The Chocolate War

The Chocolate War is a drama-based novel by American author Robert Cormier. This novel is published in 1974. New boy at strict Catholic High School, Jerry Renault, is bullied into selling boxes of chocolates for the school's annual fund-raising event. The sadistic headmaster, Brother Leon, and 'The Vigils', a vicious gang of school thugs, make Jerry's life hell when he decides he won't be pushed around anymore.

The Vigils are a gang of students at Trinity Catholic School part of the tradition. The Vigils' ability to coerce student population. They control the other boys by intimidation and the threat of violence. A surreal portrait of a Catholic Private School and its hierarchy. A new student must submit to the bizarre rituals of his peers and expectations of school's administration by selling chocolates.

Meanwhile, taking advantage of the Trinity School headmaster's illness and convalescence, the corrupt Brother Leon hopes to take over the position by gaining attention with a formidable fund-raising effort. He purchases outdated Mother's Day candy, and plans to repackage it for the Trinity fundraiser. He hopes to sell 20,000 boxes of candy at a significantly increased profit, and thereby be declared school's new leader. Unaware of the Vigils' plot against the chocolate sale, Brother Leon enlists Archie's aid in rallying fellow students to sell candy.