Reflection

The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier was an average book. I didn't think that it was really good or really bad. I thought that the book was just okay. It was more enjoyable to read because it wasn't too long and the vocabulary wasn't hard. Robert Cormier made every character have a different personality trait. Jerry Renault, one of the main characters was kind of a rebel. The school's chocolate sale didn't agree with Jerry. He revolted and decided not to sell the chocolate. At first, students admired Jerry's rebel personality and thought not selling chocolate was a good idea. This started to affect the sale, and chocolate wasn't really selling. Jerry's personality led to many characters beginning to betray him. At the end of the book, a fight is set up and Jerry doesn't win. This fight makes Jerry realize that maybe revolting against a groups idea isn't the best plan. Jerry's fight puts him in his place and shows that going against something isn't worth it.

Sean Dwyer- summary

The book "The chocolate War" by Robert Cormier is about a freshmen in high school named Jerry Renault is a shy unconfident kid who wants to fit in. Jerry comes in contact with a gang called the vigils, this is a group of older highly respected kids who make underclassmen do "assignments." Jerry gets an assignment to not take part in the schools annual chocolate sale, for ten days he is to refuse to do so in front of his classmates and teacher. After the ten days are up Jerry finds himself still refusing to take part in the sale even though he had already completed the assignment. Jerry doesn't really understand why he is doing what he is doing and daring to be different, but his bravery to stand up to his teachers and the Vigils gains him alot of popularity and respect. Soon after Jerry refuses to sell chocolate after the assignment people strat to follow in his foot steps and the chocolate sales go way down, however the Vigils see Jerrie's behavior as an insult and do everything they can to make his life miserable, and soon the chocolate is being sold again. At the end of the book the leader of the Vigils sets up a boxing match between Jerry and one of the toughest kids in school, as a kind of punishment. Jerry gets beat up and realizes that standing out and making a change was not worth it and it couldn't be done.

Reflection

"The Chocolate War," by Robery Cormier was a very interesting book. The main character Jerry Ranault wasnt your tipical main character. Jerry was a freshman who just started high school and he got beat up a little bit during football tryouts. Although he did get pounded in the begining it just showed us how tough he really was. Along with his toughness Jerry Ranault was also very determined and he did what he believed in like when he refused to sell the chocolates for the chocolate sale. He got a lot of kids to stand up for the cause and temporairily stoped the sale. I liked this book because it was hard to predict what was going to happen next. I would recommen this book for anyone who enjoys reading it is also an "easy read."

Reflection

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier was a very fascinating and enjoyable book. The characters in the book had very different personalities and the author did a great job creating an image of each character. The book also contained a lot of humor and the story was very easy to relate to. Throughout the story the author left the reader wondering if a character named Jerry would ever accept the chocolates and show his school pride. His journey in denying the chocolates everyday made the reader eager to see what will happen if he does accept the chocolate. I enjoyed reading this book and i know future readers will too.

Reflection

I enjoyed the book the Chocolate War. It was a book that had some unpredictable events. There were also many situations that I can relate to my life. In this book, there is a school call Trinity High School that is having a chocolate sale to raise money for their school. Then, there is a group called The Vigils that makes people do things and they tell one kid named Jerry not to sell the chocolates for the first ten days but then he takes it into his own hands and doesn't want to sell them after the ten days. This makes the other kids in the school wonder if they should do the same thing but at the end, they all decide to make this kid miserable for defying The Vigils. This is something that I can relate to because in all schools, after one person does something, many people consider following their footsteps and doing the same thing but realize that they shouldn't do everything everyone else does. I enjoyed this book and I think other people will.

Reflection

The book "The Chocolate War" was a very interesting book that gives you things to relate with through a school environment. In this book a gang called The Vigils go around and make other kids do bad things. The Trinity High School is having a chocolate sale and The Vigils make a boy named Jerry refuse chocolate for ten days while the sale is going on. This causes problems because even after the ten days is up, Jerry still refuses to sell the chocolates. This causes the other students begin to wonder why he would do such a thing. I really enjoyed this book because it was one that I could relate to.

Reflection

I enjoyed reading "The Chocolate War". It was an interesting book that was unpredictable. The main character Jerry is a normal high school student that plays football. The Vigils are a gang that kind of rule the kids in the school. There is an annual chocolate sale coming up and the Vigils are asked to help out with it since the expectations are doubled this year. Jerry receives an assignment from the Vigils to refuse the chocolates for 10 days, he does this but doesn't stop after the 10 days. At first everyone is on his side because he is aggravating the teacher that everyone dislikes, but eventually the Vigils get everyone to basically make him miserable. Overall the book is good, I liked how it was hard to predict what was going to happen next. I would recommend this book for any teenager and adults.

