The Chocolate War Chapter 27 Summary

  • Frankie Rollo is not a group-activities kind of guy. He doesn't participate in anything, not even homework. He has a real bad attitude.
  • Just the kind of guy Archie loves to twist and bend to his will.
  • Get a guy in the storage shed with The Vigils and he gets a new attitude, real quick.
  • Except Frankie. He doesn't look phased at all.
  • Archie asks him his name, but Frankie says Archie already knows his name.
  • The Vigils seem shocked at his daring.
  • Carter, getting impatient, tells Frankie to just say his name so things can move along.
  • This irritates Archie. He doesn't need Carter acting like his knight in shining armor.
  • When Frankie still doesn't answer, Archie starts threatening him. Frankie tells Archie he's not intimidated in the slightest.
  • Archie can't believe it, so Frankie explains it to him: "I'm not a scared kid who pees his pants because the big bad Vigils call him to a meeting. Hell, you guys can't even scare a punk freshman into selling a few lousy chocolates…" (27.16).
  • Archie starts to reply, but Carter jumps up, glad to finally have an excuse for some action. He starts beating Frankie Rollo, punching him in the face and the stomach.
  • The Vigils applaud and then, at Carter's order, toss him out the door.
  • Carter bangs his gavel and calls for silence.
  • Archie is on the verge of provoking a showdown with Carter, but he's knows this isn't the best time.
  • Carter starts talking. He says The Vigils are losing respect. They could fall apart at any moment and be no more.
  • See, they've made big mistakes all involving the chocolate sale. Or, rather, Archie made big mistakes.
  • Carter calls him out.
  • Archie knows Carter is right, so he just waits.
  • Carter asks Obie to show everybody something. It's a poster board Obie found on the bulletin board. It reads, "SCREW THE CHOCOLATES AND THE VIGILS" (27.32).
  • Archie says they are making too big a deal out of all of this. He says that even though he heartily approves of Carter beating up Frankie Rollo, The Vigils can't use that kind of tactic on the other kids. The school will shut them down.
  • Carter says Archie needs to come up with a plan to get the chocolates sold.
  • Archie says he knows just how to do it. The old fashioned way. All they have to do is whip up a chocolate-selling frenzy, drawing on school-spirit types with influence to make selling chocolate the popular thing to do.
  • Obie isn't happy that Archie seems back on top again.
  • Carter asks what Archie plans to do about Jerry Renault.
  • Archie says he'll handle Jerry.
  • Carter says he's not sure he believes him. Then, he puts Archie "on probation until the last chocolate's sold" (27.50).
  • Archie feels thoroughly disgraced, but he keeps on smiling.