Wishing and Hope
Wish by Barbara O'Connor explores the profound theme of wishing and hope, portraying them as vital forces in the life of eleven-year-old Charlie Reese. For Charlie, wishing is not mere fantasy but a crucial coping mechanism, a daily ritual fueled by her longing for a stable, loving family amidst turmoil. The novel delves into the essence of hope, questioning whether it is a passive, magical force or an active mindset that enables one to recognize happiness in unexpected forms. Ultimately, Wish suggests that true fulfillment lies not in passively wishing for an idealized past, but in actively embracing the present and the potential for love and connection it holds.
How It Develops
Charlie's understanding of wishing and hope evolves significantly throughout the narrative. Initially, her wishing is a rigid, almost superstitious practice aimed at reversing her past misfortunes. As she forms new relationships in Colby, her hope gradually shifts from a reliance on magical solutions to a recognition of tangible realities, culminating in the realization that her deepest wish has been granted in a way she never imagined.
At the beginning of the novel, Charlie's wishing is a compulsive, secret ritual. She adheres to a strict list of methods—11:11 on a clock, a penny, the first star—and feels panicked if she misses an opportunity. Her wish is always the same: for her family to be reunited and "fixed." This illustrates how, initially, Charlie's hope is tied to an external, magical force that she believes can reverse her circumstances.
As the story progresses, Charlie's sources of hope begin to diversify. The stray dog she names Wishbone becomes a physical embodiment of her hope, a tangible being she can care for and connect with. Her growing friendship with Howard Odom and the quiet kindness of Gus and Bertha provide real-world glimmers of stability and acceptance, subtly challenging her belief that happiness can only be found in her old life.
The climax of Charlie's journey occurs when she realizes that the loving, stable environment she has with Gus and Bertha is the family she was wishing for all along. This realization marks a significant shift in her understanding of hope, from a passive longing for the past to an active embrace of the present. In the final scene, she sees the first star but feels no need to make a wish, signifying that her hope has been fulfilled.
Key Examples
Several key moments throughout the book highlight Charlie's evolving relationship with wishing and hope:
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The Daily Ritual: From the very first chapter, Charlie's reliance on wishing is evident. After a difficult first day at her new school, she feels a sense of panic when she misses her chance to wish at 11:11. This compulsion reveals her deep-seated need for control and her belief in the power of wishing to alter her circumstances.
Dang it! I had missed 11:11.
I have a list of all the ways there are to make a wish... Now that I’d missed 11:11, I was going to have to find another way to get in my wish for the day. I hadn’t missed one single day of making my wish since the end of fourth grade, so I sure didn’t want to miss one now.
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Howard's Challenge: Her friendship with Howard forces her to confront the nature of her wishing. When she tells him about her daily ritual, he questions its effectiveness, which infuriates her because it challenges her only source of control. Howard's skepticism forces Charlie to defend her belief in wishing, revealing the vulnerability and desperation that underlie her practice.
“Well, if you’re making the same wish every time, it must not be coming true,” he said. “So what’s the point? Seems kind of dumb to me.”
I felt my face turning red and that familiar feeling of anger starting to churn in my stomach. “Because some day it will come true!” I hollered...
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A Wish Fulfilled: Howard reveals that his own wish was for Charlie to stay in Colby, demonstrating that hope can be about connection and friendship. This moment is a turning point for Charlie, helping her see that she is wanted and valued for who she is, not for who she used to be.
“’Cause that was the other part of my wish,” he said. “That day at the creek. I wished that you would be my friend and stay here in Colby.”
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The Final Realization: The book's conclusion beautifully illustrates Charlie's transformation. When presented with a final opportunity to make her wish, she understands she no longer needs to. This signifies that she has found the love and stability she was longing for, not through magic, but through the genuine connections she has forged in Colby.
Suddenly Bertha called out, “Star! First star! Everybody make a wish!”
I looked up at that star twinkling over the mountains, but instead of wishing, I just closed my eyes and breathed in the piney air.
My wish had finally come true.
Character Connections
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Charlie Reese: As the protagonist, Charlie is the embodiment of this theme. Her wishes are a direct reflection of her pain and her deep-seated hope for a family that is not "all broken." Her journey is about learning where to place that hope, and ultimately, finding it in the unexpected embrace of Gus and Bertha.
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Howard Odom: Howard serves as a contrast to Charlie. He initially states, "I don’t really have anything to wish for," because his life is already full of the love and security Charlie craves (Chapter 16-20 Summary). However, his eventual wish—for friendship with Charlie and for her to stay—shows that hope can be selfless and directed toward building a better future, not just clinging to a broken past.
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Gus and Bertha: They are the answer to Charlie's wish, though she doesn't realize it for most of the book. They provide the "stable family environment" she desperately hopes for, demonstrating that what we wish for may not arrive in the package we expect. Their unconditional love and acceptance gradually heal Charlie's wounds and allow her to embrace a new definition of family.
Symbolism
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Wishbone: The stray dog is the most powerful symbol of the theme. By giving him the name Wishbone, Charlie channels her abstract hope into a tangible creature she can love and care for. Catching and taming Wishbone is an active pursuit, marking her first step toward building a new life rather than just passively wishing for her old one to be restored.
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The List of Wishing Methods: Charlie's catalogue of superstitious ways to make a wish—the first star, 11:11, a penny, a four-leaf clover, the point of a pie slice—symbolizes her childlike attempt to create order and control in a chaotic world. These rituals give her a sense of agency when she feels powerless, but ultimately, she learns that true agency comes from within.
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The Garden of Blessings: The Sunday school activity where children write their blessings on paper flowers highlights Charlie's initial feelings of hopelessness. She feels she has no blessings to contribute. By the end, she realizes she has the most important blessing of all: a family (Chapter 21-25 Summary). This symbolizes her journey from feeling empty and deprived to recognizing the abundance of love and support in her life.
Contemporary Relevance
The theme of wishing and hope remains deeply relevant today. Many young people face challenging family dynamics, instability, and trauma. Charlie's reliance on wishing is a universal representation of a child's attempt to make sense of circumstances beyond their control. The story offers a powerful message of hope, showing that it is possible to heal and build a happy life even when one's original family structure fails. It validates the feelings of children in difficult situations while gently guiding the reader toward the understanding that love, friendship, and community are the true foundations of a fulfilling life. The novel champions the idea of the "found family"—that the people who love and care for you are your true family, regardless of blood ties.