Brief Summary:

The Chocolate War is a story of student, Jerry Renault; our protagonist, who ‘dares to disturb the universe’. He is inspired by a poster he taped inside his locker with the heading “Do you dare to disturb the universe?”. Jerry takes on a gang who calls themselves the Vigils and Brother Leon, a crooked bully of a teacher who has secret aspirations of being principal. Jerry refuses to participate in the school fundraiser of selling chocolates even after fulfilling his 'assignment' to not sell, given to him by The Vigils.

Detailed Summary:

Written by Robert Cormier and published in 1974, The Chocolate War is one of the most frequently challenged Young Adult books. So frequent are its challenges, it has become popular. Teachers across America use this book to show the harmful effects of bullying.

Jerry Renault is the main character of the book. He is a skinny little freshmen at an all boys Catholic school. He wants nothing more then to be on the football team. His best friend is know as the Goober. Both boys make the football team and desperately want to fit in at school.

Unfortunately, Archie Costello and the Vigils have other plans in store for Jerry and the Goober. The Vigils are a known but unspoken of group of students that run the school. Archie is one of the most important members of this group. His job within the Vigils is the come up with the so called "assignments".

The assignments are given to other students by Archie with help from The Vigils Secretary, Obie and the rest of the Vigils. Goober receives his assignment and is afterward, so depressed he begins to hate school and the people in it, especially the Vigils.

The school fundraiser comes about and Brother Leon, acting principal and teacher, enlists the help of Archie and the Vigils to make sure every chocolate bar is sold. Brother Leon is accustomed to abusing power and is not phased by enlisting the Trinity High School 'gang' to assist him.

Archie then decides to give Jerry the assignment of not selling the chocolates for the first ten days. Problems arise after the 10 days are up and Jerry still refuses to sell the chocolates. Becoming a social outcast doesn't bother Jerry but it upsets Goober enough to make him leave the school. In an effort to reclaim their "no one defies The Vigils", Jerry is beaten, hazed, bullied and stalked.

The book doesn't end there. The end result changes everyone; the students, the teachers and the reader. The reader learns the lesson Robert Cormier intended his audience to walk away from his book with. Bullying, whether psychological or physical, is never a good permanent solution to the problem. Stand up for what you believe in, no matter how out-casted it makes you become. Most importantly, in a organized fight, always be sure to mention all the rules, like the groin is off limits.

Source:
Cormier, Robert. The Chocolate War. 1974. Knopf Books for Young Readers; 30 Anv edition (September 14, 2004)

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