Wonder

Justin gives Via a heart necklace for Valentine’s Day, and she gives him a messenger bag that she’s made from old C.D.s. Though he thinks she’ll do well as an artist, Via wants to be a scientist. “she wants to find cures for people like her brother, i guess” (190). Justin is nervous because he’s going to meet Via’s parents for dinner. Though he has nervous tics and is shy, the dinner goes smoothly. Justin feels comfortable with Via’s family. They’re so much more loving and welcoming than his own family. His family never asks about his future, and they probably don’t know that he plays the fiddle now instead of the baroque violin. He goes back to Via’s house so that they can all have ice cream, and he meets Daisy. As Via’s mother cleans up Daisy’s mess (she threw up in the hallway), Via’s dad tells him the story of how he rescued Daisy from a homeless man who couldn’t take care of her. Justin also likes how everyone in Via’s family says how much they love each other, which is something he hasn’t heard from his family in a long time. By the time he leaves, all of his tics have stopped.

Justin and Via try out for lead roles in their school’s spring production of Our Town. Via dares him to, and though he does, he gets picked and she doesn’t. Justin finds it strange that a beautiful girl like Via doesn’t get the role, and he wonders if she blew the audition on purpose. Their drama teacher, Mr. Davenport, is a bit intense. They’ve only six weeks to get the play together, and they had to switch the play from The Elephant Man to Our Town, so the teacher is especially stressed.

While Via helps Justin memorize lines for the play, a ladybug alights near them and Via cups it in her hands. She tells him to make a wish. He does, and she makes one too, but she neither tells him hers nor asks him what he wished for.

As Justin prepares to leave Via’s house, her mother asks him if he can walk Jack Will to the bus stop and wait until the bus comes. Though Jack Will protests, Justin agrees and walks him there in silence. Jack Will then goes across the street to buy gum. Justin notes a group of boys walk by and then double back, and when Jack Will reappears, they begin making noises at him, then run away. When Justin asks about it, Jack Will is dismissive of the whole thing. He simply says they’re kids from school who are in a “war” with him. When Justin suggests telling his teachers, Jack Will looks at him like he’s daft. Justin eventually figures out that they’re most likely making fun of him for being friends with Auggie. After Jack Will boards the bus and leaves, Justin finds the group of kids and pretends like he has a gun and threatens them, telling them to leave Jack Will alone.

Justin’s having a hard time memorizing some of his lines, so Via suggests he have his fiddle with him. It’s comforting, and if he needs time to remember a line, he can just strum the fiddle until her remembers. Mr. Davenport loves the idea of “an extra-folksy element” (200) and agrees. Justin admits that he likes “the pink-haired girl” (200) playing Emily (whom the reader knows is Miranda). Miranda informs Justin that she not only knows Auggie but that she used to be best friends with Via. Justin is shocked, but he doesn’t let on that Via has never mentioned Miranda.

When Justin confronts Via about not telling him about Miranda, she tells him it’s not a big deal. He presses the subject, however, and Via begins crying. She finally admits that she’s not crying about Justin or Miranda. She’s crying because she hasn’t told her family about the play. She knows that if she does, they’ll come watch and bring Auggie. Her high school experience has so far not included Auggie, and she doesn’t want everyone labeling her as the girl whose brother looks different. She feels terrible for being such a mean person to her brother, but Justin comforts her by reminding her how what a caring person she is. He hugs her and shelters her in his embrace as if she’s a baby bird.

Justin is having trouble sleeping. He can’t help thinking about homework, the play, and Auggie. He wonders about the universe and luck, and considers that people get lottery tickets at birth and some just come out less fortunate. Then he calms down and realizes something more uplifting about the universe: “it takes care of its most fragile creations in ways we can’t see” (204). He thinks about good friends and caring parents, as well as loving significant others. In the end, thinks Justin, “the universe takes care of all its birds” (204).