congenital condition which manifested as a rare facial deformity, mandibulofacial dysostosis, the boy had undergone 27 surgeries just so that he could see, smell, hear and speak normally.

Auggie has been home schooled from the start and is an extraordinarily intelligent boy. When he reaches middle school, his parents, Nate and Isabel, feel that it is time he went to school and interacted with other children. The movie revolves around Auggie’s experiences in school, how he is ostracized for how he looks and bullied by Julian who lets no opportunity to mock the newcomer go by.

Auggie finally makes a friend, Jack, who finds him rather cool, but when Jack too pokes fun at him, Auggie is crushed. He finds a new friend in Summer, who helps him to blossom out. Jack realizes that he has been unfair to Auggie and apologizes to him. They turn into a whiz team together.

The story throws up another aspect as well. It is not only those who look different who face problems. Auggie’s sister, Via, also faces rejection from her best friend, Miranda, who returns from summer camp and stops talking to her. Via turns to Justin, who is part of her Drama club, and ends up having a relationship with him.

At the end of the day, things get better for both Auggie and Via, relationships come back to normal and the bully, Julian, receives his just desserts and turns over a new leaf.

A movie like this turns from good to brilliant when it encapsulates poignant moments that touch hidden chords. There is no melodrama, only truth, and as the movie progresses, one tends to fall in love with Auggie. His looks matter no longer, and it is his resilience and his courage that define him and help him to overcome all his challenges. No one is surprised when he receives the Henry Ward Beecher Medal at the graduation ceremony and the whole school applauds him.

At the end, when he delivers his acceptance speech, based on something his understanding teacher, Mr. Browne said in class, it forms the perfect end to a story that stresses on inclusivity. There is a moment of silence as Auggie says,

“Be kind, for everyone is fighting a hard battle. And if you really want to see what people are, all you have to do is look.”

Trivia about the movie:

a.     The feature film adaptation of the book ‘Wonder’ was by Lionsgate.

b.     Auggie’s prosthetic make-up was elaborate and took one and a half hours to apply.

c.     R J Palacio spoke of Natalie Merchant’s song ‘Wonder’ from her album Tigerlily as the inspiration behind her book that turned into an instant best seller.

d.    The movie went on to garner a number of nominations, including a nomination for Best Make Up and hairstyling at the 90^th Academy Awards.

e.     The cast was outstanding – Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson as Auggie (Jacob Tremblay’s) parents, Noah Jupe as Jack Will, Izabela Vidovic as Via and Daveed Diggs as Mr. Browne.

‘  'Wonder’ is a moving film that shows that with compassion and acceptance from the community, people who are different can be aided to stand out, instead of blending in and fading away. The title is outstanding because it makes the viewers wonder that if, given the same circumstances, would they be able to react and overcome challenges in the same manner.

Movie Trailer (2017): ‘You Are a Wonder’.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASAGdtAJPnU

Word Count: 764 words