Previous
Amy Smith
Widely regarded as the “creepy” class loser amongst the seniors at Gordon High, Robert Billings is a painfully introverted young man who is growing up in the shadow of his beloved, successful older brother, a popular Gordon alum. As The Wave movement takes hold of the school, Robert comes out of his shell for the first time ever—and Ben Ross and the others students alike are surprised and even charmed by the changes in Robert’s personality as he becomes more outgoing and confident. When Robert is made a monitor, however, the power goes to his head—and he becomes one of the most regimented, even dangerous members of The Wave movement. When Ben Ross puts the movement to a stop, Robert is devastated and sits in the auditorium weeping alone long after the other students have cleared out and decided to try to “forget” about how intensely The Wave took hold of their school.
Robert Billings Quotes in The Wave
The The Wave quotes below are all either spoken by Robert Billings or refer to Robert Billings. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Chapter 11 Quotes
Today I found out that three of my friends joined after some other seniors talked to them. I saw that senior from Mr. Ross’s class in the hall and he asked if I had joined yet. I told him I didn’t intend to. He said if I didn’t join soon it would be too late.
All I want to know is: Too late for what?
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire The Wave LitChart as a printable PDF.
"My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." -Graham S.
Robert Billings Character Timeline in The Wave
The timeline below shows where the character Robert Billings appears in The Wave. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 1
...a tall, athletic running back for the football team—to finish setting up the projector. Next, Robert Billings—the class loser—trudges in. Robert is messily dressed and barely groomed, and Ross feels a...
(full context)
Chapter 2
...and Laurie Saunders, look visibly shaken and even tearful—but others seem bored or inattentive, and Robert Billings has actually fallen asleep. When Ross asks if anyone has questions about the documentary,...
(full context)
As Robert Billings wakes from his nap and hurries out of the classroom, Ross asks if the...
(full context)
Chapter 3
...David wolfs down his lunch. Laurie arrives and sits with him, and together they watch Robert struggle to find a place to sit. As Laurie picks at her lunch, David asks...
(full context)
The group’s attention once again shifts to Robert Billings, who is reading a comic book and dribbling food down his chin. Brian asks...
(full context)
Chapter 5
...students file into history class sluggishly as always. Brad sticks a “kick me” sign to Robert’s back, and many students distractedly stand around talking rather than taking their seats. As Ross...
(full context)
...moves through the aisles correcting those who slouch and complimenting those who sit up straight. Robert quickly adopts a perfect posture, and Ross holds the way he’s sitting up as an...
(full context)
...pride and accomplishment. After using the toilet and stepping out of his stall, David sees Robert Billings standing at the bathroom sink—practicing his snaps to attention and soundlessly moving his lips...
(full context)
Chapter 7
...thinks the experiment sounds “too militaristic,” but Laurie retorts that it’s “positive”—even the “class creep” Robert Billings has been picked on less and less over the last couple of days. Mrs....
(full context)
Chapter 8
...together at a long table. Brian, Brad, Amy, Laurie, and David are soon joined by Robert Billings, whom David welcomes warmly to their table. As the students discuss The Wave excitedly,...
(full context)
Laurie is about to argue with Robert—but realizes that in doing so, she’d undermine the sense of community The Wave has created...
(full context)
Chapter 9
...to her. Mrs. Saunders sits on Laurie’s bed and tells her that she ran into Robert Billings’s mother at the supermarket earlier—and was surprised to hear that Robert has been transformed...
(full context)
Chapter 11
...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...
(full context)
Chapter 14
David, Robert, and several other students read the new issue of The Grapevine together. David is concerned...
(full context)
Chapter 16
Mr. Ross orders Robert to take over class while he escorts Laurie and David to the principal’s office for...
(full context)
Chapter 17
...a quick good-luck kiss, and assures him that things will all go according to plan. Robert approaches Mr. Ross to tell him that he has stationed “guards” at all of the...
(full context)
...and tells the students that in just a few moments, their “leader” will address them. Robert turns on the television, which glows bright blue. Meanwhile, Laurie and David run around the...
(full context)
...him. Ross himself is about to leave the auditorium when he notices one student left behind—Robert is still staring in disbelief at the television set and sobbing. Ross approaches Robert and...
(full context)
