The Chocolate War
Jerry Renault's freshman year at Trinity, a Catholic boys' school run as much by a ruthless secret society called the Vigils as by its teachers, begins with a simple refusal. When the school launches its annual chocolate sale, Jerry decides, almost at first for no reason he can name, not to participate. In the lockstep culture of Trinity that small no becomes an earthquake. Brother Leon, the hungry assistant headmaster who has staked his ambitions on the fundraiser, leans on the Vigils; the Vigils lean on Jerry; and what started as a private act of conscience escalates into public humiliation and violence. Robert Cormier's 1974 novel broke new ground in young adult fiction by refusing easy victories, and its portrait of institutional cruelty and adolescent courage has kept it on banned-book lists and reading lists ever since.
Themes & atmosphere
What you might want to know about The Chocolate War
The questions readers send us most often, answered without spoilers.
At the all-boys Trinity School, freshman Jerry Renault refuses to take part in the annual chocolate sale. The school's secret society, the Vigils, and the ambitious Brother Leon decide that this small no must end.
Yes. The Chocolate War has been one of the most frequently banned books in American schools since its 1974 publication, primarily for language, sexual content, and themes of bullying. It remains widely read and taught.
Yes. Robert Cormier wrote Beyond the Chocolate War in 1985, set a year after the original. Both books are widely cited as foundational works of YA realism.
The Chocolate War was written by Robert Cormier, published in 1974 by 비룡소.
The Chocolate War is 253 pages in standard print editions, though page counts vary slightly between hardcover, paperback, and large-print formats.
At an average reading pace of about 250 words per minute, The Chocolate War takes most readers 4 to 5 hours to finish.
The Chocolate War is a standalone novel by Robert Cormier, not part of a series.
The Chocolate War is available in hardcover, paperback, ebook, and audiobook formats from Amazon, Bookshop.org, ThriftBooks, and most major bookstores.