This apathy towards the lessons of history is one of The Wave’s central themes and biggest concerns. When Laurie calls him out on his flat, glib reaction to the film, David insists he’s not unbothered, but simply unconvinced that the dangers of World War II-era Germany are things he needs to worry about in his day-to-day life. Ross’s history class, Laurie Saunders is confused and emotional-but her jock boyfriend David Collins barely feels anything at all. “I hope not,” Laurie said, picking up her tray.Īfter viewing the film about the Holocaust in Mr. It happened once and the world learned its lesson. Ross’s students claim to be baffled by the social and moral breakdowns that allowed the Nazis to take control of Germany, but ultimately, the novel will show just how susceptible even these well-informed and seemingly autonomous students are to the dangers of groupthink, blind allegiance, and historical amnesia.

The bystander phenomenon as well as the dangers of groupthink are at the heart of the classroom experiment that Ross will soon devise to give his students a “taste” of life in Nazi Germany-and though Eric and Brad claim they would never let a “small minority” rule them or “scare them into” doing certain things, both boys will soon become dedicated members of a movement that thrives on conformity, coercion, and intimidation. This exchange between Laurie, Ross, and two other members of the class, Brad and Eric, sets up many of the fundamental thematic questions that The Wave will investigate. Laurie Saunders is the most perturbed member of the class, unable to understand how the Nazis could “slaughter” Jews, Roma, and homosexual and disabled individuals in their death camps-and how ordinary Germans could stand by while the atrocities occurred. “I wouldn’t let a couple of Nazis scare me into pretending I didn’t see or hear anything.”Īfter Ben Ross shows his senior history students a film about the Holocaust, their reactions range from disinterested to deeply disturbed. “I would never let such a small minority of people rule the majority.” We just don’t know the answers.”Įric’s hand was up again. The behavior of the rest of the German population is a mystery-why they didn’t try to stop it, how they could say they didn’t know.

“All I can tell you,” Ben said, “is that the Nazis were highly organized and feared. “How could the Germans sit back while the Nazis slaughtered people all around them and say they didn’t know about it? How could they do that?”

The wave by todd strasser