The Chocolate War

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The Chocolate War

• Robert Cormier

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Why is it a canon piece of YA literature?

• Considered the single most important title in the
  history of YA literature.
• Its publication marked the debut of a singular
  talent on the stage of YA literature.
• Its publication signaled a new direction for
  literature to the YA and realism.
• Has thematic weight.
• Has substance that suggests there may be no happy
  endings sometimes and that good may not always
  prevail.
• Demonstrates that there is evil and faceless
  forces ready to destroy us if disturbed.
• Opened door for other similar novels to arrive. (
  ie James Baldwins If Beale Street could talk
  one of the first novels to deal with African
  American YA issues)

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The Chocolate War plot

• Three words say it all They murdered him.
• Process of murdering Jerry Renault.
• Do I dare disturb the universe?
• Tragic storytelling
• Deeper meanings optional-
• Staccato rhythm
• Short chapters/events
• Dialogue used to move novel quickly forward
• Establishing of character and situation in brief,
  broad strokes
• Cinematic technique psychological/philosophical
  points maide with events or dialogue between
  characters
• Tension builds with events/dramas unto themselves
  (lots of little conflicts culminating into bit
  climax)
• Point of view omniscient observer (see
  characters through eyes of each other) offers
  perspective variety but also delves into
  motivations/dependencies on each other

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Cormiers Imagery

• his voice curled into a question mark
• he poured himself liquid through the sunrise
  streets
• like monstrous reptile in his helmet
• a smile like the kind an undertaker fixes on the
  face of a corpse
• crazy cornflake leaves
• Autumn leaves like doomed and crippled birds.

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Biblical allusions of Cormier

• Fit together in a larger structure of meaning
• Christian symbolism important to Cormier and used
  to indicate books theme
• School is NOT part of that allusion even tho
  parochial
• Refusing to sell chocolates Revelations
• Arch archangel
• Vigils vigilantes/crusades/evangelists
• Good vs Evil
• Unholy trinity Brother Leon, Archie, Emile

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Chocolate War An examination of tyranny

• Easier to deal with than Christian allusion.
• Still a trinity but not religious
• Three structures of misused power
• The school as headed by Brother Leon
• The athletic department as headed by the coach
• The mob as headed by Archie
• How can we resist????
• Power is found in victims weaknesses
• Jerry the only one to learn this lesson and
  therefore is destructed.

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Cormiers meaning

• Jerrys defeat is unimportant. What is
  important is that he made the choice and that he
  stood firm for his convictions.
• This, then, is the gesture of humanity, even
  when defeat is inevitable.
• Evil alliances are built with uneasy mutual
  distrust, but only goodness can join humans with
  the self-transcending strength of sympathy and
  love.

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Cormier and YA

• Chocolate War never written DOWN to YAs shows
  great respect for his audience
• Deals with real issues of peer pressure in YA
  worlds
• Book represents an honest story with hard
  concepts and painful consequences explicit
  realism.
• One of five most censored books in public schools
  (with Of mice men, To kill a mockingbird,
  Huckleberry Finn, Lord of the flies)

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Three questions to ask about this novel

• What is good?
• What is beautiful?
• What is truthful?

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How would you see it used?

• In a public library setting?
• In a school setting?
• Other?

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How does it fit as a canon piece of YA literature?