The Wave is a young adult novel by Morton Rhue, based on a real classroom experiment that began as a history lesson about World War II and the rise of fascism. At Gordon High, teacher Ben Ross tries to show his students how ordinary people can be drawn into authoritarian thinking by creating a movement built on discipline, unity and obedience. What starts as an educational exercise quickly changes the atmosphere of the school, as students adopt slogans, salutes and group loyalty with unsettling enthusiasm, while Laurie Saunders begins to question what her classmates are becoming. This school-based psychological drama combines historical fiction, social commentary and teen fiction, raising sharp questions about conformity, peer pressure, power and the danger of surrendering judgment to a group.
Author: Morton Rhue
Publisher: Puffin
Year of publication: 2007
Number of pages: 146
Original language: English