Crucifix
We know; we know. A crucifix—an image of Jesus Christ on the cross—is a symbol of Christianity. But in The 5th Wave, when everything (including organized religion) has gone haywire, it's more l...
Teddy Bear
When Others disguised as human soldiers take Sammy away to train as a child soldier, he leaves his beloved stuffed bear with his sister. For Sammy, the bear is a symbol of childhood. He has to leav...
Mayfly
"Mayfly" is Evan's nickname for Cassie. And it's actually sweet—it doesn't mean that he thinks she's a weird little bug.See, Cassie initially thinks of herself as being like a cockroach—a survi...
Necklace
Here's a sad symbol for y'all. (Hey, it's a book about the apocalypse. What did you expect?)Ben had a baby sister around Sammy's age. Notice the past tense. When looters murdered his family, Ben's...