Ben Ross’ diary entry
My mind is full of different thoughts. This day was one of my strangest and most instructive I ever had.
Yesterday a few people tried to convince me to finish The Wave.
At first Christy requested me to go to Mr Owens in order to tell him about finishing The Wave.
Subsequent David Collins and Laurie Saunders surprised me with their visit. They told me about the dissension The Wave creates and tried to convince me to destroy this community of students, who think they are better than the others and act like this.
Before the arriving of both, I had an idea to open the pupils’ eyes. But if David and Laurie know my plan, maybe they would tell the other students about it. So I decided to request them only to trust me.
Today in the Principal’s office Mr Owens was very angry with “my Wave” and me because it got out of control! I am very sorry about this and I feel so ashamed for having been so irresponsible and naive to think students are not suggestible so quickly.
He wailed about teachers complaining and parents who call him up every time. I understood the pressure he was under.
So I told him about my decision to finish The Wave.
I wanted to arrange a rally with only Wave members in order to open the pupils' eyes.
I preconceived putting up two TV screens on a stage in the auditorium to show them something they would never forget. I was sure that this idea would break up The Wave.
After telling my planto the Principal and leaving his office, I tried to find Alex Cooper and Carl Block, the last two students who were not joining The Wave (apart from David and Laurie). I let them arrange important and secret things for the rally, which Wave members weren’t allowed to do.
Then I went into my history class and told them that The Wave wasn’t only an experiment at Gordon High, but also a students' movement of the USA against unemployment and crime by practicing discipline, community and action.
I announced to my students that a rally only for wave members was organized in the auditorium at seventeen o’clock. There the national leader and the founder of The Wave would deliver a speech on TV.
While I was speaking, David and Laurie interrupted me in order to boycott my plan. Now they were thinking I didn’t want to finish.
I had to act quickly; they weren’t allowed to reveal too much. So I escorted them to the Principal’s office. I was a bit disappointed that David and Laurie didn’t obey, but it was my fault; I hadn’t told them to trust me without expecting this.
When I entered the auditorium I marvelled at the many students who were carrying Wave banners and signs and two students who were checking membership cards.
Christy was there, too in order to wish me luck.
I went on the stage nervously and Robert appeared next to me. He told me that all doors were secure und locked. So I could start.
After finishing the salutes “STRENGTH THROUGH DISCIPLINE, STRENGTH THROUGH COMMUNITY, STRENGTH THROUGH ACTION”, I announced to them that our national leader would appear in a moment. Then I let Robert turn on the television sets, but they were blank. The crowd was looking for their leader ,squirming and murmuring and I realized how easily they would let a leader decide for him. It was frightening.
Then I gave Carl Block and Alex Cooper the cue to reveal a large movie screen and to flick on a projector: “Yes, you have a leader!“
A big tumult started and the faces were frightened when Adolf Hitler appeared on the screen.
This was my plan: I showed them how easily they are to manipulate and how the life in Nazi Germany was.They might have follwed any leader. Probably they would follow Adolf Hitler, too.
The Wave was destroyed.
When the auditorium was empty, I saw Robert, tears running down his face. I commiserated him and tried to buck him up. Sure, he will be the class loser again.