Brad Character Analysis

“How could the Germans sit back while the Nazis slaughtered people all around them and say they didn’t know about it? How could they do that?” […]

“All I can tell you,” Ben said, “is that the Nazis were highly organized and feared. The behavior of the rest of the German population is a mystery—why they didn’t try to stop it, how they could say they didn’t know. We just don’t know the answers.”

Eric’s hand was up again. […] “I would never let such a small minority of people rule the majority.”

“Yeah,” said Brad. “I wouldn’t let a couple of Nazis scare me into pretending I didn’t see or hear anything.”

After Ben Ross shows his senior history students a film about the Holocaust, their reactions range from disinterested to deeply disturbed. Laurie Saunders is the most perturbed member of the class, unable to understand how the Nazis could “slaughter” Jews, Roma, and homosexual and disabled individuals in their death camps—and how ordinary Germans could stand by while the atrocities occurred. This exchange between Laurie, Ross, and two other members of the class, Brad and Eric, sets up many of the fundamental thematic questions that The Wave will investigate. The bystander phenomenon as well as the dangers of groupthink are at the heart of the classroom experiment that Ross will soon devise to give his students a “taste” of life in Nazi Germany—and though Eric and Brad claim they would never let a “small minority” rule them or “scare them into” doing certain things, both boys will soon become dedicated members of a movement that thrives on conformity, coercion, and intimidation. Ross’s students claim to be baffled by the social and moral breakdowns that allowed the Nazis to take control of Germany, but ultimately, the novel will show just how susceptible even these well-informed and seemingly autonomous students are to the dangers of groupthink, blind allegiance, and historical amnesia.

“You mean I can’t go up into the stands unless I give The Wave salute?” Laurie asked.

[…] Brad shrugged. “I know. Look, what’s the big deal. Just give me the salute and you can go up.”

[…] “You mean everyone in the stands gave you the salute?”

“Well, yeah. In this part of the stands.”

“Well, I want to go up and I don’t want to give The Wave salute,” Laurie said angrily.

[…] Brad blushed. “Look, Laurie,” he said in a low voice. “Just do the stupid salute already.”

But Laurie was adamant. “No, this is ridiculous. Even you know it’s ridiculous.”

“How could the Germans sit back while the Nazis slaughtered people all around them and say they didn’t know about it? How could they do that?” […]

“All I can tell you,” Ben said, “is that the Nazis were highly organized and feared. The behavior of the rest of the German population is a mystery—why they didn’t try to stop it, how they could say they didn’t know. We just don’t know the answers.”

Eric’s hand was up again. […] “I would never let such a small minority of people rule the majority.”

“Yeah,” said Brad. “I wouldn’t let a couple of Nazis scare me into pretending I didn’t see or hear anything.”

After Ben Ross shows his senior history students a film about the Holocaust, their reactions range from disinterested to deeply disturbed. Laurie Saunders is the most perturbed member of the class, unable to understand how the Nazis could “slaughter” Jews, Roma, and homosexual and disabled individuals in their death camps—and how ordinary Germans could stand by while the atrocities occurred. This exchange between Laurie, Ross, and two other members of the class, Brad and Eric, sets up many of the fundamental thematic questions that The Wave will investigate. The bystander phenomenon as well as the dangers of groupthink are at the heart of the classroom experiment that Ross will soon devise to give his students a “taste” of life in Nazi Germany—and though Eric and Brad claim they would never let a “small minority” rule them or “scare them into” doing certain things, both boys will soon become dedicated members of a movement that thrives on conformity, coercion, and intimidation. Ross’s students claim to be baffled by the social and moral breakdowns that allowed the Nazis to take control of Germany, but ultimately, the novel will show just how susceptible even these well-informed and seemingly autonomous students are to the dangers of groupthink, blind allegiance, and historical amnesia.

“You mean I can’t go up into the stands unless I give The Wave salute?” Laurie asked.

[…] Brad shrugged. “I know. Look, what’s the big deal. Just give me the salute and you can go up.”

[…] “You mean everyone in the stands gave you the salute?”

“Well, yeah. In this part of the stands.”

“Well, I want to go up and I don’t want to give The Wave salute,” Laurie said angrily.

[…] Brad blushed. “Look, Laurie,” he said in a low voice. “Just do the stupid salute already.”

But Laurie was adamant. “No, this is ridiculous. Even you know it’s ridiculous.”