NOTES TO book "The Wave" title: The Wave - The classroom is out of control author: Morton Rhue kind: novel pages: 106 chapters: 17 language: English publisher: Puffin Books published in: 1981 ISBN: 0-14-037188-5 based on: a short story by Ron Jones youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVRXXbU-z7U http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXi71XBdh1o comment: Great story, but I regret, that Rhue told too early that the experiment is related to the nazi movie. This took the suspence away. summary: Mr Ross couldn't answer the question of a student how Germans believed into nazism besides concentration camps and all the terror. He starts an experiment to make his students feel like in World War II. But the experiment goes out of control... S. 7 § 1 Gordon High Laurie Saunders "The Grapevine" editor Amy Smith Ben Ross wife Christy (choir and music teacher) mechanical inabilities "It was said that he brought a new outlook to his classes, that, whenever possible, he trief to teach his students the practical, relevant aspects of history." sloppy homeworks S. 13 § 2 Ben Ross = history teacher at Gordon High "They were studying World War Two, and the film Ben Ross was showing his class that day was a documentary depicting the atrocities the Nazis committed in "Then why didn't anyone try to stop them"? (Amy - asked) Robert = outsider S. 18 § 3 David = friend of Laurie lunch time "That film, it really bothers me. Doesn't it bother you?" (Laurie - to David) football team (looser ^^) S. 24 § 4 "Something bothered Ben Ross" He couldn't answer Amys question. "But that was the way Ben was" The answer to amys question is not mentioned in any book. S. 27 § 5 "STRENGTH THROUGH DISCIPLINE" (blackboard) discipline - ballet, football improve their sitting posture ("stiff upright position"), walk around the room - sit down "Listen, let's line up in the order of who has to go the farthest to reach their desks inside. That way we won't have to bump into each other" (David) "Mr. Ross" (all students have to start with this phrase answering questions) answers as short as possible children stayed after the bell after lesson: all students enthusiastic S. 36 § 6 before lesson: all students are sitting stiffly in the posture Ben had taught them "STRENGTH THROUGH DISCIPLINE, STRENGTH THROUGH COMMUNITY" (blackboard) learning the salute "From now on, our community, ou movement will be known as The Wave" (Ben Ross) "It's just a game in history class, that's all" (Eric in the gym after school) Deutsch want to become a member of The Wave S. 41 § 7 Laurie tells parents about The Wave (parents think controversial about it) Ben preparing for tomorrow (couldn't cook for Christy) "Maybe you're becoming a guinea pig in your own experiment" (Christy) S. 46 § 8 David and Laurie always "run into each other" at the way to school "I'm telling you, Laurie, this is just what the football team needs" (David; pointing at The Wave) Ben wears blue suit, white shirt and a tie (in difference to old times: casual clothes) Membership cards (some of them: monitors) "STRENGTH THROUGH DISCIPLINE, STRENGTH THROUGH COMMUNITY, STRENGTH THROUGH ACTION" (blackboard) recruit new members actively Eric and David had already joined somebody students stand up and admit to be proud of The Wave Robert accepted as member (and not as outsider) S. 53 § 9 Ben Ross: future/propose of The Wave undefined "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" Norm Schiller (biology teacher, leader of school's football team) thanks Ben for creating The Wave "On his own, Ben had tried to find out what it was that attracted students to The Wave" "Ben even daydreamed about a story in the education section of Time magazine: 'Disciplin Returns to the Classroom: Teacher Makes Startling Discovery'" "Laurie Saunders sat on a desk in the school publications office, chewing on the end of a pen" looking for stories for The Grapevine Carl mentions The Wave At home Laurie avoid mentioning The Wave since the last discussion Lauries mother met Roberts mother Roberts mother: "Robert is a completely new person" Lauries mother notices The Wave as a danger for the class S. 60 § 10 Principal Owens wants to talk with Ben "Christy said she was noticing it in music too" "Robert seemed like a new person. To end The Wave might mean returning Robert to the role of class creep and taking away the only chance he had" Principal Owens wants to know the background of The Wave "These mottoes and this saluting bother me" (Principal Owens) "You have to understand that this experiment can't go any further than I let it go. The whole basis for The Wave is the idea of a group willing to follow their leader. And as long as I'm involved in this, I assure you it can't get out of hand" S. 64 § 11 Laurie gets letter; handwritten story about The Wave (shows truth about it) Wave rally at afternoon "Every single Wave member seemed to be involved in some activity - recruiting new members, disseminating information, preparing the gymn for the rally that afternoon" Robert wants to be Ross' bodyguard S. 68 § 12 Laurie does not got to the rally Two children are fighting; because of The Wave quarrel between David (The Wave supporter) and Laurie (The Wave critic) They break up people ask Laurie why she wasn't there Sunday at two o'clock emergency meeting at Lauries house (only non-Wave members) Laurie thinks about David and The Wave " ... and something as trivial as The Wave had broken them up - only The Wave wasn't trivial. Not any more" Father tells her somebody was beaten after school Laurie promises father, that she will be careful S. 75 § 13 Brad wants Laurie to give the salute (she refuses) Some staff members of The Grapevine don't want to publish articles about The Wave S. 79 § 14 Laurie gives Amy the special edition of The Grapevine about The Wave to read it "But you can't say these things about The Wave" "Copies of The Grapevine had never been scooped up faster than they were that day" Ben Ross reads it too Ben hears a discussion between Mr Schiller and another male person secretly "Ross really has these kids brainwashed if you ask me" "A high school history teacher who had accidently slipped into the role of a dictator?" David wants everybody to join The Wave "Laurie Saunders is a threat. She must be stopped" (Robert) S. 84 § 15 Christy wants to talk with Ben about The Wave "I mean, think of your original goals. Are they still the same ones you have now?" Ben thinks that - as a teacher - he has to take responsibility about the children dark outside, Laurie finishes work for The Grapevine Somebody wrote "Enemy" at Lauries locker door Somebody turns off the lights Somebody follows Laurie in the dark Some doors are locked Laurie can flee in the dark David is waiting for Laurie "The Wave is causing the problems, David" (Laurie) "Laurie, stop writing those articles! Keep your mouth shut about The Wave" (David) David and Laurie are fighting again Laurie falls on the ground David realizes that he has been violent again the girl he still loves "God, I'm sorry" (David) "Ben, you've got to end The Wave tomorrow" (Chris) "Christy, I know it should end, but I just don't see how" (Ben) "I've got an idea" (Ben) David and Laurie are standing at Mr Ross' door They want him to end The Wave "Laurie, it is extremely important that we do it this way. You must trust me. Okay?" (Ben) S. 95 § 16 Principal has problems with parents and teachers - he talks to Ben Ben announce the end of The Wave, but don't tell his plan At classroom: Ben announces a rally in the afternoon The new leader of the National Wave Youth Movement will speak to the students there Laurie and David demonstrates against this anouncement Both are taken outside by other students "Laurie, is it possible that we're wrong about The Wave?" "No David, we're right" (David, Laurie) "You told me it could never happen again" (Laurie - to David) They go back to school to see the leader S. 101 § 17 They lock all the doors and only Wave-members are welcome The crowd gives the salute as Mr Ross appear at the stage "In a moment out national leader will address us" (Ben) Television screens don't show any leader Suddenly behind Mr Ross a large movie screen appears A movie showing Hitler is projected on the screen "There! There is your leader!" "Yes, you all would have made good Nazis" The students are frustrated David and Laurie happy "Sorry, I didn't trust you, Mr Ross" (David) Tears are running down Roberts face "There are some things I think we should talk about" (Ben - to Robert) Afterword The Wave is based on a true incident that occured in a high school history class in Palo Alto, California, in 1969. For three years afterwards, according to the teacher, Ron Jones, no one talked about it. "It was," he said, "one of the most frightening events I have ever experienced in the classroom." "The Wave" disrupted an entire school. The novel dramatizes the incident, showing how the powerful forces of group pressure that have pervaded many historical movements and cults can persuade people to join such movements and give up their individual rights in the process - sometimes causing great harm to others. The full impact on the students of what they lived through and learned is realistically protrayed in the book. In addition to the novel, "The Wave" has been made into a one-hour television show for ABC by Virginia L. Carter, an executive director at Tendem Productions and TAT. Communications Company. Harriet Harvey Coffin Project Consultant TAT. Communications Company