How we cite our quotes: (Part.Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
They would take the longest way around me to avoid bumping into me in any way, like I had some germ they could catch, like my face was contagious. (1.Wake Me Up When September Ends.2)
Great—now kids are treating him like he's contagious. The absence of normal human contact creates both physical and emotional isolation, and touch is actually an essential human need.
Quote #5
I noticed not too long ago that even though people were getting used to me, no one would actually touch me. I didn't realize this at first because it's not like kids go around touching each other that much in middle school anyway. (1.The Cheese Touch.1)
This entire chapter—"The Cheese Touch"—catalogues instances of kids freaking out about the possibility of having to touch Auggie, or dealing with the "emergency" of accidentally having brushed against him. So while the kids of Beecher Prep are getting used to the way he looks, they sure aren't working toward accepting him—instead they're working to keep him apart.
Quote #6
I've always understood that August is special and has special needs. […] If I wanted Mom and Dad to watch me play soccer, I knew that nine out of ten times they'd miss it because they were busy shuttling August to speech therapy or physical therapy or a new specialist or a surgery. (2.A Tour of the Galaxy.2)
Although August's isolation is the most marked and intense in the story, other characters struggle with their own versions of it. August's sister, Via, has been constantly eclipsed by August. His greater needs have simply resulted in Via often being the only person taking care of Via.