Final Review

This book is very interesting and insightful.  "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier can teach you a lot about the life of teenage boys. I liked it a lot because I can relate it to so many things that go around in the real world. The Vigils, which is the name of Archie Costello's gang, go around Trinity High School and cause all sorts of trouble. This gang creates assignments for other students that could trouble the school, and the students who commit these acts. Jerry Renault is the Protagonist in the novel. The Vigils gave him an assignment to refuse to sell chocolates at the schools annual chocolate sale. Jerry Renault does not feel comfortable doing this, which causes the major conflict of the book. Gangs are formed in the real world and they control their surroundings just like the Vigils. They make people do things that they might not be comfortable with. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy controversy and reading about major conflicts. I really enjoyed this book and I think a lot of other people will too.

Reflection

I thought that the chocolates war was a good book. This was about Jerry Renault and the boys from The Vigils. Trinity holds an annual chocolate sale that this year was doubled in price and in amount. The Vigils like playing pranks and messing with people. They gave Jerry the job of refusing to sell chocolates for ten days. however, when the assignment from The Vigils was over, Jerry still refused to sell chocolates. When this happened this made everyone think about why he would do this. Everyone in this book has different and individual characteristics that adds to the book. This book is also very specific and paints a picture in you head.

Reflection

The Chocolate War was a good book. It kept me reading, but was confusing at sometimes in the chapters. It was about a boy named Jerry Renault, who was a freshman at the Trinity High School. Even though he was not so strong, and didn't really fit in with everyone, he wanted to try out for the football team. Kids would tackle him to the ground and would also make fun of him. But I think it persuaded him from not stoping, just to try very hard. At the end of this book, Jerry Renault sticks up for himself and shows everyone that he is not a loser, hes a fighter. It shows people how he really feels deep down inside. This book reminds me of in dance class I couldn't get the steps right, So people would laugh at me and say "It's so easy!" I would practice and practice, work so hard and never give up. It worked out very well, cause I actually did really good. I have continued with dance for the rest of my life since I was about 5 years old. It is my passion now. Things could change your life in so many ways.

reflection

I liked the book The Chocolate War because it was something that I was actually interested in. It was a great book. One of the characters in the book was Jerry Renault. He is a very skinny boy who always gets made fun of in school for being weak. He made the football team to try to build his confidence up but the other kids on the team still make fun of him.

Reflection

The Chocolate War was an interesting book. It was about a boy named Jerry Renault who is trying out for the football tream, but he struggles because he is very skinny and weak. Even though he is weak he was kocked down all the time and made fun of but with all of that i think it persuaded him to try harder. At the end Renault stands up to everyone and shows the he can do it. The book also reminds me of when I tried out for Football I was made fun of because of some of the things I could not do i was always laughed at and also knocked down but then i started to ignore them and just tried my hardest and actually did very well.

Reflection

The Chocolate War was a great book. It was about a football team that was holding tryouts. Jerry Renault, a skinny and weak boy. Even though he was weak he still tried out, he got knocked down and made fun of but he still managed to persevere. By the end of the book Jerry manages to stand up 58 to everyone especially when he still refused to sell the chocolate even when the Vigils ended the assignment. This book reminds me of everyday life and how a lot of people stand up for what they believe in and how it could change your life.

Discussion Director

How do the Vigils or Archie and Obie feel about what Jerry is doing with the chocolates?

Why does The Goob want to quit the football team?

What does Leon want Archie to do with Jerry?

Literary Luminary

1. "I think the Renault kid is right about the chocolates," Howie said.

2. " Nobody defies The Vigils, Obie..." Said Archie

    " That's what Renault's doing... and gets away with it." said Obie.

3. " The boys have become infected, Cochran. Infected by a disease we could call apathy. A terriable disease. Difficult to cure." said Brother Leon. 

Chapters 21- 25
Jerrys refusal to sell the chocolates has spread like wildfire, now more and more kids ever day are refusing the chocolates as well. Archie hears of this new and at first is very pleased but then becomes angry and comes up with a plan. Brother Leon becomes anger by the day as the sale seems to be going down the drain and as Archie finds out if this sale going down the drain so does Leon because of the 20,000 dollars of the schools money he put forward. Final Leon confronts Archie and threats him that if the sale gose down so dose the vigils so archie had to do something about this, so Achie tells jerry his new assignments is to take the chocolates.

Literary Luminary-Literature Circles

1. "Chocolates. I bought a box myself. The leat I could do for good old Trinity," said Danny.
2. "I'm not going to sell them anymore, either," said Howie.
3. "I'm with you, Howie. As of this moment, no more selling of chocolates," said Richy.

