Quote 1
"Yeah, sure, as something horrible that happened once, it bothers me. But that was a long time ago, Laurie. To me it's like a piece of history. You can't change what happened then." (3.13)
What do you think about David's reaction? Is it true that since we can't change what happened, it's not really worth worrying about?
Quote 2
"I didn't say I wasn't bothered by it. I just said it's over now. Forget about it. Forget about it. It happened once and the world learned its lesson. It'll never happen again." (3.61)
It's sad to say, but things like this do still happen today. Take a deep breath and read about some of these awful events. Apparently, the world has not "learned its lesson." Why not?
Quote 3
"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 4
"I don't know, Laurie. I don't know if I want to go back. I feel like… like The Wave got me once and if I go back it might get me again." (16.60)
Poor David! When he realizes that he took on a new, not-so-nice identity as Wave member, he's totally ashamed. In fact, he doesn't even trust himself anymore. The novel suggests that the best way to guard against such feelings is to develop a strong sense of personal identity, like Laurie has.
Quote 5
"Come on Laurie, the only reason you're against The Wave is because it means you're not a princess anymore." (14.10)
In this moment, Laurie realizes that even her boyfriend feels like he's competing with her. Is this Laurie's fault? The fault of the competitive atmosphere at school? The fault of David and Amy's insecurities? Or some combination?