The Wave

by

Todd Strasser

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Groupthink and Coercion Theme Analysis

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Todd Strasser’s The Wave fictionalizes the true story of a high school history class’s social experiment gone wrong. When Ben Ross struggles to explain to his students, perturbed by their studies of the Holocaust, how ordinary Germans could have allowed themselves to be swept up in the violence and hatred of the Nazi Party, he decides to show his seniors firsthand just how powerful groupthink can be. As Ross’s experiment slides off the rails, Strasser argues that groupthink and coercion, when deployed hand-in-hand, can steer even the most well-intended individuals in the direction of cruelty and blind conformity.

The Wave experiment starts innocently enough—as an exercise in the power of groupthink and collective focus. Ben Ross conceives of The Wave as a simple classroom exercise that demands discipline and conformity. He wants to show his students how thinking and moving as a group or unit is appealing, and how the mindlessness of groupthink dulls individuals to their collective’s actions. He urges them to stand beside their desks and address him as “Mr. Ross” before and after answering a question, and also runs drills with them to see how fast they can file out of the classroom and then file back into it and find their seats at their desks. The students are seemingly grateful for the discipline, and work together to impress Ross and implement his rules beyond the bounds of the classroom. As Ross realizes the effect the experiment is having on his students’ productivity and attentiveness as the days go by, he decides to expand The Wave by printing membership cards and implementing a Wave “salute.” Even as the experiment veers frighteningly close to resembling the Nazi Party in earnest, Ross is proud of how his students are tearing down the social boundaries and cliques that once defined their high school and seemingly pursuing a collective good over individual glory.

Before long, however, the groupthink and collective action that define The Wave begin to give way to mindless cruelty and blind pursuit of total conformity—and Ben Ross realizes before even his students do that he has answered their questions about just how Nazis were able to thoughtlessly perpetrate violence, cruelty, and murder. When Wave members begin harassing non-Wave members into joining—and even don armbands bearing the Wave logo to more easily identify themselves to one another—it becomes clear that things have gone too far. Ross, however, fears he will be unable to stop the literal and metaphorical “wave” he has created.

When a Jewish student at Gordon High is beaten and called a “dirty Jew,” Ross admits to himself that he’s unsure whether the attack was Wave-related or simply a random act of violence—and the thought that it could be the former shakes him to his core. Ross sees clearly just how powerful The Wave has become, and how his students have veered from collective action into coercion and, ultimately, into violence without even realizing the groupthink at the heart of their school’s rapid shift. Some students, like Laurie Saunders, notice that the experiment is out of control—as she begs her best friend Amy to renounce her “obsession” with The Wave, she tries to point out that “No one is thinking for themselves anymore,” and Gordon High’s students have become “a flock of sheep.” Amy revealingly confesses that she sees what’s happening—and likes it. She’s happy that for the first time, “no one [at Gordon] is better than anyone else.” This twist in the narrative shows that it’s not that groupthink sneaks up on people, infiltrating their brains without their permission or attention—rather, it’s that the strategic advantages of groupthink are, for some people, more appealing than acting as an individual or doing what’s right. Coercion and violence become a tool of the collective as they pursue maintenance of the status quo.

After revealing to his students the true “leader” of The Wave—Adolf Hitler himself—Ross suggests that the most violent and effusive Wave participants showed themselves to be susceptible to the kind of blind obedience that defined the Nazi Party and other soulless regimes like it throughout history. As Ross’s final Wave rally draws to a close, he urges his students to take responsibility for their actions, to “always question what [they] do rather than blindly follow a leader,” and to “never, ever allow a group’s will to usurp your individual rights.”

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Groupthink and Coercion ThemeTracker

The ThemeTracker below shows where, and to what degree, the theme of Groupthink and Coercion appears in each chapter of The Wave. Click or tap on any chapter to read its Summary & Analysis.
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Groupthink and Coercion Quotes in The Wave

Below you will find the important quotes in The Wave related to the theme of Groupthink and Coercion.
Chapter 2 Quotes

“How could the Germans sit back while the Nazis slaughtered people all around them and say they didn’t know about it? How could they do that?” […]

“All I can tell you,” Ben said, “is that the Nazis were highly organized and feared. The behavior of the rest of the German population is a mystery—why they didn’t try to stop it, how they could say they didn’t know. We just don’t know the answers.”

