The chocolate war

Summary:

Jerry Renault is a so called Freshman at Trinity, an american private school. He loves playing football and so he wants to join the team. He has no special friends or enemies, there is only one, whom we can call some kind of buddy, that's Roland Goobert, called the Goober. Jerry has lost his mother some years ago and since this time he has lived in an apartment, together with his father, who doesn't have much time for him. He doesn't have real problems, like bad marks in school or so. He's a normal teenager, who finds out about his masculinity or seems to fall in love. At Trinity it's a tradition that every year boxes with chocolates are sold by pupils and the proceeds are taken for school-spendings. Now it happens that the principal of the school is in hospital and so Brother Leon, one of the teachers has to manage everything. He has always headed the chocolate sale, but last years he did a lot of mis-management with the money. So this time the number of boxes and the price have to be doubled. Leon knows that without the help of Archie Costello, the leader of the illegal school-gang, which is called "The Vigils", it wasn't possible to sell all. As the teacher asks Archie for his support, the boy feels proud of his gang, because that means that they have more influence than the teacher stuff, so he agrees.

Every year there are new Freshmen and some of them, who have to be taught a lesson. For example The Goober has to pull out every screw he can find in Brother Eugene's classroom. The result is not very funny, because the teacher has a nervous break down (as all tables, chairs and t last also the blackboard collapse) and has to leave school. Although Goobert was forced (by The Vigils) to do it, he feels guilty and is some kindhow changed from this moment on.

Before the big sale starts, Jerry is taken to an assignement: he mustn't sell any chocolates for ten days. Hardly anyone of the pupils does it willingly and although it's told that the sale is voluntary, they are forced to do it, because otherwise they could get into some troubles with Brother Leon. So as the teacher asks, who "wants" to do it, Jerry is the only one, who refuses. Leon and all of Jerom's classmates are shocked. Also Goober is surprised and he asks his buddy, why he does it, but there is no answer. Some days later, after Jerry had always said "No" to the teacher's question, everyone (also the Brother) recognizes that this is a prank of the school-gang. But how surprised are they, as he still refuses after the ten days' grace. Jerry answers Goober's question whith the words: "I'm sick of doing all the things, I'm told to do. I am a free man and I can do whatever I want to." He also is annoyed by the assignement. A lot of pupils, who do their selling disgruntledly, follow his example.

That's the part, where Brother Leon reminds Archie of his promise, to help. The Victims make selling chocolates popular, by organizing groups of boys, who go on walks around the city everyday and do their business. After some days, all the money is together and only 50 boxes, Jerome Renaults part, is left. So Emile Janza, one of Archies dogsbodies, waylays Jerry together with some of his buddies after school and beats him up badly. Now Jerry knows, where all these obscene night-calls come from. Next day in school no one talks to him, no one smiles, they only make a big circle around him and the only one, who would speak to him, Goober, is ill. In the afternoon Jerry gets a call from Archie, where he talks him into fighting it out with Janza in the evening. As he arrives at the football-stadium, it's too late to turn round. But he doesn't know, that Archie has informed the whole school about the rumble. Pupils are streaming in and on top of that they all pay entrance. Carter, one of the most famous members of the football team and the fighter in Archie's gang, heads the rumble. As we can imagine, the fight is absolutly unfair and the winner is Emile Janza. Goober, who has left the sick-bed, knowing that no one beside him, would help him afterwards, urges Jerry, because he's really become an outsider. Obie, The Vigils' secretary, (he hates Archie, because he has so much influence and he is a real bastard), informs the ambulance and Brother Jacques (the teacher, who uncovered Leon's mis-management).

We find out, that Brother Leon is aware of this happening and even has followed the rumble. At last, Brother Jacques wants to sentence Archie as the instigator of the roumble, but Leon covers up for him, because of the support with the chocolate sale.

Main characters:

Jerome (Jerry) Renaults: He is about 15 years old and a normal teenager, who finds out about his masculinity or seems to fall in love. Although he is quite lively, we can say that Jerry is a loner. Since his mother had died, he is withdrawn. He sometimes tries to change it with talking to his father, who is reserved. It's not the kind of coldness, but he doesn't know, how to come along with his own problems. They both miss her and they throw themselves into their work. James Renaults doesn't realy recognize that his son has problems and Jerry doesn't want to become a burden to him. The boy is no revolutionary, he first only doesn't sell the chocolates, because he is told to and later he finds out that he wants to do it his own way. Jerry is not really interested to be conspicuous, but only in doing the things, he wants to do. He doesn't shirk responsibility, he keeps his opinion and has to pay for it, but he feels better afterwards.

Archie Costello: He is about 18 years old, is the leader of the gang "The Vigils" and is respected by everyone. He has o lot of influence and takes advantage of it. He loves to intimidate boys, who are weaker than he is. Archie has a very good knowledge of human natures, which means that he knows when he has to take whom with which trick. He is unscrupulous and although he hates violence (because he is too weak), he doesn't shy away from hurting someone. His speciality is psycholocical terror, but if someone doesn't bend on his metod, he accepts also other ways. He is able to take advantage out of every situation.

Brother Leon: He is the managing teacher at Trinity. He has problems with money and his pupils have to takethe consequences. He does everything to get his money, no matter if this way is bad or illegal. Leon is like Archie un- scrupulous and rough. He is corrupt, unfair and covers up crime to get what he wants to have. His disadvantage is, that he isn't as powerful as Archie and that he has a bad knowledge of human nature. I think he loves the way, Archie treats the boys, because he also acts like that in his lessons.

What kind of "peer pressure":

Here we have the kind of a gang, we think of, if we talk about "peer pressure": a named group of guys, a leader, assignements and a lot of corruption. I think this is one of the worst forms, because if there is something wrong with teachers, there is no chance for pupils, to find their own ways. People with a good knowledge of human nature, are realy important, but if they use it the wrong way, it's getting dangerous. They can easily manipulate others or bring them into bad situations. If we get suppressed it's very important that we keep our own ways, even if we have to pay for it. If we bow to one's order, we have lost our identity, we are nothing special anylonger. But if we stand up for our opinion and "fight" for our rights, although we could get hurt, we have preserved something special our selves.

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