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The Chocolate War (Chocolate War, #1)

Robert Cormier

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Jan 19, 2015 Jacob Mroczkiewicz rated it really liked it

What a read! Quick yet complex. I bet that if I had the time to go back and reread this text I would find my perception of it completely changed. I think Cormier masterfully crafted this novel, as if it were a fine sculpture. In the author's note he wrote that there was essentially no editing process that went in to the publishing of this book back in the mid-seventies, and that truly baffles me. I found this text to be rich in theme (the existence and resistance of evil, namely), character, and What a read! Quick yet complex. I bet that if I had the time to go back and reread this text I would find my perception of it completely changed. I think Cormier masterfully crafted this novel, as if it were a fine sculpture. In the author's note he wrote that there was essentially no editing process that went in to the publishing of this book back in the mid-seventies, and that truly baffles me. I found this text to be rich in theme (the existence and resistance of evil, namely), character, and symbolism, which -- when paired with a writing style both simplistic and complex at the same time -- seems to make for a wonderful book to which to introduce one's students.

Furthering my praise, I felt that the characters were all real. Real in the sense that such characters are found in the lives of the young adults who read this book. (Hell, I was probably a couple of these characters myself in high school.) I felt that Jerry, the protagonist, was especially regarded as a mirror character because young adult readers persevere through the crisis, or rather, the perceived absence of identity at that age. Happened to me. And while I appreciated Cormier's generally favorable depictions of football as a means for young men to generate self-worth, his football vernacular needed some polishing. Just saying.

Cormier's devotion to theme seemed to serve as the driving force behind this work, and the symbolism fed off of that force. Notably, the image of the shadows of the goalposts that Obie sees when talking to Archie (a type of Ozymandias figure himself) that resemble crucifixes over the place where Jerry was essentially crucified for standing up for his principles. Yep, there're some biblical parallels as well, but how could there not be when writing a fictional account of good clashing with evil?

Trinity School was basically crafted to represent a microcosm of the world -- Cormier said as much in his author's note, though I was trying to liken the metaphor to a more specific source (came up empty on that one). One criticism I have seen of this text is the absence of a strong female character altogether. Women, or the young girls mentioned, rather, seem to serve as objects of these boys fantasies. Well, sure, but have you been in the mind of a fifteen-year-old boy? Generally, that's how they think. Its not that Cormier was painting women in a negative light. If anything, he was doing them justice by not having them align with of the young embodiment of evil that were the majority of the boys at Trinity.

Whether it is used as a mirror text to better illustrate the young persons' search for identity, as a window text to examine the evils that inhabit every pocket of this world or to examine how resistance is used as a means for using good to stop the spread of evil, or even to teach literary theory (Marxist theory), I envision trying to find a place in my classroom for this text.
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Jan 21, 2015 Mykala rated it really liked it

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier grabbed my attention from the first page and held it until the very end in what I think is a very compelling novel. It was a quick read and I didn’t want to put it down. I like that the storyline of the novel alternately changes perspective among various characters throughout the book. I feel like it greatly contributes to the overall development of the storyline and successful movement of the plot forward. The use of internal dialogue among the main character The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier grabbed my attention from the first page and held it until the very end in what I think is a very compelling novel. It was a quick read and I didn’t want to put it down. I like that the storyline of the novel alternately changes perspective among various characters throughout the book. I feel like it greatly contributes to the overall development of the storyline and successful movement of the plot forward. The use of internal dialogue among the main characters gave each person depth and dimension. I dislike that the antagonist Archie fails to have any redeeming qualities. The other bullies reveal a sense of right and wrong as well as compassion, at least within their internal dialogue, but I don’t feel that Archie reveals that.
This novel used vivid and descriptive imagery throughout the book that brought the scenes to life for the reader. The author often used analogies to describe emotions and feelings as well as the character’s appearances. The story unfolds quick enough that it hooks the reader but doesn’t overwhelm you with all the important information at once. Up until the end of the book you are presented with new details that bring the storyline full circle. This story is relatable to a wider range of young adults because there are a variety of characters to identify with as opposed to other novels that only focus on one central character.
This book addresses several issues that a young adult audience might be facing such as, dealing with what’s right and what’s wrong and whether to follow the group or stand out on your own. It also raises issues about the dynamics and roles of authority between students and teachers as well as among peers. The characters demonstrate the various outcomes of these issues depending on the opposing choices they make.. Several times the author introduces outlying characters that I feel aren’t as well developed but they do contribute to the story in a small way. These characters speak more to the small details involved in the story, especially in their interactions with the protagonists and antagonists. Overall I found this book intriguing and inventive in it’s intricately woven story.
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Jan 22, 2015 Michelle Parsons rated it liked it

Shelves: ya-lit

Cormier's The Chocolate War is an exploration of the brutal interpersonal politics of an all-boys school and the social group that rules behind the scenes. While it is nominally a story about fundraising, it is actually about the possibility of finding and defending one's identity within a group. I will admit, this particular novel is somewhat outside of my normal genre of literature. I tend towards books with elements of fantasy and historical fiction. That being said, I was left feeling both i Cormier's The Chocolate War is an exploration of the brutal interpersonal politics of an all-boys school and the social group that rules behind the scenes. While it is nominally a story about fundraising, it is actually about the possibility of finding and defending one's identity within a group. I will admit, this particular novel is somewhat outside of my normal genre of literature. I tend towards books with elements of fantasy and historical fiction. That being said, I was left feeling both impressed and repulsed by the book.

In particular, I was impressed by Cormier's ability to write the perspectives of so many different characters without losing narrative coherence. Even with a third-person limited style of narration, it can be difficult to capture the interiority of multiple subjects. Often authors will either end up with characters that all look the same or else a mass of disjointed styles. This was not the case in this novel. Archie, Obie, Emile, Jerry, and the Goober all possessed a distinctive voice that still preserved the overall authorial style.

The characterizations seemed spot-on to me, though admittedly I have never been a teenaged boy. The descriptions of the activities of the students, their obsessions with girls and sex, and the kind of power plays that go into effect within The Vigil are in keeping with my own observations of and friendships with boys during high school. Archie's calculated but casual cruelty and the even more perfected cruelty of Brother Leon are truly chilling. Both characters are under pressure in proving themselves worthy of power, but they seem to truly enjoy making others squirm. This is beyond Emile's joy in hurting others, which seems pure in comparison.

In some ways, the story is dated; the presence of hippies challenging Jerry is one thing that may ring discordant for modern readers. In addition, the presence of a boxing team is something that additionally marks this school as something of the past. Unfortunately, many of the other issues, including unfair fights and the accusation of homosexuality as an insult, are still alive and well. The need for a member of a homosocial community to defend his right to be in it through violence is hardly new, and sadly still not outdated.

However, this is a story that is kind of depressing. The Goober's attempts to be a good friend by supporting Jerry in not selling the school chocolates is ultimately undermined by The Vigil. Jerry, the main character, ends up hospitalized, with no clear image of whether he will recover. Archie and Obie are left basically right where they started. The only semi-heroic character in the end is the Goober, but his efforts at alerting appropriate authorities come too late to save Jerry from having his ideals beaten out of him. His determination to live a life that is different, to stand up to both the school and The Vigil and all the rest of the system within which he lives, is ultimately crushed by social and physical violence. ...more

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Dec 07, 2018 Morgan marked it as to-read

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