These are t
ense times at the Trinity School, a private day school catering to the middle class boys. Brother Leon, the Assistant Headmaster who has become the acting Headmaster, needs to sell chocolates to raise money for the school. A Trinity tradition, the chocolate selling happens every year, and every year its students all meet the school goal of selling 10,000 boxes. Naturally, in this story, this year is different. Recognizing that the school does not have the endowments of elite schools catering to the wealthy, Brother Leon commits its students to a goal of 20,000 boxes so that the school can survive. He gets a good deal on chocolates from the previous Mother’s Day and enlists the help of Archie Costello, “The Assigner” of a secret group at Trinity called The Vigils. Everyone at school plays along, except for Jerry Renault, a freshman with aspirations of playing quarterback on the school football team. Originally, his “assignment” for The Vigils is to refuse to sell the chocolates for 10 days, but after his assignment is finished, he remains obstinate in not selling the chocolates, creating a dark conflict with Brother Leon and the shady Vigils.Analysis:
Cormier deftly characterizes all of his main characters. Brother Leon is single-minded in his pursuit of the chocolates, and Costello, though he is not the president of The Vigils, is equally heavy-handed in ruling the campus and silencing any dissent. Other members of The Vigils question his actions, and Roland “The Goober” Goubert, even goes so far as to regret his participation in one of The Vigils’ (often savage) “practical jokes,” assigned of course by Costello.
Until Jerry Renault comes along, no one even begins to stand up to the vicious character of Costello, whose actions throughout the book are tacitly if not overtly accepted and even encouraged by Brother Leon. Costello seems to view Brother Leon as an annoyance, while Brother Leon seems to think The Vigils’ support will somehow help Trinity.
Through such characterization of Brother Leon, the Goober and the members of The Vigils, Cormier seems to be reminding readers that complaining is not a substitute for action. They complain, but the vows of silence they take for their participation means they do not take steps to stop Costello or Brother Leon. Renault does so, but readers never fully understand his motivation. Is it because he lost his mother? Is it because he questions how his father lives his life? Is it because of the sign in his locker: “Do I Dare Disturb the Universe?” Is it because of his encounter with the “hippie” in the town commons that leads him to ask the simple but dangerous question: “Why?”
What motivates Renault is not the story of this book, however. The real story is how Costello and his henchmen attempt to change Renault’s mind. The tone and plot of the book are dark, with nighttime phone calls and visits to the street outside Renault’s house, ruined schoolwork, phony signs presumed to come from Renault, attacks in the park, and a final ride for Renault in an ambulance. Though some of the students and teachers may disagree with the extent of The Vigils’ actions against Renault, he is doomed. It is a gang attack on a person who happens to think and act differently than others.
Cormier does not sugar-coat the ending to make it more palatable to readers, even if they are pushing for the demise of Archie Costello and Brother Leon. The climax is brutal and evokes the killing of Piggy in LORD OF THE FLIES. In the end, though, the two triumph, and even Obie’s threat of “Someday, Archie, you’ll get yours” (263) feels empty. Brother Leon sees what happened to Renault as a victory for Trinity and its traditions, but Archie Costello understands it for what it truly is: a reminder to all readers that standing up to evil often involves paying a heavy price, and that those in power want to keep it.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED (Grade 8 and up)
Review Excerpt:
Mature young readers will respect the uncompromising ending that dares disturb the upbeat universe of juvenile books. (Kirkus Reviews)
Review retrieved from Bowker’s Books in Print database, September 10, 2011.
Awards & Recognition:
An ALA Best Book for Young Adults
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A New York Times Outstanding Book of the Year
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