The Chocolate War
- For the film adaption, see The Chocolate War (film)
| File:Chocolate War.jpg Cover from the 1986 mass-market paperback edition, published by Laurel Leaf Books. | |
| Author | Robert Cormier |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Young adult literature |
| Publisher | Knopf Books for Young Readers |
Publication date | 1974 |
| Publication place | United States |
| Media type | Print (Hardcover and Paperback) |
| Pages | 271 pp |
| ISBN | 0394828054 |
| 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.[1] 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 three on the American Library Association's list of the "Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000-2007". [2]
Plot
High school student 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 keep 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, is acting as Headmaster following the hospitalization of his boss. He hopes the appointment will be made permanent, and believes that if he gets the students to sell twice as many boxes of chocolates (at twice the price) during their annual chocolate sale, his chances will be greatly improved. To motivate the students, he asks Archie (and by extension, the Vigils) for their help. The Vigils promise to support the chocolate sale, understanding that their power in the school would be greatly increased with the implicit backing of the acting headmaster. Paradoxically, the Vigils then give Jerry an assignment that requires him to refuse to sell chocolate during the first ten days of the sale. He complies but, unexpectedly, even after the ten days have passed, Jerry still refuses. This angers Brother Leon and the Vigils, who understand Jerry's resistance as a direct assault on their ability to control the student body.
Initially, Jerry's refusal results in his being seen as a hero of sorts, but when The Vigils publicly rally behind the chocolate sale, Jerry is reduced to a villain in the eyes of his classmates, 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 and feels no remorse.[3]
Characters
- Jerry Renault- The protagonist.
- Archie Costello- A key member of the Vigils who specialized in the psychological intimidation of the people around him. It has been postulated that the defining characteristic of Archie Costello is his amorality (a trait upon which Cormier places heavy emphasis in the sequel "Beyond the Chocolate War")[citation needed].
- Obie- A member of the Vigils who is a follower of Archie, but also a secret hater of his cruel methods. He is perhaps as evil as Archie, albeit in a somewhat different manner. Instead of possessing Archie's grim determination to wreak havoc upon Trinity, Obie plays a facilitative role in the Vigils by prescribing victims for consumption by the mob. The immorality of his acts lies in his unwillingness to defy Archie's cruelty, in spite of his knowledge that it is palpably wrong.
- 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 cahoots with Archie and the Vigils.
- Brother Eugene- The Vigils get The Goober to loosen every screw in Brother Eugene's classroom, Room Nineteen. He undergoes a nervous breakdown when all the desks and chairs fall apart.
- Emile Janza - At Archie's behest, he participates in the climactic boxing match against Jerry. In contrast to Archie's implacable amorality, Janza is a fiery and chaotic character. He assumes a more sinister aspect in "Beyond the Chocolate War", as Cormier depicts him stalking Jerry and the Goober, whilst deriving a sexual thrill from pursuing his hapless victims.
Sequel
The sequel to The Chocolate War, Beyond The Chocolate War, was published in 1985.
Film adaptation
The Chocolate War inspired the 1988 film of the same name, directed by Keith Gordon. It starred John Glover, Wallace Langham, Ilan Mitchell-Smith, and Jenny Wright.
References
- ^ 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
- ^ Top 100 Banned/Challenged Books in 2000-2007
- ^ Cormier, Robert (1974). The Chocolate War. Random House. ISBN 0-440-94459-7.