August Pullman Point Of View Analysis

I am really enjoying this novel so far. In the first paragraph of the novel the author uses a first person point of view to disclose that the protagonist, August Pullman, has some sort of facial deformity as he wishes that “I had a normal face that no one ever notices at all” (3). I immediately knew that I would be taking a journey with this character through his eyes to see how he navigates through the outside world’s reactions and judgements of his differences. Fortunately, August has a supportive family who loves him and makes him feel not just ordinary, but “extraordinary” (3). As he describes his many surgeries and the reasons why he does not go to regular school, I began to think about how sheltered his life has been and if he is ready …show more content…
I was so relieved for him, but he continually encounters people seeing him for the first time and dealing with it internally. Halloween was coming up, which makes him so excited because it is the one day that he can be just like anybody else. Unfortunately, his mask hid his identity too well because he overheard his new best friend, Jack saying mean things about him. I was disappointed in Jack and devastated for August. This is where the novel switches points of view and we are introduced to his sister, Via’s inner thoughts and experiences. It was eye opening to get a different perspective about August’s circumstances. Her needs and feelings are always put aside because August requires most of her parents’ attention. For a ninth grader she is extremely mature and understanding, but it made me sad that she is not getting the attention she deserves. She’s three years older than August and has no memory of life before him. Via is affected by August’s condition because she is labeled the girl with the “deformed” brother (91). I can see how she is affected emotionally by his condition and why she feels the way she does about it. I wasn’t ready to emotionally become attached to this story, but Via grabbed my heart. When she describes her relationship with her grandmother who passed away, I stopped reading and cried for a few minutes. It was heartbreaking that she lost the one person who put her first in her life. The next chapter is titled after August’s new lunch buddy, Summer. At this point, I can see how the author is developing a connection between the characters and how each one of them respond to August. Summer is a sweet girl and I think she has a strong sense of herself for a middle schooler and stands up for what she thinks is the right thing to do. She genuinely likes August and is a true friend to him. She informs the reader about all of the behind the scenes reactions at the school