Character Analysis: The 5th Wave

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The 5th Wave is a story told about the survival of different teens in the post-alien-invasion world. The world has already been hit by four waves and the few survivors are anxiously awaiting the fifth. The first wave was the death of all technology, the second a catastrophic earthquake, the third an incurable deadly disease, and the fourth was the aliens disguised as humans. The three main characters; Cassie, Evan, and Ben each tell their own story of survival and team up to survive the fifth wave, which turned out to be the aliens tricking the humans into killing each other until no humans were left. They all survive the 5th wave, Cassie saves her brother, and they make an escape together.

When I cry - when I let myself cry - that's who I …show more content…

Humans have been practically wiped off the face of the earth and those who are left are forced to wonder if anyone else is human or not. For example, when Cassie find the Crucifix Soldier she is forced to shoot him because she doesn't know if he is human or not because there is no way of telling. Everyone is fighting to save humanity, but they are also fighting against it, being tricked into killing off their own at Camp Haven: "How do you rid the Earth of humans? Rid the humans of their humanity." (12) You can also see the struggle to find humanity within aliens, like Evan. He fights his conscious by falling for Cassie and not killing her like he is supposed to. Cassie also finds her humanity in Sammy, she will stop at nothing to save him, and that is her love, it is what makes her human. Another book with the theme of humanity is The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. In this novel Leisel is fighting against the Nazi's to read, to stay full of knowledge and love, not hate. She also helps hide a Jew, proving that her heart is soft and she has the good of humanity in her, but throughout the whole novel she is fighting to show her humanity and spread it, just like all the characters in The 5th Wave. Leisel is also the same age as Cassie, and has the same attitude towards things, making most of the books similar, not only their

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