How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"You know why we've done so bad this year? Because we are twenty-five one-man teams all wearing the same Gordon High uniforms." (6.43)
The Gordon High football players have no loyalty to each other: they're only looking out for themselves and so they don't do well as a team. This definitely seems to be part of their problem, but in the end, a newfound sense of teamwork doesn't make up for their real problem – they're just no good at football. Hey, it happens!
Quote #5
"Well, you know […] this country was built by people who were part of a group – the Pilgrims, the Founding Fathers. I don't think it's wrong for Laurie to be learning how to cooperate." (7.11)
At first, Laurie's dad thinks The Wave is A-okay. He makes a point that you may have already been considering: it takes organized activity and loyalty to a group in order to accomplish certain goals. But what he fails to ask is this: what are the goals of The Wave?
Quote #6
Remember, in The Wave you are all equals. No one is more important or more popular than anyone else and no one is to be excluded from the group. Community means equality within the group. (8.44)
This equality-for-all idea appeals to many of the students (duh!). They are tired of having to compete all the time, for grades, friends, popularity, and all the rest. But The Wave pretty quickly turns into another sort of competition. Loyalty to the group causes Wave members to feel like they are better than the rest of the school.