Title: The Chocolate War
Author: Robert Cormier
Pages: 66-120
Chapters: 9-18
SUMMARY: As Archie had planned, Brother Eugene's room collapsed as every chair and desks fell down. Brother Eugene felt miserable, gaping at his diminished room. Brother Leon rushed to the room and pushed Archie to the wall and admonished and yelled at Archie for all the damage he provided to the room. Leon couldn't do anything more because he had a deal with the Vigils in selling his chocolate boxes. Archie was smirking at his opus of destruction. At the football field, Jerry received a chance to prove to the coach his capability of making the team. Jerry snapped the ball and looked for a receiver. Carter jumped at him but was tackled by a defender. Jerry approached back, feeling the freedom, passed the ball to The Goober. Jerry was tackled but the pass was successful. The coach complimented Jerry and called him a "skinny son of a -----." This was how the coach appreciated a player into the team, calling them by the name. The Goober maintained a high rapport with the senior football players. It was time for accepting the chocolate boxes. Every kid replied as yes where as Jerry said No, rebelling against it. Jerry kept doing this for a week giving everyone a fear when Brother Leon will rage at the whole class. The story shifts to different characters. Tubs, a chubby kid with a beautiful girlfriend, was striving to maintain a financial level in order to buy his girlfriend Rita a necklace that she wanted so badly. He saved every cent from his allowance, slipping greasy dollars from his father’s pocket and the chocolate box money. Rita actually loved him for who he was. He bought her the gift counting the money plus tax. They went out on a picnic and she let him get closer to her. He received the ultimate chance to touch her body parts although he was shy. Now, panic strikes Tubs. How is he going to pay for the chocolate box money that he used to buy Rita a necklace?
QUOTATION: "Suddenly Jerry spotted Goober's waving hand. Jerry avoided fingers that tore at his sleeve and he unloosed the ball. Someone brushed his hip but he shrugged off the blow. The pass was beautiful" (Cormier 77).
REACTION: My ultimate reaction was very exciting with intense emotions. Personally, I have never read a book that actually intensified my emotions until The Chocolate War. While reading this quote, I felt like I was in a football field right next to Jerry watching the beautiful pass fly by. Recently, I have developed an interest in football and this quote elated me from my bed. It's amazing how books can actually drill a hole into the reader's mind so furtively prowling inside until you strike back to reality. Now that Jerry is executing a rebellious side, the book will be even better.
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