The Chocolate War (Pgs. 202 to 263)

Summary:

In the falling action of The Chocolate War, Leon is taking the sales and the people that are associated with them too seriously. For instance, if someone has sold 47 chocolates, he is excited to acknowledge that, that person only needs 3 more to meet their share of the quota. He would make a commotion when one actually does meet the 50 chocolate bars that they must sell. Leon persists calling on Jerry, and as usual, Jerry says that he will take no part. When it is inquired of Brother Leon by a boy named Harold why jerry refuses to sell chocolates, they claim that everyone has the right to know. Jerry tries to retalliate by claiming that he lives in a free country, however, Brother Leon does not deem that as a legitimate answer. Jerry reaches the conclusion that selling chocolates is voluntary in its entirety. Janza tried to provoke a fight and insults from Jerry; Janza wanted a pretext other than the fact that Jerry was refusing to sell the chocolates to beat him up. When Jerry was accused of being in the closet, he called Janza a SOB; before he knew it, they were on him.

Quote:

"Mainly, he didn't want to fight for the same reason he wasn't selling the chocolates—he wanted to make his own decisions, do his own thing, like they said" (Cormier 211).

Reaction:

This is the theme that is discussed in previous chapters about Jerry being an existentialist, and most people oppose his decision. The narrator says this when Janza is touching Jerry on the cheek and trying to provoke a fight by insinuating that Jerry is a homosexual. Jerry claimed that he was feeling capable of beating Janza in a fight, but was negligent to engage in it.I found out that Jerry paid physically for his refusal to sell the chocolates.