The Chocolate War - Strategies for Navigating School Conflict
Carter:
You're the brain, Arch. You got us into this mess. Where do we go from here?
Archie: [''To Carter'']
Everybody's panicking for nothing. First of all, you can't go around the school beating up half the kids! The Brothers would shut us down in a minute. That's why I stay away from the strong-arm stuff. Although I will admit, you did a beautiful job on Bollo back there. And it was coming to him! But Bollo's a troublemaker. And he can lie out there in his vomit till Hell freezes over. Nobody's gonna care, cause he's an exception.
Carter: [To the other Vigils]
Bollo's an example. Let the word spread about Bollo, we won't have to worry about other kids screwing with us.
Archie: [Gets up and paces for a moment, then turns to Bill.]
But that doesn't sell chocolates. You say The Vigils are linked with the sale? Well, then, let's get the goddamn sale over with! Let's sell the chocolates! Because if Renault is becoming some kind of rebel hero because he's not selling, how the hell is he gonna look when everybody is selling- except him?
Carter:
How are you gonna get everybody to start selling them?
Archie:
Simple. Like all great plans, it has the beauty of simplicity. We make selling chocolates popular. We make it cool to sell the things. We spread the word, we organize! We get the class officers, we get the homeroom officers, we get all the kids with influence. Do or die for Trinity- everybody sells!
Obie:
Not everybody is gonna wanna sell fifty boxes, Archie.
Archie:
Oh, but they will, Obie. No, no, no no. They will. We will make selling chocolates the thing to do! And the school will love us for it. The Vigils will be able to write their own ticket with the Brothers and Leon. Why do you think I told Leon we'd do this in the first place?
Carter:
What about Renault?
Archie:
Don't worry about Renault.
Carter:
But I worry about him, Arch. I worry about him!
Archie:
Let me put it like this. At the end of the sale, Renault will be wishing with all of his heart that he had sold the chocolates. And the school will be glad that he didn't.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Chocolate War - Confrontation of Power Dynamics in School
Archie:
You think you're a big shot, don't you? A big shot.
Frankie:
You said it, not me.
Archie:
Well, we like big shots, don't we? You see, here, our specialty is turning big shots into little shots.
Frankie:
Cut the shit, Archie. You're not impressing anyone.
Archie: [Stares in surprise]
What did you say?
Frankie:
Hey, guys? I'm not some scared little kid, who pisses his pants because the big, bad Vigils called him to an inquisition.
Frankie: [Chuckles]
Hell, you guys couldn't even scare a punk freshman into selling your lousy fuckin ch-
Boy 1:
Yeah!
Boy 2:
Yeah!
Carter:
Get him out of here.
Obie:
See you later, Bollo!
Carter: [To Archie]
Quiet down. Quiet! Shut up! Sit down.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Chocolate War - Blame and Responsibility in Sales Dynamics
Brother Leon:
I thought you had influence, Archie. You and your "friends".
Archie:
It's not my sale, Brother Leon.
Brother Leon:
You played games with that freshman Renault, and now the game has backfired. You got yourself involved.
Archie:
Wait a minute. Last year you barely sold all the chocolates, and that was half as many at half the price. The kids are tired of selling. That's why your sale is falling apart; not my games.
Brother Leon:
Archie, I don't care if it's Renault, or your precious organization, or the state of the economy! I want the chocolates sold!
Archie:
Any ideas how?
Brother Leon:
Perhaps you should begin with Renault. He's become some kind of symbol. I think he should be made to say yes, instead of no. And The Vigils- yes, I'm saying the name aloud- The Vigils must throw their full weight behind the sale.
Archie:
That's quite an order, Brother.
Brother Leon:
You've picked the right word, Archie. "Order". It is an order.
Archie:
I have no idea what you're talking about.
Brother Leon:
I'll make it crystal clear, Archibald. If the sale goes down the drain, you and The Vigils go down the drain. We all go down the drain together!
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.
The Chocolate War - Compassion and Cruelty in Youth Dynamics
Archie Costello:
The kid who just left the field. The one they wiped out.
Obie Jameson: [Goes through the papers in his notebook]
Uh, kid named Renault. Freshman. Ah, here we are. Renault, Jerome, E., son of James R. Pharmacist at Blake's. Birth date... the kid just turned 15. Blah, blah, blah. Oh. His mother just died last spring. Cancer.
Archie:
That must be hard. Poor kid. With his mother dead and all. You know what he needs?
Obie:
What?
Archie:
Therapy.
Obie:
Therapy?
Archie:
Right. Put him down.
Obie:
Jesus, Archie! You saw him out there! He's just a skinny kid. I mean, his mother's barely cold. What're you putting him on the list for?
Archie:
Put him down.
Obie:
Assignment?
Obie:
You running out of ideas?
Archie:
Just being artistic. It's an art, you know. Put him down for the chocolates.
Obie:
You know what, Archie?
Archie:
What?
Obie:
Life is sad sometimes.
Archie:
Life is shit.
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.