Title: The Chocolate War
Author: Robert Cormier
ISBN: 978-0-7587-4778-5
Publisher: Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers
Copyright Date: 1974
Genre: Classics
Reading Level/Interest Age: 9th - 12th grade
Awards: Booklist 1997, ALA Notable Children's Books 1995
Plot Summary: After the death of his mother, Jerry focuses on making the high school football team to help alleviate some of the pain of grieving for his mother while living with his depressed father. When a group of high school bullies (The Vigils) make Jerry a target for one of their "assignments" he soon finds the courage to stand up to not only the Vigils, but the teachers and authority figures as well.
Critical Evaluation: Cormier's powerful, slightly dark novel was beautifully written and tells a commanding story that resonates with the reader long after the story has been read. Readers will feel uncomfortable and empathetic for Jerry but ultimately, the characters are not very relatable or even realistic. I think Cormier used his characters as representations of ideas to further his examination of good vs. evil.
Critical Evaluation: Cormier's powerful, slightly dark novel was beautifully written and tells a commanding story that resonates with the reader long after the story has been read. Readers will feel uncomfortable and empathetic for Jerry but ultimately, the characters are not very relatable or even realistic. I think Cormier used his characters as representations of ideas to further his examination of good vs. evil.
Reader's Annotation: A modern tale of good vs. evil. A teenager finds the courage and will to stand up against the bullies at his school.
Booktalking Ideas: Bullying
Booktalking Ideas: Bullying
Challenge issues if any: I could forsee the violence and language in this book being offensive to some, but overall I feel it was fairly mild and appropriate for high school aged students.
Why did you include this book: This classic story not only serves as a reminder of the dangers of bullying, but it will also help readers identify the good vs. evil theme, pointing out that there is good and evil in all of us.
Quote: "It was an ingenious idea thought up by someone long before Archie's time, someone who was wise enough - or bastard enough - to realize that an assigner could go off the deep end if there wasn't some kind of control." (pg.37)
Quote: "It was an ingenious idea thought up by someone long before Archie's time, someone who was wise enough - or bastard enough - to realize that an assigner could go off the deep end if there wasn't some kind of control." (pg.37)
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