Marcelo in the Real World is a novel by Franciso Stork, published in 2009. The book follows a seventeen-year-old autistic boy named Marcelo Sandoval. After many years in school for special needs children, Marcello's father has him work at his law firm to get experience in the "real world." There he meets Jasmine, a caring supervisor, and Wendell, a greedy and immature young man obsessed with Jasmine. The story follows Marcelo as he is exposed to society's hypocrisies and suffering, eventually reemerging a changed but optimistic person.
Critics said that Marcelo in the Real World deals with issues such as hypocrisy in society, morale, and sacrifice.“Stork’s story lends itself to classroom discussion about hypocrisy in society. In some ways, Marcelo’s journey parallels the life of Siddhartha Gautama,” said Sari Grandstaff, a member of the Saugerties Teachers Association. According to Ilene Cooper, “Marcelo must decide whether to follow his conscience and try to right the wrong even as he realizes that decision will bring irrevocable changes to his life and to his relationship with his father.”
Francisco X. Stork himself said in an interview that Marcelo“is not acquainted with suffering,” and his world would be described as “a saint’s world ‘before the fall’.” The author also said the novel addresses the following questions: "Why is there suffering? What does it mean to have knowledge of good and evil?” Another reviewer noticed that Marcelo expresses “a moral sensibility that ultimately thwarts a bully.” Lastly and “most important, he learns that sometimes being uncomfortable, or even miserable, can inspire a person to do great things."
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