Everybody
Literary Corner
The Wave, by Todd Strasser under the name of Morton Rue, is a captivating novel based on a real experiment
carried by a High School teacher, Jon Rones, in Palo Alto, California in 1979. The experiment is described by him as one of the most frightening event he has ever experienced in the classroom.
The book is set in the same context that the real experiment, but the names of the characters and the places have been changed. The novel describes the development of a class at Gordon’ s
High School from the moment his history teacher, Ben Ross starts an unplanned experiment in which students become part of a group named“ The Wave”. This experiment starts because Mr. Ross is trying to explain how Nazi Germany worked and why people followed Hitler until the end.
The experiment starts off as a game, but quickly turns into a living thing that nobody is able to control. Laurie Sanders, a very popular and top student is the only one to realize that the experiment is going too far, and tries to stop it in a million different
The Wave
ways. Students get really involved with it because it makes them feel better, be part of something, make more friends, win matches... and of course, nobody wants“ The Wave” to come to an end.
The book exposes many important themes, such as the loss of individuality, bullying, peer pressure and leadership. It helps to realize how one can rapidly lose his independence and freedom by getting involved in something bigger than oneself, something that one cannot stop. Moreover, it deals with a very important topic in society; Fascism and its characteristics.
“ T he Wave” is a fascinating, unputdownable book. Despite some people argue it is poorly written, it is an absorbing and easy to read novel. I thoroughly recommend it to everybody, from parents, through students to teachers because of his excellent and interesting ideas and themes and because from my point of view, everybody can learn something new by reading it.
By: Estela Illardia( 11 th Grade)
Everybody
Everybody wants What they can never have. Everybody loves Those who love them back. Everybody sees What nobody else can see. Everybody wishes To have what they think they need. But nobody Can find out What that really is. Everybody needs Someone near them. Everybody cries When that someone turns out to be hidden. Everybody looks But forgets to open their eyes. Everybody feels As if they’ re wearing a disguise. But nobody Can really tell What’ s going on inside. Everybody says Things they don’ t mean. Everybody repeats Things they have seen. Everybody dreams With movies becoming true. Everybody has Days when they’ re just not in the mood. But nobody Can ever know What’ s going on Inside of you.
By: Gema Sacanell( 10 th Grade)
Ransom my Heart
This book is set in the medieval 1me, in Stephensgate manor. Finnula Crais is a miller’ s daughter, one of six, but is very different to the rest of her sisters. Actually, she’ s very different to any girl in Stephensgate. She wears pants, something unheard of at that 1me, and is the best archer in the area. She’ s quite proud of her abili1es but starts to regret having them when her sister asks her for a huge favor. She is pregnant, but doesn’ t have the money she needs to marry the baby’ s father. So, she asks her brave sister Finnula to kidnap a rich man and ransom him back to his family. I know; it’ s not the first thing that goes into your mind when you need some money, but then again you don’ t live in the medieval age. This novel has romance, mystery and adventure. However, it probably would be considered mainly a romance, although it is not the typical romance novel, for it has some interes1ng twists in it. I would recommend this book to girls above 15, more or less. If, when you were younger, you read the princess diaries or any other Meg Cabot books, and liked them, this will be perfect for you.
By: Gema Sacanell( 10 th Grade)