Connector

In this reading many people are starting to realize that Jerry Renault doesn't have such a bad idea in not selling any chocolates. This has a connection to everyday life. Everyone gets lazy and give up on things just like Jerry does. It happens all the time in our lives.Also, Archie realizes that this specific assignment he gave out wasn't such a good idea after all. This relates to the fact that people relie on their good ideas too much and that sometimes they fall through and don't work like you would want them to.

Discussion Director

What do Danny and Kevin think about what Jerry is doing?
Who is Howie and what does he think of selling chocolates?

What does Howie want everyone to do?

Summarizer

Summary:

This section of reading that we needed to complete, characters analyze Jerrys plan of not selling chocolate. Other kids realize that Jerrys plan to not sell chocolates isn't a bad idea at all. Everyone is getting frustrated with the chocolate sale and it's not working out as well as it should have. Archie's assignment for the group came out to be a bad idea after all. Archie is finally realizing that his quota and higher prices for the chocolate sale aren't working out.


Key Points

1. Chocolate sale isn't working out as well as planned. They each aren't selling enough chocolate that they need to be selling.
2. The assignment that Archie had done also didn't work out and now negative things are coming up because of it.
3. Kids are starting to realize that Jerrys plan is the way to go and they don't want to be selling chocolate anymore either.

Summarizer

During this part of the story, Jerry witnessed that when he didn't accept the chocolates, it wasn't just between him and Leon. Instead the whole school had complimented him throughout the day due to his actions. Also towards the end of the reading, Obie started to express his frustration towards Archie. Archie then assigned an assignment for the group to stand up when the teacher said environment. Unfortunately the assignment backfired against the group and Obie's hatred towards Archie grew.

Key Points

1. Jerry is feeling guilty about the chocolates

2. Obie has a strong hatred towards Archie

3. The assignment that Archie assigned backfired against the group.

discussion Director

1. what are the new main characters introduced/

2. woh are the vigils?


3. what are you thinking about when you are reading

Illustrator

Illustrator

The Chocolate War Questions pg. 99-101

1. What does the author mean when he says Brother Jacques is "raw meat" for Archie?

2. Why did Archie get Obie involved in the assignment?

3. What was Obie waiting for Archie to do?

Discussion Director

-Jerry struggles at night, What can't he sleep?

-Why does Jerry refuse again to sell the chocolates ,
and why does he feel sad on saying the word no?

-How come Archie will do anything to cause chaos or problems?

Summarizer-Literature Circles

1. Jerry is told that people think waht he is doing is good and many people support his decision not to sell the chocolates.
2. Jerry says that he wont sell the chocolates again when Brother Leon asks him at the roll call that day.
3. Goober talks to Jerry and says that he should consider selling the chocolates.
4. Jerry states that he keeps denying to sell the chocolates because he has a poster in his locker that says "Do I dare disturb the universe?"
5. Obie thinks that Archie tipped off the new teacher Brother Jacques about the Vigils.

Literary Luminary

"Why did you dit it? I dont know. Have you gone crazy? Maybe I have. It was a crazy thing to do. The way that no pepped out."

"Do me a favor Jerry, take the chocolates today"

"It's not The Vigils anymore, it's me."

What were Kevin Chartier and his friend Danny talking about on the phone?

What is Richy and Howie planning on doing for the chocolate sale?

Why is it that everyone is refusing to sell chocolate for Brother Leon?

Literary Luminary

"Hey' there, guy. I wouldn't ... I wouldn't be in your shoes ... I wouldn't be in your shoes for a thou, boy, a mill ..." He punched Jerry playfully on the arm. -Pg 97

Jerry opened his locker. He had thumbtacked a poster to the back wall of his locker on the first day of school. The poster showed a wide expanse of beach, a man walked on the beach, a small solitary figure in all that immensity. At the bottom of the poster, these words appeared- Do I dare disturb the universe? - pg 97

It would be so easy, really, to yell "Yes." To say, "Give me the chocolates to sell, Brother Leon." So easy to be like the others, not to have to confront those terrible eyes every morning. Brother Leon finally looked up. The tempo of the roll call had broken.
"No," Jerry said. - pg 98

Illustration for The Chocolate War Pg. 68-99

Discussion Director

Why is Jerry Renault so against selling the chocolate?


What is Tubs reasoning for selling the chocolate?


Why does Archie pretend to take the picture of Emile and Why is Archie black mailing Emile Janza?


Why is Renault still refusing to sell the chocolate even after his assignment was complete?


Why does Jerry do what the Vigils want him to when he doesn't want to carry the assignments out to begin with ?

