Final answer:
In 'Wonder', Maya fears catching the plague, reflecting historical and modern concerns about contagious diseases in dense populations.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the book Wonder, the character Maya was afraid she might catch the plague from someone, illustrating a common fear of infectious diseases when in contact with those from urban societies. This fear is historically founded as before contact with such people, there were not enough humans living together to support pathogenic microbes like the plague. Similar fears are echoed in contemporary society with concerns about diseases like measles, which has seen a resurgence due to under vaccination. This fear of infectious diseases, even those thought controlled or eradicated, remains topical in literature and public health discourse.