Annotation: Set within a boys prep school, the annual chocolate fundraiser takes a turn for the worse when Jerry Renault refuses to sell chocolates.
Reason for Rejection: Reminiscent of Lord of the Flies, the boys going against each other with little or no rules mentality, we've seen all of this before. Freshman Jerry Renault finds himself in a new school, among a new secret group of boys, and in the middle of their annual chocolate fundraiser. When the secret group of boys (the Vigils) requires him to refuse to sell chocolate for 10 days, Jerry agrees, but then goes further and refuses to sell it for the entire sale. The Vigils treat this defiant act as an attack against them, and the remainder of the chocolate fundraiser turns into a war against Jerry Renault, culminating in an all-out beating.
Although I see the value in the outsider vs. mob mentality, this book doesn't allow the reader to see that it's important to be an individual. The psychological war that happens in the first part of the book is mesmerizing. I believe Cormier does an excellent job portraying the relationships among the boys in the prep school, but where it starts to go wrong is towards the end when the senseless violence is added. The message that Cormier is portraying by this intense violence is that conformity is more important than individuality. Perhaps that was true back when this novel was written, but I believe times have changed and teens are making more of an effort to be individuals. Yes, they certainly want to fit in, but for those who don't fit in, beating them to a pulp is not the best way to convey your message.
Genre: challenged novel, edgy/realistic fiction
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