Catholic schools are portrayed as having higher expectations and stricter regulations to both parents and kids in public schools since they incorporate their faith as a main part of their curriculum. The novel takes place within a Catholic school, and gives a different look at what a Catholic school could be like. Most people and parents who disliked the book “...trash-talk it because they think it gives Catholic school, and school in general, a bad rap” (Shmoop). There is explicit content in the book, both sexaully and violently, but it is nothing that teens of today have not seen before in their everyday lives. The Chocolate War, by Robert Cormier, although demeaning to Catholic schools due to violence and profanity is an influential book,
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Throughout the novel, evil, which is portrayed by Archie, Brother Leon, The Vigils and several others, constantly controls the good of the novel. Jerry, Goober, and a lot of other kids in the school, get manipulated and bullied to the extent where they do not have any way to retaliate. The significance of this is Jerry’s character and actions do fight back against the evil in the book. His courage and brave action of the sale, leads to an undefined win over The Vigils, and specifically Archie. With his action of denying the sale, there were inevitable physical and emotional consequences. Jerry had gotten beat up and became isolated after he had made that choice. People then started to realize that his choice may not have been a bad idea, and starts a mini revolution in the school against The Vigils.
By and large, the novel, The Chocolate War, By Robert Cormier, teaches several important lessons, such as defying normality, the power of fear, and the struggle between good and evil. The book does in fact have violence, sexual content, and profanity, but is nothing compared to the explicit content of the real world. This can even prepare kids and young adults who are reading, with lessons and examples of the real world. The novel may portray Catholic schools as vulgar and unseemly, but is still a significant novel that teens and young adults should be able to read for a positive learning
Throughout the novel, evil, which is portrayed by Archie, Brother Leon, The Vigils and several others, constantly controls the good of the novel. Jerry, Goober, and a lot of other kids in the school, get manipulated and bullied to the extent where they do not have any way to retaliate. The significance of this is Jerry’s character and actions do fight back against the evil in the book. His courage and brave action of the sale, leads to an undefined win over The Vigils, and specifically Archie. With his action of denying the sale, there were inevitable physical and emotional consequences. Jerry had gotten beat up and became isolated after he had made that choice. People then started to realize that his choice may not have been a bad idea, and starts a mini revolution in the school against The Vigils.
By and large, the novel, The Chocolate War, By Robert Cormier, teaches several important lessons, such as defying normality, the power of fear, and the struggle between good and evil. The book does in fact have violence, sexual content, and profanity, but is nothing compared to the explicit content of the real world. This can even prepare kids and young adults who are reading, with lessons and examples of the real world. The novel may portray Catholic schools as vulgar and unseemly, but is still a significant novel that teens and young adults should be able to read for a positive learning