: But Emile never knows if Archie is serious or not — in fact, stealing fuel probably does count as beautiful in Archie’s eyes, because Emile can be useful to him. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. The Chocolate War is one of those novels which requires the reader to bring their own morality to the table. The American Library Association classifies adolescent literature into three categories: The Chocolate War belongs to category two and was seen by many as a good text to study in schools. We can imagine how someone would mistake disgust for boredom, though may not of thought of this before. Archie can't resist the chance to corrupt this goodness, and he chooses the perfect assignment for him. Bill Carter : All right, Archie. The teachers have power by virtue of being teachers, so Brother Leon is still a formidable opponent for Archie. If I planned to write a book similar to this I would persevere with my detailed notes. However, he is also closely emulating the voice of the characters themselves. The coach is Renault’s first opponent, though it remains to be see whether he is an ally. Another story like this is Brokeback Mountain by Annie Proulx. Now, we the Vigils don't believe in physical violence, but we've found it necessary to have a punishment code. Emile Janza Are you a teacher? Archie carries out his own version of sexual assault on Emile, pretending to take a photo of him after finding him in the toilets masturbating. Obie The punishment is usually worse then the assignment. […], Jan Susina interprets The Vigils as the Mafia. Archie Costello He gives them a ride home ‘with detours’. Otherwise it won’t feel like they earned it. Weird things happen in schools. Emile Janza When ideologies in YA novels focus specifically on government, they tend to convey to adolescents that they are better served by accepting than by rejecting the social institutions with which they must live. So you have to mix quick payoffs with longer mysteries. Gravity. He had to tell Goober to play ball, to play football, to run, to make the team, to sell the chocolates, to sell whatever they wanted you to sell, to do whatever they wanted you to do. He can lay out there and vomit til thy kingdom come and nobody would care. (You have to go back to the first sentence of the book to be sure, but it’s metaphorical — his spirit has been killed.) Obie That is, all novels are influenced by their authors’ sociopolitical beliefs. I feel readers deserve a content note about Robert Cormier novels, and about The Chocolate War in particular. He exists to contrast with Brother Leon. Archie — like a sociopath, taking power from others, killing their spirits Goober — Just trying to get along unnoticed, manoeuvring around the power plays of others These characters are mirrored in the characters of the teachers. If ever there was a clear psychopath in young adult fiction, Archie is it. Archie Costello Emile is another sociopath, though not quite as smart. Turns out the meanest looking coach isn’t the most dangerous adult in the school. Each character has his own plan in an intricate big struggle for top of the hierarchy. Obie describes the school as ‘a lousy little high school like Trinity’. ... Why does Archie hate sports and athletics. Archie is depicted as an ‘all American boy’, with blonde hair blowing in the wind, sitting in the bleachers. However, The Chocolate War does not have the immediacy of voice common to most young adult novels. The Chocolate War is a young adult novel by American author Robert Cormier, published in 1974.It was adapted into a film in 1988. At the heart of all these interpretations is the recognition that The Chocolate War is a political novel. : PLAY. [stammering as usual] Janza, can't you do anything right? This close third person narrator reminds us occasionally that he is telling a story. There we have them — Obie’s main psychological shortcomings in the very first line. […]. Although Archie is really mean, he ‘disliked violence’. Briefly, what are the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution of. Brother Leon understands Archie the best, though Archie does not have a sociopathic equivalent on staff, which is good for him. I admit you did a beautiful job on Rolllo. Jerry sees a poster with Do I Dare Disturb The Universe? : Let's sell the chcocolates. To what extent is, Detail included in the sexual scenes e.g. Archie's plan is to make selling chocolates the popular thing to do by bringing in the class officers, the other kids with influence.