Eric’s hand was up again. […] “I would never let such a small minority of people rule the majority.”

“Yeah,” said Brad. “I wouldn’t let a couple of Nazis scare me into pretending I didn’t see or hear anything.”

After Ben Ross shows his senior history students a film about the Holocaust, their reactions range from disinterested to deeply disturbed. Laurie Saunders is the most perturbed member of the class, unable to understand how the Nazis could “slaughter” Jews, Roma, and homosexual and disabled individuals in their death camps—and how ordinary Germans could stand by while the atrocities occurred. This exchange between Laurie, Ross, and two other members of the class, Brad and Eric, sets up many of the fundamental thematic questions that The Wave will investigate. The bystander phenomenon as well as the dangers of groupthink are at the heart of the classroom experiment that Ross will soon devise to give his students a “taste” of life in Nazi Germany—and though Eric and Brad claim they would never let a “small minority” rule them or “scare them into” doing certain things, both boys will soon become dedicated members of a movement that thrives on conformity, coercion, and intimidation. Ross’s students claim to be baffled by the social and moral breakdowns that allowed the Nazis to take control of Germany, but ultimately, the novel will show just how susceptible even these well-informed and seemingly autonomous students are to the dangers of groupthink, blind allegiance, and historical amnesia.

Related Characters: Laurie Saunders (speaker), Ben Ross (speaker), Brad (speaker), Eric (speaker)
Page Number: 13
Chapter 4 Quotes

Suppose, [Ross] thought, just suppose he took a period, perhaps two periods, and tried an experiment. Just tried to give his stu­dents a sampling, a taste of what life in Nazi Germany might have been like. If he could just fig­ure out how it could be done, how the experiment could be run, he was certain it would make far more of an impression on the students than any book explanation could ever make. It certainly was worth a try.

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker)
Page Number: 26
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 5 Quotes

He had told his wife how surprisingly enthusiastic his students had been that afternoon, but he had not told her that he too had gotten caught up in it. It would almost be embarrassing to admit that he could get swept up in such a simple game. But yet on reflection he knew that he had. The fierce exchange of questions and answers, the quest for perfect discipline—it had been infectious […] Interesting, he thought as he got into bed.

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker), Christy Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 40
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 6 Quotes

“This will be our symbol. A wave is a pattern of change. It has movement, direction, and impact. From now on, our community, our movement will be known as The Wave.” He paused and looked at the class standing at stiff attention, accepting everything he told them. “And this will be our salute,” he said, cupping his right hand in the shape of a wave, then tapping it against his left shoulder and holding it upright. “Class, give the salute,” he ordered.

The class gave the salute.

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 43
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 7 Quotes

“My mother says [The Wave] sounds like brainwashing to her,” Laurie said.

“What?”

“She says Mr. Ross is manipulating us.”

“She’s crazy,” David said. “How could she know? And besides, what do you care what your mother says? You know she worries about everything.”

Related Characters: Laurie Saunders (speaker), David Collins (speaker), Ben Ross, Mrs. Saunders
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 56
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 9 Quotes

Ben noticed a marked improvement in preparation for class and in class participation, but he also noticed that there was less thinking behind the preparation. His students could glibly spit back answers as if by rote, but there was no analysis, no questioning on their part.

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 66
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 10 Quotes

Ben stepped out into the hall and started down toward the principal’s office. On the way more than a dozen students paused to give him The Wave salute. He returned them and continued quickly, wondering what [Principal] Owens was going to say. In one sense, if Owens was going to tell him that there had been complaints and that he should stop the experiment, Ross knew he would feel some relief.

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker), Principal Owens
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 75
Explanation and Analysis:
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: Laurie Saunders, Ben Ross, Robert Billings
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 82
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 12 Quotes

“That guy’s a real detri­ment to the team. I wish Schiller would throw him off.”

