How are students affected by The Wave?

In this section, The Wave shifts from a ‘fad’ to a sinister movement. This change is foreshadowed by the events in Chapters 10 and 11. In Chapter 10, Principal Owens warns Mr. Ross that The Wave might get out of hand. This scene is important because it is the first one (except, arguably, the conversations between Mr. Ross and his wife) in which Mr. Ross is not presented as an authority figure.

This shows that, like the students, Mr. Ross is not in complete control of what happens. It also suggests that just like his pupils, Mr. Ross will learn from and be changed by The Wave. Throughout the novel, Strasser downplays the differences between teens and adults. He suggests that adults are driven by the same fears and motivations as his teen characters are.

The scene in which Robert sneaks up on Mr. Ross also foreshadows the sinister turn that events will take. Even after he recovers from his initial surprise, Mr. Ross is uncomfortable with Robert’s request to act as his bodyguard. However, he also worries about what will happen if he rejects Robert’s request. Although this is far from outright intimidation––Mr. Ross is motivated by pity more than fear––it also shows that the balance of power has shifted from teacher to student.

The anonymous note is a frightening early sign that Gordon High is beginning to take The Wave seriously. The fact that the note is unsigned is an important plot device, but it also has thematic significance. The fact that the note could not have been written by a main character (all the novel’s primary characters are seniors, and the letter-writer refers to himself as a junior) shows that The Wave’s impact extends far beyond the select group of characters that Strasser describes.