Have you ever noticed that, when it comes to the end of the world, survivors tend to be persistent sons of guns? Whether it's The Walking Dead or The Road, fictional apocalypse tends to bring out humans' will to persevere against adversity. And The 5th Wave is no different.
Interestingly, Cassie and Zombie have the same goal: to save Sammy. (Saving the world is too tall of an order.) Separately, but in parallel, they keep pushing to make it happen even when everyone around them says it's impossible. Ultimately, despite major struggles, they both come to Sammy's rescue.
The question is: what happens after that? Sure, they saved Sammy, but can the human race survive? This is just the first book in the series, so we don't know the answer yet.
Questions About Perseverance
- Describe how the motivation behind Zombie's fight to survive changes over the course of the novel.
- At what point does Cassie seem closest to giving up? What pulls her back from the edge?
- How do the aliens try to snuff out human hope?
Chew on This
The 5th Wave is a novel in which persistence pays off.
The three main characters don't fight to stay alive for their own sakes. They persevere because of their dedication to other people.