Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Wave, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Groupthink and Coercion
History and the Past
Equality vs. Independence
Education
Summary
Analysis
The next morning, Laurie finds a plain envelope slid under the door of the Grapevine office. Inside is a handwritten story and a note—the note says that the story enclosed has been written anonymously. The title of the story is “Welcome to the Wave—or Else,” and it details the experience of a Gordon High junior who was recently bullied by a senior who wanted him to join The Wave. The student is concerned by how many of his friends have been coerced into joining—and by Wave members’ threats that soon, it will be “too late” for non-members. Laurie is deeply concerned by the story.
Laurie has been worried that she’s all alone in her fears about The Wave—this story, though, shows her that she’s not. The fact that it’s written anonymously tells her that people are scared of The Wave—another reason Laurie believes it needs to be stopped before it threatens the safety and comfort of any more students.
Themes
On the day of the Wave rally and the football game, Ben Ross watches as some students put up a large Wave banner in the hall. Further down the hall, Brad and Eric are passing out Wave pamphlets and shouting the Wave motto at passing students. Ross feels nervous and overwhelmed by the students’ “untethered energy.” As he continues down the hall, he notices that Robert Billings is following him. When he asks Robert what he’s doing, Robert explains he has appointed himself Ross’s “bodyguard.” Ross is shocked by how The Wave has “taken on a life of its own”—but nonetheless consents to Robert being his bodyguard. Ross reasons that having one will help maintain the “image” of Ross as the Wave’s leader—and the only person, perhaps, who can keep the movement in check.
Just as Laurie is beginning to realize how dangerous The Wave might become, Ben Ross is concerned by the militaristic bent things are taking on. He wanted to teach his students about discipline, community, and action—but for all his wife’s jokes about having created a “monster,” he’s starting to realize that Christy’s worst fears about The Wave could actually be true.
Themes