“Because he isn’t in The Wave?” Laurie asked.

“Yeah,” David replied. “If he really wanted the best for the team he’d join The Wave instead of giving Brian such a hard time. He’s a one-man team, Laurie. He’s just on a big ego trip and he’s not helping anyone.”

Related Characters: Laurie Saunders (speaker), David Collins (speaker), Brian Ammon, Deutsch, Norm Schiller
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 86-87
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 13 Quotes

“You mean I can’t go up into the stands unless I give The Wave salute?” Laurie asked.

[…] Brad shrugged. “I know. Look, what’s the big deal. Just give me the salute and you can go up.”

[…] “You mean everyone in the stands gave you the salute?”

“Well, yeah. In this part of the stands.”

“Well, I want to go up and I don’t want to give The Wave salute,” Laurie said angrily.

[…] Brad blushed. “Look, Laurie,” he said in a low voice. “Just do the stupid salute already.”

But Laurie was adamant. “No, this is ridiculous. Even you know it’s ridiculous.”

Related Characters: Laurie Saunders (speaker), Brad (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 95
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 15 Quotes

“I created this experiment, and they went along. If I stop now they’ll all be left hanging. They’d be confused, and they wouldn’t have learned anything.

“Well, let them be confused,” Christy said.

[…] “I can’t do that!” he shouted at his wife. “I’m their teacher. I was responsible for getting them into this. I admit that maybe I did let this go too long. But they’ve come too far to just drop it now. I have to push them until they get the point. I might be teaching these kids the most important lesson of their lives!”

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker), Christy Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 108
Explanation and Analysis:

David instantly recoiled in shock at what he had done. Laurie lay still on the ground and he was filled with fear as he dropped to his knees and put his arms around her. [...] David could not believe it. He felt almost as if he were coming out of a trance. What had possessed him these last days that could cause him to do something so stupid? There he’d been, deny­ing that The Wave could hurt anyone, and at the same time he’d hurt Laurie, his own girlfriend, in the name of The Wave!

Related Characters: David Collins (speaker), Laurie Saunders
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 114
Explanation and Analysis:

[Ross] recalled those students in his own history classes who had condemned the Jews for not taking the Nazi threat seriously, for not fleeing […] when rumors of the concentration camps and gas chambers first filtered back to them. Of course, Ross thought, how could any rational person believe such a thing? And who could have believed that a nice bunch of high school students […] could have become a fascist group called The Wave?

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker), Laurie Saunders, David Collins
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 119
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 16 Quotes

“You weren’t dumb, David. You were idealistic. I mean, there were good things about The Wave. It couldn’t be all bad, or no one would have joined in the first place. It’s just that they don’t see what’s bad about it. They think it makes everyone equal, but they don’t understand that it robs you of your right to be independent.”

Related Characters: Laurie Saunders (speaker), David Collins
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 127
Explanation and Analysis:
Chapter 17 Quotes

Ben began to realize how much more serious this “little experiment” was than he’d ever imagined. It was frightening how easily they would put their faith in your hands, how easily they would let you decide for them. If people were destined to be led, Ben thought, this was something he must make sure they learned: to question thoroughly, never to put your faith in anyone’s hands blindly. Otherwise…

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 133
Explanation and Analysis:

“You thought you were so special!” Ross told them. “Better than everyone else outside of this room. You traded your freedom for what you said was equality. But you turned your equality into superiority over non-Wave members. You accepted the group’s will over your own convictions, no matter who you had to hurt to do it. [..].] You all would have made good Nazis,” Ben told them. […] You say it could never happen again, but look how close you came.”

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 133
Explanation and Analysis:

Ben moved closer to the front of the stage and spoke in a lower voice. “If history repeats itself, you will all want to deny what happened to you in The Wave. But, if our experiment has been successful, […] you will have learned that we are all responsible for our own actions, and that you must always question what you do rather than blindly follow a leader, and that for the rest of your lives, you will never, ever allow a group’s will to usurp your individual rights.”

Related Characters: Ben Ross (speaker)
Related Symbols: The Wave
Page Number: 135
Explanation and Analysis: