The Chocolate War Chapter 38 Summary

  • Jerry hears someone say his name.
  • Everything is dark, wet, and bloody.
  • He hears his name again and wants somebody to shut the window so nobody can get in.
  • The pain hits him.
  • The Goober says his name again. The place is all but empty now. The Goober sees Obie and tells him to call an ambulance.
  • All Jerry can feel is pain, but he recognizes The Goober's voice, telling him, "It'll be all right, Jerry" (38.16).
  • Jerry disagrees. He wants to tell The Goober he was all wrong.
  • He wants to tell him, "They tell you to do your own thing, but they don't mean it. They don't want you to do your thing, unless it happens to be their thing, too. It's a laugh, Goober, a fake. Don't disturb the universe, Goober, no matter what the posters say" (38.17).
  • Jerry can't talk, and when he opens his eyes, he can see how upset The Goober is. He wants to tell him, "See. I'm floating, floating above the pain. Just remember what I told you. It's important. Otherwise, they murder you" (38.19).
  • As the ambulance carries Jerry away, Brother Jacques asks Archie why he did all this to Jerry. Jerry probably has a broken jaw, and maybe other injuries inside his body. But Jerry had agreed to fight, and these things can happen in a fight.
  • Jacques tries to make Archie answer him. He tells him that Jerry could have died if some student hadn't alerted Jacques to the situation.
  • In his mind, Archie curses Carter for letting in the illegal blow to the crotch. That's when everything started to go wrong.
  • Then stupid Jacques turns off the light and stops the fight prematurely. Archie is really annoyed.
  • Archie tells Jacques that the school got what it wanted – sold chocolates. This was simply a fair boxing match, to provide the students with an entertaining reward for a job well done.
  • Suddenly, Brother Leon is on the scene.
  • Archie expects Jacques to be angry with Leon, but he isn't. Archie can tell that Leon is still large and in charge.
  • Leon says Jerry will get excellent medical treatment.
  • Archie, he says, made some mistakes tonight, but Leon understands that Archie's actions were in the service of Trinity.
  • Archie's glad to hear that Leon is still in his corner. It's going to be a fabulous time for Archie and the Vigils.
  • He can hear the ambulance sirens in the distance.