Wonder

Auggie’s favorite holiday is Halloween because he gets to wear a costume and mask. Early in the novel, Auggie says, “I get to go around like every other kid with a mask and nobody thinks I look weird. Nobody takes a second look. Nobody notices me. Nobody knows me” (73). Though only 10 years old, Auggie astutely reasons that humankind would benefit by getting to know each other without judging based on looks.  

Daisy is a stray dog that Auggie’s father rescued when she was young. She is the backbone of the family, and her death hits every member in the Pullman family hard. Daisy symbolizes unconditional love: She loves Auggie regardless of what he looks like. In Via’s words, “The only celestial body that doesn’t orbit August the Sun is Daisy the dog, and that’s only because to her little doggy eyes, August’s face doesn’t look very different from any other human’s face” (82). Daisy’s love also gives Auggie courage to be himself out in the world. When Auggie feels apprehension about staying away from home for the first time, envisioning Daisy calms him.