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.