QUOTATIONS - QUOTES AND ANALYSIS

8.) David pushed through the door to the men's room. He really wasn't sure if Brad was right or not. Maybe he was making a big deal out of nothing, but on the other hand, there had been that feeling, that group unity. Maybe it didn't make that much difference in the classroom. After all, you were just answering questions. But suppose you took the group feeling, that high energy feeling, and got the football team into it. There were some good athletes on the team, it made David mad that they had such a bad record. They really weren't that bad - they were just undermotivated and disorganized. David knew that if he could ever get the team even half as charged up as Mr. Ross' history class had been that day, they could tear apart most of the teams in their league. (43-44)

Of all the different members of The Wave, David is the most idealistic and inquisitive about its uses. Here, he first considers The Wave as a tool to better organize the football team. The use of the terms undermotivated and disorganized show the dysfunction that pains him, while broader slang phrases such as high energy feeling and charged up show how he wishes to apply the enthusiasm of The Wave to the football team. However, David is also the first to see The Wave's potential for going too far, as seen immediately after:

9.) Inside the john, David heard the second bell ring, warning students that the next period was about to begin. He stepped out of a stall and was heading to the sinks when he saw someone and stopped abruptly. The bathroom had emptied out and only one person was left, Robert. He was standing in front of the mirror, tucking in his shirt, unaware that he wasn't alone. As David watched, the class loser straightened some of the hair on his head and stared at his reflection. Then he snapped to attention and his lips moved silently, as if he was still in Mr. Ross's class...........

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