The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier

The Chocolate War

Author: Robert Cormier

Publisher: Random House, Inc.

Date of Publication: 1974

Format: Hardcover

Page Count: 191 Pages

Cost: $5.50

ISBN: 0-440-94459-7

Reading Level: Ages 12 and up

Plot Summary: The trouble begins when Jerry is ordered by the Vigils, a group of school bullies, to refuse to participate in his all-male prep school’s annual, and supposedly voluntary, fundraiser. The outcry from his actions are tremendous, making him a hero in the eyes of some, but involuntarily pitting him against the powerful Brother Leon. By the time Jerry’s assigned task is complete, he decides he doesn’t wish to sell the chocolates and continues to refuse to participate in the fundraiser, despite receiving a direct order from the Vigils to do so. His continued determination to act according to his own volition ends in a terrible and humiliating public beating which convinces Jerry that man has nothing to gain and everything to lose by taking a stand against the status quo.

Evaluation: This book does contain bad language, sexual content, and graphic violence. It also forces the reader to face a few undeniable but difficult facts- good does not always triumph, pure evil is alive and well in our world, and a happy ending is not always guaranteed. However, adults will probably have more difficulty accepting these realities than teenagers, who have already learned these lessons quite sufficiently from their (sometimes harsh) experiences with the world. This novel would provide an excellent foundation for intense discussion about conformity, bullying, and peer pressure, among other difficult topics. Fans of this book who are unsatisfied with the ending should be encouraged to check out the sequel, Beyond the Chocolate War.

Annotation: Jerry Renault’s refusal to sell chocolate at his school’s annual fundraising drive makes him a hero in the eyes of some of his classmates, but an enemy in the eyes of those who rule the school.

Links:

A Novel Study: The Chocolate War

Novel Guide: The Chocolate War

Related Reads:

The Pigman by Paul Zindel

Lord of the Flies by William Golding

Feed by M.T. Anderson

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie