| Friday, October 12, 2007 |
| The Wave by Todd Strasser Final |
1) "For the rest of your lives…never, ever, allow a group’s will to usurp your individual rights." I think that this quote means that don't let someone to take over you. Don't let them take over of how you feel, act, or say towards things. You should do what you want, not what others want you to do. If someone tells me to not talk to someone, I wouldn't listen to them. I wouldn't let them tell me of what I should do, so I would want to make my own choices of what I think is best.
2) In the beginning of the book, Robert started off as a student who didn't care about his life, especially his grades. He slept through class almost everyday and he didn't have many friends. When the Wave started, he started participating more in class because everybody was treated equally, and he liked that. The Wave gave Robert to receive more attention. Robert started to talk with fellow classmates at lunch, although before he used to sit alone at lunch. The Wave made Robert dress nicer, since Mr. Ross' power changed the students discipline. After getting more attention and participating more in class, The Wave got Robert to boost his confidence. He even volunteered to be Mr. Ross' bodyguard, and supported The Wave in various different ways, like the Wave rally. At the end of the book, Robert got disappointed since The Wave ended. Robert relied on The Wave so much, he wouldn't be able to go on his own in the outside world. I think that Mr. Ross would support Robert to try to keep up his confidence and participation in class.
3) I noticed that the Wave is a good example of fascism. Ben Ross turns out as a dictator in The Wave. If he makes orders, it happens. Everybody in the school of Gordon High had to join. People who weren't part of the Wave, either got forced to by other students, or beaten up. The Wave was a positive thing, people did not expect negative comments about The Wave. People were afraid to write anything against it. Unlike Laurie, who had posted an article about The Wave in the school newspaper. She wrote about how much it was getting out of hand, but people did not admit it. Members of The Wave just went with the flow, they were mostly all afraid to speak up and followed commands by Mr. Ross.
One example in history that fascism has happened was with the Nazi and Adolf Hitler. Hitler decided to get rid of all the Jewish people because they didn't want to join the Nazi. It's like The Wave, how people beat up other students because they did not want to join the Wave.
4) Avoiding Mob Mentality: A Practical Guide by A Middle Student, for Other Middle School Students.
It may seem like mob mentality could not happen, but it could. Try to never get caught up into a crowd. Be different, just be yourself. Don't let anyone make decisions for you, do what you think is right. You wouldn't want to follow others if they tell you to, especially when its bad. Don't try to be like others, because as a result, you'll become something that just isn't you. Always think over of what's happening in life and try not to cross a situation where you would have to join a group that makes up your decisions. Just remember, be yourself. |
posted by charisse @ 7:05 PM  |
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