The Inevitable Act of Change

In both, “Wonder” and “George”, two realistic fictional stories, feature similar concepts on what defines us as human beings. It’s who we really are, our inner emotions, our inner feelings, and that we should learn to apprehend consequences. We can understand and acknowledge the fact that in Wonder and George, everyone is different as an individual. In Wonder, we can see how August desperately wants to change his face so he can be normal. Similarly, in George, George wants to change his/her body image and personality to achieve and gain newer opportunities. This shows that in both texts, there is a strong feeling in both characters, that change is the only solution for success. Now you might believe that change is an inevitable action that can be beneficial as it makes us take risks, makes us more independent, but the truth of the matter is that being who we are, is good enough in life. So now what is true in both texts is that, facing reality and accepting the bitter truth is the most toughest act to do. If we change, then who are we.

At the beginning of the book, August is shown to be a character who is shy and depressed because of the harsh comments made by people referring about his face. As we know, August was born with a distorted face and has gone through many surgeries, and yet people, still make fun of him. Additionally, George is shown to be a mixed feeling type of character who struggles to choose who she really is. At school, George’s teacher announces that their class play is going to be Charlotte’s Web and George really wants to play Charlotte, but, is then rejected from her teacher because she is a boy. A person and a rejection should not stand in the way of achieving our own dreams just because we are different. “Someday, somehow, George is going to tell mom that she is a girl, but this was not the day” This quote shows what kind of a character George is, from burying the fact that she wanted to tell her mother, she was a girl.

In George and Wonder, the two characters, August and George have different issues and difficulties but overall, they somehow connect to each other. August can easily relate to George as they both know that they are going through an extremely tough phase and are unable to decide their path. The more we hide, the more we add insult to injury. In Wonder, we can seem to realise that August does not want to be judged by how he normally acts, but in George, she wants a chance to be judged to prove that there is nothing wrong in a boy playing the role of the opposite sex in the school play.

By the same token, we can visualise the similar symbols being shown as a crucial role in both texts. In Wonder, Palacio uses the concept of masks and helmets to symbol August’s anonymity to the outside world, because, he gets a chance to show people who August Plaman really is. Likewise, in George, Gino uses the idea of telephone poles to show the sheer desire George craves for and that is to change her whole image, and to also show who she really is. “George stared out the backseat window, counting telephone poles. When she was little, her grandfather told her that if you count one hundred telephone poles, one day, an electric fairy would come and grant one wish” This quote proves how August and George are similar because even August wishes he could be someone else.

With all things considered, these aspects conclude and show how August and George go on living their lives similarly. From masks and helmets to telephone poles, there will always be one main idea connecting the two factors, whether if it is separating the fiction world to reality.