The Wave

Todd Strasser’s The Wave is a fictionalization of the incident which occurred in April 1967 at Ellwood P. Cubberley High School in Palo Alto, California. I say fictionalized because some of the characters developed by Strasser aren’t based on real individuals. However, the improvisation exercise described within the novel comes straight from the actual history teacher’s notes. Personally, I found that information disquieting.

The Wave was remarkably easy to read and, as Jen previously posted, it comes in about 138 pages. The novel does bring up the ideas of student conduct in the classroom, presentation of self, peer pressure and team work. More importantly, the story discusses social activism, civic responsibility and individuality, which are definitely topics relevant to students today.

I think The Wave is actually better suited for a potential “Citizenship” course than Longwood Seminar. I think with the right instructor and the right group of students, the book (and perhaps some supplemental reading) could lead to thought-provoking discussions. While some students would “get something” out The Wave if it were used in LSEM, I don’t feel like the majority would.

Overall rating: 3/5 stars

Laura

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