R J Palacio Character Analysis

R.J. Palacio’s young adult fiction Wonder, is based on a young boy, named August, with facial deformities as her experiences his first year in a proper academic atmosphere entering middle school, as well as the people that make an impact on his life. His sister, Olivia, also referred to as Via, is one of the people. Who not only makes an impact on his story in his first year of school, but also his life by loving him unconditionally. Despite his appearance Via has been the only one who can provide him with advice and perspective that adults cannot (Gundersen). Via is a supporting character with long, wavy, dark hair and blue eyes, who becomes a memorable character in Wonder for her independence, selflessness and introverted personality. A substantial part of Via’s character is her ability to stand on her own, At the

Palacio adds a quote from David Bowie’s, “Space Oddity,” which reads, “Far above the world. Planet Earth is blue. And there’s nothing I can do,” (Palacio, 81). The 1969 Bowie song about an astronaut who decides to stay in space rather than return to Earth, is something Palacio believes resonates with Via’s character. Via is torn between her own version of returning to Earth, where Auggie inhibits, and choosing the freedom of space, where she can be free from Auggie while experiencing a world beyond him and cannot be defined by him, which illustrates the biggest part of her character, independence (Annotations). Although many teenagers can say this about themselves, she defines the meaning of independence. She understood early on that her brother required special attention. As a young girl Olivia began figuring things out by herself, building her own toys, remembering friends’ birthdays and doing her homework by herself even when she needed assistance (Palacio, 83). Olivia’s independence is a definite strength,