The Chocolate War

:"For the film adaption, see The Chocolate War (film)infobox Book |
name = The Chocolate War
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = Cover from the 1986 mass-market paperback edition, published by Laurel Leaf Books.
author = Robert Cormier
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United States
language = English
series =
genre = Young adult literature
publisher = Knopf Books for Young Readers
pub_date = 1974
english_pub_date =
media_type = Print (Hardcover and Paperback)
pages = 263 pp
isbn = ISBN 0394828054
preceded_by =
followed_by = Beyond The Chocolate War

"The Chocolate War" is a young adult novel by American author Robert Cormier and first published in 1974. It was adapted into a film in 1988. Although it received mixed reviews at the time of its publication, it has since been identified as one of the best young adult novels of all time. ["The Best Young Adult Novels of All Time, or The Chocolate War One More Time" Ted Hipple and Jennifer L. Claiborne, "English Journal", high school edition, January 2005] Set at the fictional Trinity High School, the story follows protagonist Jerry Renault as he challenges the school's cruel, brutal, and ugly mob rule. Because of the novel's language, the concept of a high school's secret society using intimidation to enforce the cultural norms of the school, and the protagonist's sexual ponderings, it has been the frequent target of censors and appears at number four on the American Library Association's list of the "100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990-2000". [ [http://www.ala.org/ala/aboutala/offices/oif/bannedbooksweek/bbwlinks/100mostfrequently.cfm The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books of 1990–2000] ]

Plot

High school freshman Jerry Renault's mother has recently died. The novel opens with him trying out for the football team, a scene in which he is continually battered but keeps getting up and trying again. His prep school, Trinity, is effectively run by "the Vigils," a secret school society who effectively keeps the other students under control by giving cruel "assignments." The novel alternates among several points of view, including Jerry, Archie (the Vigil "assigner"), Obie (Archie's sidekick and the Vigil's secretary), as well as other Trinity students. The novel explores Jerry's loneliness and sexual frustration, and Jerry frequently ponders the quotation posted inside his locker: "Do I dare disturb the universe?" from T. S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock".

Brother Leon, the Assistant Headmaster of the school, is striving to be Headmaster, and currently is, due to the fact that the Headmaster is sick in the hospital. He believes that if he gets the students to sell twice as many boxes of chocolates (at twice the price) during their annual chocolate sale, the funds raised will aid the school. To motivate the students, he asks Archie (and by extension, the Vigils) for their help. The Vigils promise to support the chocolate sale; however, they give Jerry an assignment that requires him to refuse to sell chocolate during the first ten days of the sale and then sell the chocolates after ten days have passed. Even after the ten days have passed, Jerry still refuses (in order to break free of this school tradition), angering Brother Leon and the Vigils. Initially, Jerry's continued refusal results in his being seen as a hero of sorts, but when The Vigils retaliate by rallying behind the chocolate sale, Jerry is reduced to a villain, becoming the victim of harassment and violence. In the end, the Vigils con Jerry into participating in a "boxing match" (with school thug and bully, Emile Janza) in which he is completely beaten. Jerry is severely injured and tells his only real friend, Roland Goubert, a.k.a, "The Goober," to do whatever The Vigils say regardless of whether or not he wants to. The book ends with Obie confronting Archie for his cruel actions, and telling him that someday he will regret what he has done; however, Archie barely listens, having no remorse for what has happened. [cite book|author=Cormier, Robert|year=1974|title=The Chocolate War|publisher=Random House|id=ISBN 0-440-94459-7]

Characters

*Jerry Renault- The main protagonist of the story who’s going through a period of self-conflict which involves the longing to make a difference and to stop going through repetitive routine in his life.

*Archie Costello- A power-hungry key member of the Vigils who specialized in the psychological intimidation of the people around him.

*Obie- A member of the Vigils who is a follower of Archie, but also a secret hater of his cruel methods.

*Roland Goubert ("The Goober")- Jerry’s meek and timid best friend and confidante in the story. He enjoys running and jogging in his free time.

*Brother Leon- The temporary head of Trinity who struggles for order and command at the school. He is in secret cahoots with Archie and the Vigils.

Film adaptation

The book inspired the critically-acclaimed 1988 film of the same name, directed by Keith Gordon. It starred John Glover, Wallace Langham, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and Jenny Wright.

References