Literary Luminary

1. John Sulkey liked to make out the lists whenever there was a sale at the school. Last year, as a junior, he had won first prize for selling the most chances in a school raffle. He was lousy at sports and a squeaker at studies. pg 68

-It's very interesting and goes to show that any student can win. All they have to do is try.

2. Tubs Casper was trying to sell the chocolates so he can buy his girlfriend a bracelet for her birthday.

-I think it's really nice of him to do all that for his girlfriend. pg 72-73

3. Archie pretended to take a picture, and ever since has blackmailed Janza, not saying anything that the picture does not actually exist.

- It's shocking because blackmailing is a very mean thing to do to someone.Especially when someone wants their own privacy at times.Pg 79

4. Caroni, for the first time ever, has received an "F" on a test, and wants to know exactly what he did wrong.

- I thought it was funny because the kid has got a "F" on a test for the first time. pg 82-83

5. He thinks about death, and what happens to people and their bodes when they die. He even thought about his own mother.

- This is powerful because just thinking about people dead, being buried six feet under, kind of creepy. It makes it even more when it's your own mother. pg 90

Disscussion director

Why does Jerry keep refusing to sell the chocolates and puts up with the class getting annoyed about it? 

What blackmail does Archie claim to have on Janza? 

Why is Brother Leon so tough on all the students and especially the smartest ones?

Why did Jerry still refuse the chocolates after his assignment with the Vigils is done?

Why do most of the kids congratulate Jerry every time he refuses the chocolates?

Literary Luminary

Sean Dwyer


1. "Shes too old for you, his mother said. What his mother should have said was, she looks too beautiful." -paragraph 1 pg. 72
I chose this quote because i think its a common thing that all teenagers have heard, or can relate to. The way looks can alter your opinion on someone or even someones opinion on you being with them.

2."And then the gathering of tension. Jerry was next. Goober heard a wierd sound, almost as if the class had sucked in its breath all at once."Renault?" "No."-paragraph 6 pg.70
I chose this quote because it makes a statment about Jerries character and what other think about him.

3."Tell you what, Caroni. At the end of the term, when the marks close, I'll review that particular test. Perhaps I'll be fresher then. Perhaps I'll see merit that wasnt apparent before..."- paragraph 3 pg.87
I chose this quote from brother Leon becasue it shows the type of character he is and how hes so much more conserned with the chocolate sales then he is with teaching kids good morals.

4."Renault," he said again, his voice like a whip. "No. Im not going to sell the chocolates."
paragraph 5 pg.89
This quote is very intresting because not even Jerry seems to understand why he said no, even when the 10 days was up.

Connector-Literature Circles

One part in the book that relates to the outside world could be in chapter 12 when Jerry renault refuses to sell chocolates. It was not mandatory to sell chocolates, but most kids did. This relates to the outside world because there is always stuborn people. There is always that on kid in the class who likes to play jokes and thik that he has more power then the teacher. Another part that relates is John Sulkey, the kid who always wants to finish first place in everything he does. The book said in his junior year he sold 125 raffle books and recieved a special pin. One way this relates is that there are people in the world taht work hard to be the best. Whether it be for bragging rights or for personal pride there are always people who do it. Another example would be Tubs love for Rita. His allwance goes straight toward movie tickets for the both of them and Tubs always wants to get her whatever she wants. This relates to how kids in school act. There are always 2 or 3 couples that are always all over each other and can never be apart. They do preetty much everything just like Tubs and Rita.

Summarizer

In chapter 14, John Sulkey tries to plan his sales of chocolate by making a list on who he will sell to. He is happy that the quota is 50 boxes because that was nothing for him but the other kids might have trouble. Tubs Casper wants to sell chocolate to get his girlfreind a braclet so he needs to get the money fast so he can get it for her by her birthday. In chapter 15, Archie pretends to take a photo of a boy named Emile Janza and blackmails him. Emile is very scary and Archie can use this blackmail against Emile so he doesnt bother Archie. Emile has no idea Archie didnt really take a picture. In chapter 16, Brother Leon talks to one of the smartest kids in the school named Caroni. Caroni got an "F" for the first time and Brother Leon explains why he did this bad. Brother Leon brings up Jerry in the conversation because he isnt selling chocolates and Caroni explains why. Caroni said that is was because of the Vigils and that meant he had to refuse chocolates for 10 days and then he could accept and sell them. In chapter 17, Jerry is finally supposed to except chocolates when the Goober tells everyone that Jerry was refusing beacause of an assignment. Jerry refuses to sell chocolates when his name is called in the roll call. In chapter 18, Jerry is wondering why he refused the chocolates. He thinks it was beacuse he wanted to stand up to Brother Leon. Jerry just wants to live a normal life woth no Vigils and no assignments.