From Transition to Transformation: Liminality, Mask, and Identity in R. J. Palacio «Wonder»

Abstract

The article investigates the separation of the protagonist August Pullman in the novel Wonder written by R. J.Palacio from his previous world that is his home, and the reintegration in his society. This study is made in the lence of literary criticism. It is devoted to trace functions of liminality and the psychological development in the fictional postmodern novel Wonder. As almost all the postmodern children’s novels, Wonder mainly revolves and sheds light on the protagonist’s change of identity. Using the psychoanalysis approach and the theory by Carl Jung of introversion and extroversion, the article analysis how August manages to figure out how to bridge the gap between the sorts of person he feels, and the kind of person the rest of the world sees him. It depicts his journey of looking for his real identity. The article aims at depicting the journey of the hero crossing the threshold seeking for social acceptance. Furthermore, it depicts the development of the hero’s identity from an introvert to an extrovert kid. The novelty lies in employing the concept of liminality interrelated with psychoanalytic theory in the study of the novel. The result shows that the novel is an instance of liminality and introversion/extroversion through the application of anthropological concept of the Rites de Passage and liminality in parallel with the use of the theoretical approach of C. G. Jung’s psychoanalysis of introversion and extroversion. Eventually, the protagonist’s personality is developed through out the story in parallel with his reintegration in his society.