The 5th Wave
by Rick Yancey
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Cast of Characters
- Plot Summary
- An Analysis of Major Characters
-
Chapter Summary and Analysis
- Part 1 (The Last Historian), Chapters 1-12
- Summary: Part 1 (The Last Historian), Chapters 13-24
- Summary: Part 2 (Wonderland), Chapters 25-30
- Summary: Part 3 (Silencer), Chapter 31
- Summary: Part 4 (Mayfly), Chapters 32-36
- Summary: Part 5 (The Winnowing), Chapters 37-41
- Summary: Part 6 (The Human Clay), Chapters 42-52
- Summary: Part 7 (The Heart to Kill), Chapters 53-55
- Summary: Part 8 (The Spirit of Vengeance), Chapters 56-64
- Summary: Part 9 (A Flower to the Rain), Chapters 65-77
- Summary: Parts 10-12, Chapters 65-82
- Summary: Part 13 (The Black Hole), Chapters 83-91
- Symbols and Themes
- Key Facts
- Key Quotes
- Discussion Questions
- Take The Quiz
- Further Reading
- Flashcards
- Biography of Rick Yancey
Cast of Characters
Cassie Sullivan: The central protagonist of the novel, a sixteen-year-old girl who has survived the alien apocalypse and is on a mission to rescue her five-year-old brother, Sammy.
Sammy Sullivan/Nugget: Cassie’s five-year-old brother, who is taken by the aliens and begins training for their children’s army. Cassie and Ben are both determined to rescue Sammy.
Mr. Sullivan: Cassie’s and Sammy’s father, a kind and optimistic man who is shot to death by Colonel Vosch in the Fourth Wave.
Mrs. Sullivan: Cassie’s and Sammy’s mother, who dies of the pestilence that sweeps Earth during the Third Wave.
Ben Parish/Zombie: A former high school athlete who is riddled with guilt over his inability to save his younger sister from the aliens. He is brainwashed by the aliens and becomes a trained soldier in their children’s army. Once Ben discovers their deception, he resolves to rescue Sammy from the same fate.
Evan Walker: A nineteen-year-old boy raised on an Ohio farm who is host to a Sleeper alien. After the Awakening, he becomes a Silencer, or assassin. When Evan falls in love with Cassie, he turns against the Others and helps Cassie to rescue her brother.
Chris: A young man who befriends Ben during the Third Wave. At Camp Haven, Ben is brainwashed into believing that Chris is one of the Others, so Ben pushes a button to kill him.
Hutchfield: An ex-Marine and unofficial leader of Camp Ashpit before Colonel Vosch arrives there.
Crisco: A teenage boy who tries to befriend Cassie at Camp Ashpit. He is killed by Corporal el Branch just before Vosch drops the Eye on the camp.
Corporal Branch: One of the Others who appears to be a U.S. soldier. He is the first person Cassie kills, which she is forced to do when he turns his gun on her at Camp Ashpit.
Megan: A young...
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