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THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Corimer
Chapter 1
1. What do we learn about Jerry Renault?
2. Why do you think Jerry wants to make the football team?
Chapter 2
1. What do we learn about Obie and Archie?
2. What does Archie say that can be considered Sacrilege? Why is it Blasphemy?
3. What does Archie guess about Obie’s job?
4. What baffles everyone about Archie?
5. What conflicting emotions does Obie feel for Archie?
6. Do you think the “Assignments” are good or bad? Why or why not?
7. Why doesn’t Obie want Jerry on the list? Why does Archie want Jerry on the list?
8. What assignment is Jerry given?
9. What does Obie mean when he says that life is sad?
Chapter 3
1. Is Jerry subhuman?
2. Why does Jerry stare at the people who hang around the Common?
Chapter 3
1. What does Archie verify about adults?
2. How many boxes of chocolates must they sell and why?
3. What is Brother Leon like outside the classroom and inside the classroom?
4. Who are the Vigils?
5. Why can’t Brother Leon ask straight out for the Vigils help?
6. What does Brother Leon mean when he tell Archie that he has influence?
7. What shocking thing does Archie say?
8. Characterize Archie.
Chapter 5
1. What was Archie good at?
2. Why have the Vigils gathered?
3. What is Goober to do with the screwdriver?
4. What is the purpose of the black box?
Chapter 6
1. Describe Bailey
2. What did Brother Leon do to Bailey?
3. Why do you think the whole class laugh and go along with Brother Leon?
4. Why is Bailey the bravest one in the room?
5. According to Brother Leon, what test did Bailey pass?
Literary Analysis
POINT OF VIEW
In “The Chocolate War”, Cormier uses OMNISCIENT NARRATION – an all knowing, third
person point of view. By using this narrative technique, the author draws his readers into the
story and gives them detailed information about the different characters. In the chart below,
jot down notes about what you learned about the novel’s three major characters from reading
Chapters 1-6.
Jerry Renault
Archie Costello
Brother Leon
Short Essay:
Why do you think Archie and Leon are able to exercise so much power over the students at
Trinity?
Chapter 7
1. Why didn’t many defy Emile Janza?
2. Why does Emile sit up front?
3. What truth did Emile discover about people?
4. Do you agree with Emile’s truth about people? Why or why not?
5. What is odd about Emile?
Chapter 8
1. Why does Goober love running?
2. Why is Goober terrified?
3. Why does Goober feel relief?
Chapter 9
1. Why are Jerry and his father distant?
2. What bothers Jerry about his dad’s answers of “fine”?
3. Why doesn’t Jerry want to be a “mirror” of his father?
Chapter 10
1. How many boxes of chocolate must each boy sell?
2. How does Archie persuade the Vigils to promote the chocolate sale?
3. How does Archie plan to meet his personal chocolate sale quota?
Chapter 11
1. What happened to Room 19?
2. How did Brother Eugene react to it?
3. How did Brother Leon react to it?
4. What spoils Archie’s “sweet moment of triumph”? Why is this ironic?
Chapter 12
1. Why is Jerry happy that the coach cussed at him?
2. What was waiting on Jerry’s locker?
Chapter 13
1. Why is Goober depressed?
2. What did Jerry say to Brother Leon that surprised everyone?
Chapter 14
1. What was John Sulkey good at?
2. What was John Sulkey not good at?
3. Why does Tubs need money?
4. Why does Paul flee his house?
5. Why does Brian hate being treasurer?
6. Why do you think Jerry keeps saying no?
Short Essay:
How would you characterize the atmosphere at Trinity? How accurately do you think it mirrors
the outside world? Explain.
Chapter 15
1. What opinion does Archie have of Janza?
2. Which category of people do he and Janza belong to?
Chapter 16
1. Why is Caroni’s F so shocking?
2. What did Caroni know about Brother Leon and this meeting?
3. What information does Caroni give Brother Leon about Jerry?
4. What does Jerry say again?
5. Why do you think he’s still refusing to sell the chocolates?
Chapter 17
1. Why did Jerry say no?
Chapter 18
1. What has Jerry learned about Brother Leon?
Chapter 19
1. Why does Jerry feel guilty when several students tell him he’s gutsy and cool?
2. Why was Goober waiting for Jerry? What did he have to say?
3. Why do you think Jerry chose that particular poster for his locker?
Chapter 20
1. What were the students doing that bewildered Brother Jacques?
2. Why doesn’t Brother Jacques do anything about it?
3. What does Archie do that makes Obie feel insulted and injured?
Chapter 21
1. How is Jerry’s refusal to sell chocolates affecting other kids?
2. Why is Howie Anderson unusual?
3. What affect do you think he’ll have by not selling the chocolates?
4. Why does Archie hate sports?
5. According to Archie, why is it good for people to hate you?
6. What does Obie look like?
7. How are the Vigils involved in Jerry not selling the chocolates?
Chapter 22
1. What news does Brian Cochran have for Brother Leon?
2. Why is Brian Cochran personally troubled by the low sales figures?
3. What has Brother Leon decided is the cause of the low sales?
Literary Analysis
MINOR CHARACTERS
Two of the minor characters in “The Chocolate War” are the Goober and Janza. Although they
do not play major roles in the story, they are fully developed, or ROUND CHARACTERS.
