Emotional Devices In Robert Cormier's The Chocolate War

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Emotional destruction, brutal sport fields and blurry vision are just some of the moments that sum up the first four paragraphs of acclaimed novel, The Chocolate War. This novel is a basic story, however usage of techniques such as metaphors, similes and verbs have changed my outlook on the book. I now see a complex, dramatic piece of literature.

There are many themes and ideas displayed in these passages which challenge a variety of thought. Firstly, this quote looks at sport being compared to that of war.
"As he turned to take the ball, a dam burst against the side of his head and a hand grenade shattered his stomach."
This is a very expressive excerpt focusing at some specific points that you could compare to sport. Robert Cormier has used verbs and metaphors suitably that carry a great deal of suspense. Grenades and dams being compared to other players just demonstrate how effective techniques are when used correctly. Jerry carries so many gripping emotions and we can only really tap into these with the use of a third-person speaker. This works brilliantly as we see Jerry in great deals of pain and depression. I love the use of Burst and Shattered in the text because theses are very powerful verbs and really grip peoples viewing. This extract is a great starter to a novel with dramatic sequences that poise readers with many emotions and opinions. War and Pain are key elements that made me connect to the text because I can position myself to a setting similar to that
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The narrator is showing Jerry's raw emotions and I sense he is severely helpless, worried and depressed. He sees all those around him as aliens because with the use of verbs, we picture them very ugly and quite muscular. I personally believe that Jerry is thinking of his mother because he is showing feelings of what you would feel when you lose someone you love. Jerry would be reflecting the impact his mother's death may have affected his mental state. Verbs and metaphors are used flawlessly in portrayed emotions and surroundings. People can interpret this passage in a variety of ways because it is written flexible enough to challenge different thoughts. The techniques‘s used really position my outlook of the scene and I can put myself in Jerry's shoes and recreate the same situation in my mind.

The first few paragraphs show Jerry and his struggles with playing a game of rugby. You see his emotional journey and third-persons opinion of what it is to be murdered.
The Chocolate War has already displayed many ideas to give a readers view on emotional trauma. I pictured depression, war, brutality, loneliness, bravery and pain. I've been positioned to believe that Cormier's main objective is to create an explosive introduction to the novel that sets up readers for a painful and dismal journey and he has done that

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