Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Wonder, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
The Difficulty of Kindness
Independence and Growing Up
Status and Bullying
Identity
Parenting and Guidance
Summary
Analysis
Via doesn't remember life before August, but she's seen pictures of herself and her parents before he arrived. She can tell from the pictures that the entire family doted on her. She also doesn't remember when August came home from the hospital, but family members say she was confused that he didn't look like the baby doll Grans had given her to practice being a big sister. After a little while, Via warmed up to August and never mentioned her doll again.
Even before August's birth, Via’s family set her up to be a caretaker for her little brother by having her practice caring for a baby doll. This suggests that her family places a great deal of value in caring for others—so much so that they're willing to push their four-year-old into being a caretaker as well.
Themes
