The Chocolate War ( p.202-263)

Summary

The final chapter's of the book is when all the lose ends are tied. The chocolate sale is over and Brother Leon is as happy as can be. But there are 50 boxes left of chocolates, the 50 that belongs to Jerry. Brother Leon knows it and he tries to make Jerry explain why he hasn't been selling his chocolates and the only reply that Jerry could come up with was that it was voluntary and he chose not to. The Goober is sitting in the back of the room wishing that Jerry would give in a little. When he goes to the auditorium to hear the roll call, his name is called with the number 50 soon after. Goober knew that there was a mistake because he had stopped selling the boxes a long time ahgo but he didn't have the guts to go up and say something. But he didn't feel like he needed to because he had stopped caring a long time back. Walking down the hallway Jerry heard a familiar voice, Janza's voice, the school bully. JAnza started taunting Jerry wishing that he would throw the first punch, so he started calling him queer untill Jerry gave in. With one signal, Janza called his other boys who were hidding and an a secong Jerry was on the floor half beaten to death. After that evening the phone kept on ringing non-stop and jerry soon became annoyed. Then there came one call that would but an end to all this madness. Archie, being the brilliant mastermind that he is, came up with the idea to raffel off those last 50 chocolates by putting on a boxing show with Jerry and Janza. Archie called Jerry explainging to him that this would be the perfect oppertunity to get back at Janza. But what he failed to explain was that the students in the crowd would be calling out the punches. So, Jerry accepted without really knowing what he was getting himseld into. On the field Archie had one more buisness to take care of, "the black box". He had to draw out 3 white marbles and if he drew a black one then he would be the one that would be going up against Janza. But, Archie beat faith once again and drew 3 white marbles guranteeing him safety. The fighting began and Janza was getting all the punches on Jerry. Janza soon went out of control and started hitting Jerry out of anger. Jerry soon became un-concious. The fighting only stopped when Brother Jacques came and closed the stadium lights. Archie got caught but only to be saved from trouble by Brother Leon who was watching the whole time. Jerry finally woke up by hearing Goobers voice who was there the whole time. Not being able to speak Jerry wanted so badly to tell Goob that he should never disturb the universe because it's not worth it. The book finally with Archie and Obie sitting in the dark in the stadium where they first seen Jerry.

Quote

"They tell you to do your thing but they don't mean it. They don't want you to do your thing, not unless it happens to be thier thing, too. It's a laugh, Goober, a fake. Don't disturb the universe, Goober, no matter what the posters say... Just remember what I told you. It's important. Otherwise, they murder you" (Cormier 259).

Reaction

In my opinion Jerry gave Goober good advice. Everybody is always telling you to be who you want to be and do your own thing no matter what other people think but often time you don't even have a choice, it's either choice A or choice A. Even though they tell you to do you own thing, that always mean that you better pick right or you'll pay for it. In the case of Jerry he didn't really have a choice, and if he did he picked the wrong one. Everyday Jerry kept pondering about the question on his poster "Do I Dare Disturb the Universe" and that day on the field he came up with the answer. The rules of the universe are not suppose to be changed and you dont want to be the one who does change it. According to Jerry, if you change it, there will be a price to pay.