Complete the chart below. Contrast the two characters by listing their opposite personality traits.
THE GOOBER
Innocent
EMILE JANZA
Morally corrupt
Short Essay:
According to Archie, the world is made up of people who are victims and people who victimize.
Explain whether you agree or disagree with this viewpoint.
Chapter 23
1. What has happened to Brother Eugene?
2. Do you think the room 19 prank was cruel?
3. Why is Goober quitting the football team and what do the Vigils have to do with it?
4. Why has Goober decided not to give “anything more to Trinity”?
Chapter 24
1. Why is Archie in trouble?
2. What does Archie know about the sale?
3. What do we learn about the “environment” prank?
4. Why is it the Vigils sale?
5. What does Archie tell Brother Leon about past sales and this sale?
6. Do you think students should have to participate in fundraisers? Why or why not?
7. Why is Brother Leon so desperate to have all the chocolates sold?
8. Where does Leon suggest Archie start to improve the sales?
Chapter 25
1. What is strange about the note?
2. What is Jerry’s answer to why he hasn’t sold any chocolates?
3. What is Carter sick of?
4. What is the consequence if Jerry doesn’t sell the chocolates?
5. What does Obie think is going to screw up Archie and why?
Chapter 26
1. How has Jerry responded to the Vigils threat?
2. Why does it make him feel buoyant?
Chapter 27
1. How does Frankie Rollo survive at Trinity?
2. What does Rollo do that shakes Archie and how is Jerry involved?
3. How does Archie take Rollo’s insolence?
4. How does Carter reassert his role as president of the Vigils?
5. Why doesn’t Archie stand up to Carter?
6. Why does Carter say there is something wrong with the Vigils?
7. According to Archie, why is violence not the answer?
8. Why do you think Archie is willing to help Brother Leon by selling the chocolates?
9. What does Carter have to say about Archie’s status in the Vigils?
Chapter 28
1. What methods are being used against Jerry because he refuses to sell the chocolates?
2. What effect is it having on him?
3. How does Jerry feel about the vandalism to his locker?
4. What meaning does Jerry’s poster have for him now?
5. What is creepy about the sales totals?
Chapter 30
1. Why does Brother Leon still do the chocolate roll call?
2. Why had Goober stopped selling the chocolates?
3. What is Goober hoping will happen at the end of the sale?
4. What did one student ask Jerry? What was Jerry’s answer?
5. How has the student’s attitude about the sale changed and why?
6. Who is leading the cheers as Cochran enters the sales figures?
7. Why do think Goober doesn’t challenge the sales figure he knows is false?
Literary Analysis
PROTAGONIST/ANTAGONIST
The PROTAGONIST in “The Chocolate War” is Jerry Renault, the main character. As the
protagonist, Jerry faces a number of ANTAGONISTS, or forces in conflict with him. In the
chart below, list Jerry’s antagonists. Group them according to whether they are exterior (outside
forces such as other characters or society) or interior (Jerry’s internal struggles).
EXTERIOR ANTAGONISTS
INTERIOR ANTAGONISTS
Short Essay:
Do you think Goober should have quit the football team? Explain what you would have done if
you had been in his place.
Chapter 31
1. What does Jerry say is the voice he hears?
2. Who is it?
3. What does Janza say about Jerry?
4. What was Janza’s real purpose in delaying Jerry?
Chapter 32
1. Why does Jerry sneak away from the school?
2. What happens that evening at Jerry’s apartment?
Chapter 34
1. What is Jerry now?
2. Why does Jerry search for Goober between classes?
3. What is strange about the final tabulation of the chocolate sale?
4. What does Brother Leon think the sales totals show?
Chapter 35
1. What does Archie have planned?
2. What offer does Archie give Jerry?
3. At what moment does Jerry suspect he has lost?
4. How does Archie make Janza feel?
Chapter 36
1.Why is the raffle going to work?
2. Why is Carter disgusted with Archie?
3. What are the rules of the raffle?
4. What does Obie have that surprises Archie? What is it’s significance?
5. What color were the marbles?
6. Why has Goober stayed home from school?
7. What went wrong with the fight?
8. What sickness invades Jerry?
9. Who does Obie see and what does it mean?
10. Who turned out the lights?
11. What discovery does Jerry want to share with the Goober?
12. Who is still in charge?
13. Archie realizes Brother Leon is on his side. What side do you think that is?
LITERARY ANALYSIS
THEME
The THEME is the central idea in the book, the author’s message to the reader. Write a
paragraph in which you state and discuss the theme of “The Chocolate War”, focusing on
specific scenes from the novel that support Cormier’s message.
Short Essay:
Jerry thinks about what guys like Archie and Janza would do to the world when they left Trinity.
What do you think people like Archie and Janza are capable of doing to the world?