South Mountain Community College
Journal #7: The Chocolate War and Conflict
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier was written in 1974 but is still relevant today. I feel it is so relevant becuase of the major conflict reflected throughout the novel. Man versus society is a conflict that everyone can relate to. Jerry Renault is the main character of the novel. He is a freshman at a Catholic high school and tries hard to be on the football team and fit in with the other students. But then he is chosen by the Vigils to have an assingment. That is the beginning of the end.
Jerry's assignment is to refuse to sell chocolate for the first ten days of the sale. His doing so seems to upset Brother Leon. But after the ten days are up he still refuses to sell the chocolate. Although there is the underlying conflict of Jerry fighting to understand his own actions, the fact that Jerry refused to sell the chocolate, even when assigned to by the Vigils, stirs up the major conflict of Jerry against the school.
At first everyone knows that Jerry is refusing because of his assignment. But after his assignment is up and he still refuses it gets the school talking. Some people want to join him but then the Vigils step in. They make Jerry look like an outcast and the school follows their thinking. But Jerry doesn't care. He still stands up for his beliefs and challenges everyone. In the end the society of the school gets the best of Jerry.
Jerry's assignment is to refuse to sell chocolate for the first ten days of the sale. His doing so seems to upset Brother Leon. But after the ten days are up he still refuses to sell the chocolate. Although there is the underlying conflict of Jerry fighting to understand his own actions, the fact that Jerry refused to sell the chocolate, even when assigned to by the Vigils, stirs up the major conflict of Jerry against the school.
At first everyone knows that Jerry is refusing because of his assignment. But after his assignment is up and he still refuses it gets the school talking. Some people want to join him but then the Vigils step in. They make Jerry look like an outcast and the school follows their thinking. But Jerry doesn't care. He still stands up for his beliefs and challenges everyone. In the end the society of the school gets the best of Jerry.
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