The Wave Themes

The Wave is set mostly inside Gordon High, so naturally, education is a major theme. Over the eight days of teacher Ben Ross' experiment, the students at Gordon learn a thing or two about the other...

Ever hear the phrase "power corrupts"? Well, The Wave explores various examples of corrupt power; and in fact, the background of the story involves one of the most well-known examples of corrupt po...

Why do we pay attention in history class? Actually, let's rephrase that: why should we pay attention in history class? Well, The Wave argues that the study of the past can help us build a better fu...

Loyalty is usually considered a positive thing, right? Well, The Wave looks at the dark side of loyalty – how hard it can be to balance personal loyalty with loyalty to a group. The members of Th...

Who's the real hero of the The Wave? Who really saves the day? Actually, it's more of a what than a who: we'd say our heroes are language and communication. Both Laurie Saunders and Ben Ross are lu...

During Ben's too-creative experiment, the students at Gordon High (and Teacher Ben himself) undergo drastic changes in identity – all in a few short days. David goes from devoted boyfriend to jer...

To study history is often to study violence. The Nazis and the Holocaust are specifically fascinating because of the methods of violence involved: combinations of brutal and bizarre physical and ps...

Competition is a big part of high school, and while it has its good points, it usually leads to some messy situations. For some students at Gordon High, competition for grades and popularity leads...