Symbolism in The Chocolate War

Assignments
Ironically, the word that Archie uses to do his deeds, "assignments," is the same as the word that
teachers use when giving out homework. The word elevates Archie to a status higher than the
students, and makes it such that an assignment is not a request, but an order to be followed. The
assignments are tailor-made, and reflect everything that Archie is about: fear, manipulation and
following orders. Just as in school there is a consequence for not finishing an assignment, there is
a consequence to not completing an assignment from The Vigils. Once an assignment is given,
the recipient is stuck and either he completes the assignment or he suffers as Jerry suffered.

The Black Box

The Black Box is representative of keeping power in check. It is the only means of control that we
see exerted over Archie and The Vigils. By picking the wrong coloured marble from the box,
Archie must complete the assignment that he has given out to a student. However, the black box
never fails Archie, and his power over other students continues throughout the course of the novel
unchecked.

Football
Cormier sets a number of scenes during football practice. At first, these scenes set up Jerry's inner
strength. Again and again, Jerry is tackled and hit, but he keeps getting up and trying. Eventually
he gains some success as a quarterback. It is his dream to make the football team, and his
relative ease in turning this dream into a reality is a foil for his difficulties in dealing with The Vigils.
The Vigils use football practice as a way to strip away Jerry's achievements in the sport. They get
Carter to tackle him, and they get other players to gang up on him. The Vigils force the team to
drop all of Jerry's passes, thus getting Jerry dismissed early from practice, and setting him up for a
beating by Janza. At the beginning of the book, football is an innocent activity that Jerry wants to
succeed in and works hard for, but by the end—especially after Goober quits—The Vigils have
stripped football of its joy as well.

Roll Call
The chocolate roll call provides a moment of tension for all the students every day. It highlights the
fact that Jerry is disturbing the universe. Everyone else whose name is called says yes to the
chocolates and everyone else announces how many boxes he has sold. Brother Leon insists on
the roll call even when it is not necessary to make Jerry feel like an outcast. This roll call
eventually ensures that the other students become annoyed and/or angry with Jerry. The roll call
is also a subtle threat from Brother Leon to Jerry. Each time Jerry says no Brother Leon stares him
down as if to tell Jerry that he will pay for his refusal.

Jerry's Poster
Jerry's poster presents the theme of the book in a simple way. At first, Jerry does not quite
understand the poster, but he knows it appeals to him. It is only after he has begun refusing the
chocolates and suffering the consequences that he realizes what it means to disturb the universe.
Each time he opens his locker he is reminded of what he is doing, and of the fact that refusing the
chocolates takes strength and bravery. The reader wants Jerry to abide by that poster, and one of
the reasons the ending is so dismal is Jerry's realization that the poster is wrong—that one should
not dare to disturb the universe because it simply is not worth physical damage to stand up for
what you believe in.
The Chocolates
The chocolates themselves are so insignificant that it is amazing to think that they began the
whole, huge mess. The chocolates become a symbol for defiance and nonconformity, not just for
Jerry but for the entire school. For a while, other students think that Jerry's refusal to sell the
chocolates is simple and beautiful. Then the chocolates become symbolic of war—people believe
that Jerry thinks he is too good to spend the time and energy selling them. The students rally
around the chocolate cause in order to find a reason to be angry with Jerry and support The Vigils.
The chocolates are the reason for the boxing match and ultimately solidify Archie's control over
Jerry, Brother Leon and the rest of the school.

Room nineteen
The collapse of Room nineteen is a harbinger for what is to come in the rest of the book. The
Vigils make someone else take it apart and leave it just at the edge of falling down. Then, the rest
of the students push it over the edge, tipping over chairs and desks, delighting in destroying a
classroom. The students help the assignment come to fruition just as they help the boxing match
and raffle come to fruition. The collapse of Room nineteen also signals the collapse of The Goober
and Brother Eugene—two people that might have been strong allies for Jerry had The Vigils not
taken them out first.