The Chocolate War Essay, Research Paper

Many people often meet different characters in literature and in life that they admire or despise. They conclude if those characters are good or evil and at the same time they reflect on the choices and responsibilities that those characters have. From The Chocolate War I admire Roland Goubert or The Goober based on his actions. I despise Archie Costello (The Assigner of The Vigils) because of the choices that he made and also because of his actions.

I admire Roland Goubert (The Goober) the most of all the characters within this book because he is honest, loving, and a loyal friend to Jerry. In the book when Jerry was refusing to sell the chocolates, Goober felt many feelings that Jerry was feeling. For example the guilt, fear, anger, tension, and most of all the horror of living another day just waiting for the coming of the next homeroom period to once again refuse the chocolates from Brother Leon. That was a sure sign of a bond between the two of them. When Goober waited for Jerry one day at the school?s entrance and pulled him aside to ask, ? Jeez, Jerry, what did you do it for? ? after the assignment was over with and Jerry still refused to sell the chocolates. That showed that Goober cared about Jerry and wanted to warn him of Brother Leon and how Brother Leon could control Ferry?s fate. For example when Jerry stated, ? It?s not the end of the world. Four hundred kids in this school are going to sell chocolates. What does it matter if I don?t? ?, The Goober expressed how worried he was and how much he cared by trying to warn Jerry that, ? It?s not that simple, Jerry. Brother Leon won?t let you get away with it. ? By the end of the book Goober went to the rally when he was sick and tried to see if he could help Jerry possibly before it had begun or after it was over because he knew that he had no control of the unfolding events at the present time. At the very end of the book, after Jerry got beat up by Emile Janza, Goober helped Jerry and told him, ? Everything will be alright?? That was my idea of ?good?, hole-hearted, honest, loyal, polite, and most of all a person who helps people when they are in need of help. Goober displayed those traits within the choices and responsibilities that he had throughout the book. Those are the qualities that I found very appealing and admirable. I admire him to the fullest extent and I would probably do the same thing if I were in hiss position.

I despise Archie Costello (The Assigner) the most because he was a part of The Vigils and also because he was evil. My idea of ?evil? is not feeling guilt when that person should feel guilt, being cruel to people and other things, and most of all a person who has pleasure when inflicting pain on someone or something, to be specific?a sadistic person. Basically Archie was the biggest evil that there was according to my standards. For example when Brother Jacques asked, ? Why did you do it to him, Archie? ? Archie replied bitterly and cruelly, ? I don?t know what you are talking about. ? That expressed absolutely no guilt, sorrow, pity, or shred of apology. Archie felt proud of this horrible deed he had pulled and that showed me how sadistic he really was. He felt absolutely no guilt on behalf of Jerry and the cruel stunt that he was so joyously proud of. Archie didn?t even feel guilty when he assigned the chocolate assignment to Jerry, knowing that Jerry?s mother died not so long ago and that overall Jerry was not in the best condition to have an assignment assigned to him at the time that it was assigned. My overall feelings on Archie Costello are that he is a new kind of ?evil?, a sadistic evil that a person can not avoid or escape. There are many people in the world that are just like Archie Costello but someday maybe not soon but possibly later something will happen to them, the unexpected, the unpredictable, the sweet revenge that many other people longed for which will scar them for life or possibly less or more. Many will get away but many shall suffer.

Throughout the years I have met and befriended many people like Archie Costello or The Assigner and like Roland Goubert or The Goober. They have reflected upon me through the years whether they were ?good? or ?evil? and not judging them by their choices or their responsibilities. Besides, they are human beings no matter how sadistic or loyal?aren?t they? Within this book all the characters had many similar characteristics but they also had many more differences as well. There are many more people in the world that other people, including myself have never met but probably will in the near or far future who resemble someone from this book. That?s the thing about life, ?Life?s like a box of chocolates?you never know what you?re gonna get.? Please take this thought, think about it, and try to contemplate how this saying fits with the book. (Besides the obvious of coarse: Chocolates)

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