Journal #8: The Chocolate War and Point of View

[Renee Stein]

Robert Cormier wrote The Chocolate War in 1974 after his son said he didn't want to sell chocolates for the school fundraiser. The way he wrote the book gives the narrator an omniscient point of view. This point of view allows the narrator to understand the action, thoughts, and reasons for the author doing what he does. For example when the reader first meets Emile Janza he is siphoning gas. Because the book is written in the omniscient point of view the reader learns that Emile Janze sometimes feels horny when he tackles a guy in football or roughhoused a kid. If this book was written in another point of view the reader would never know that Emile Janza feels that way. The reader also meets Obie, who is the closest person to Archie. The reader knows that Obie both admires and hates Archie. Because the narrator can get into everyone's minds the reader knows that Obie feels that way.