The Chocolate War Chapter 34 Summary

  • At school today, Jerry realizes he's "invisible" (34.1) – nobody will look at him.
  • When he says hello to Tony Santucci, Santucci just gets a funny look on his face and runs away. It's as if the whole school had been told to pretend he doesn't exist.
  • Inside his locker, the poster and the tennis shoes are missing. The locker looks bare inside, like it belongs to nobody.
  • Even the teachers seem to be avoiding him, or maybe he's just imagining things.
  • He tries to find The Goober. The Goober will prove Jerry exists, but he isn't around.
  • Jerry's starting to regret not having sold the chocolates. He's really afraid something will happen to hurt his dad.
  • Just before lunchtime, Jerry's is starting to enjoy his invisibility.
  • When he's about to walk down the stairs, somebody pushes him from behind. If he hadn't caught the rail….
  • He can hear guys laughing at him.
  • Now everybody can see him again.
  • When Brother Leon gets into the office, Brian Cochran tells him that the sale is finished, and they've collected almost every dime.
  • Leon looks doubtful and wants to recheck Brian's numbers. What a party pooper, Brian thinks.
  • After they check the figures, Brian says he thinks it's strange that they've sold exactly 19, 950 boxes of chocolate.
  • All that's left are the fifty boxes that Jerry Renault refused.
  • Leon says he doesn't see what's strange about it.
  • Well, Brian explains, it's almost impossible that not even a single box was lost, damaged, or stolen. It's too perfect. He can't understand it.
  • Leon tells him not to be silly.
  • Brian Cochran is missing the most important point, and he tells him what that point is: "School spirit. We have disproven a law of nature – one rotten apple does not spoil the barrel. Not if we have determination, a noble cause, a spirit of brotherhood" (34.28).
  • Brian wonders if that's really the way it is. He asks himself if "the school was more important than any one kid?" (34.29). He also asks himself, "Aren't individuals important, too?" (34.29).
  • Imagine Jerry, one guy against The Vigils and the school.
  • From now on, Brian plans to steer clear of the whole mess, even Jerry. He's just glad to be done with all of it.
  • Archie is checking with Obie to make sure he still has Jerry's chocolates.
  • Obie has them and wants to know what Archie's going to do with them.
  • Archie says that tomorrow night, on the sports field, Jerry will be raffling his chocolates. This will be Jerry's chance to do his duty.