How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #1
Via doesn't see me as ordinary. She says she does, but if I were ordinary, she wouldn't feel like she needs to protect me as much. And Mom and Dad don't see me as ordinary, either. They see me as extraordinary. I think the only person in the world who realizes how ordinary I am is me. (1.Ordinary.4)
What does Auggie's family want to "protect him" from? And why do you think they don't recognize Auggie's ordinariness?
Quote #2
I like it when Mom tells this story because it makes me laugh so much. It's not funny in the way a joke is funny, but when Mom tells it, Via and I just start cracking up. (1.How I Came to Life.1)
When things are really heavy, laughter can lighten the load. It's not that the Pullmans bury their painful memories and moments—rather, the family makes a point of remembering their stories in ways that emphasizes the humor of a given situation.
Quote #3
"We can't keep protecting him," Mom whispered to Dad, who was driving. "We can't just pretend he's going to wake up tomorrow and this isn't going to be his reality, because it is, Nate and we have to help him learn to deal with it. We can't just keep avoiding situations that…" (1.Driving.3)
Auggie's parents are struggling with the prospect of sending him to school. They know it will be hard for Auggie to deal with kids' reactions, and hard for him to figure out how to fit in. But he has his whole life ahead of him, so the sooner he learns to win people over, the better.