Example research essay topic: Robert Cormier The Chocolate War - 812 words

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Robert Cormier's the Chocolate War In my essay I will reflect on Robert Cormier's the Chocolate War. This book is focused on the problem of unrestricted power of authority that can rule over and swallow people. The main idea of the novel is shown in the destiny of the main character. Jerry Renault tried to fight the authority of the mafia in his school. In this way he dared to disturb the universe and embodied the opposition of a morally strong and independently thinking personality to miserable and burdened with obligations life under harsh laws and control of authority. I will discuss how the author attempted to set the mood of the story at the beginning of the novel; what is the major theme in the Chocolate War and how it is reflected on the character of Brother Leon.

I will also draw the parallel of the novel to the relevant issues of today and in this way show the topicality of Cormier's book. The opening chapter begins with the description of the football match. Jerry Renault, the main character of the story, he is just 59, 145 pounds, and he is trying out for his football team. As the football play went on, Jerry was repeatedly hit and knocked down.

Renault felt gruelling pain, but nevertheless, he tried not to show that he was suffering. The couch said that Jerry was too skinny to become a football player. I think that this beginning bears a symbolic meaning and determines the mood of the further events. Really, Jerry Renault was the protagonist, but at the same time he was weak to resist the antagonist, Archie Costello, and the Vigils. Throughout the entire story Jerry was bullied and assaulted by his enemies, he experienced both moral and physical sufferings, and, at the end of the book he lost.

Maybe, the author compared the rules of the football match with the cruel laws of real life where weak and poor are always beaten and suffer. Besides the comparison between the life and play, Robert Cormier attempted to discuss other important themes in the Chocolate War. One of them is the destructive power of authority that was depicted in the story of Brother Leon who was the leader of the school mafia. Cornier created the metaphor for a government in his book. Trinity school can be seen as a microcosm of a nation. Leon was the leader, the ruler of that nation and he was completely corrupt.

There was another character, Archie Costello, who was the assigner for the Vigils to make the students perform absurd tasks. There are students in the school who play the role of executors of the tasks of the authority. And also there is an opposition to the authority that is represented by the protagonist. The opposition is weak and rapidly beaten by those who obey the power authority, though the aims and the motives of the opposition were rightful and fair. Jerry refused to sell chocolate because he did not agree with the sale. Also because he realised that the group was so powerful that everyone did what the Vigil demanded.

But the novel taught that the authority always wins until the opposition is able to resist and overpower it. As to the authority, it is viewed by the author as corrupted, vicious and unable to produce fair judgements. Brother Leon, Assistant Head Master of Trinity, embodies all the worst characteristic features of authority. Brother Leon is insidious, suspicious and hawk- like. He set his total control over other students of the school but at the same time he would stop at nothing in his desire of gaining more power. Brother Leon misused the school funds and that is why he decided to double the quota and selling price for chocolates.

He could manipulate other people and used it at his own sake. Thus, I think the idea of unrestricted power is argued by the writer. Power of authority has a dubious nature. It submits other people and gives a right to rule over them, but at the same time it is cruel and greedy and one day it can consume its leaders.

In conclusion, I would like to say that in spite of the fact that The Chocolate War was written in 1974, it still hasnt lost its topicality today. Robert Cormier argued that there is no place for free personality in the rigid frames set by authority. Such personality is sentenced either to resign himself to the existing laws, this is equal to his spiritual death, I think, or to disturb the universe and sacrifice himself in the fight with the stronger authority. Such individuals are always bright and glorify the history of every nation. In my country, to my mind, such people as Albert Gore and his criticism of Bush's policy attempted to disturb the universe.

Research essay sample on Robert Cormier The Chocolate War