We have looked at many pieces of literature over the course of this semester. Some of them epics, others novels, some frame stories. They came from all sorts of cultures and religions.
             The Chocolate War is about a kid named Jerry Renault who has been having a tough life. His mother had recently died, and he is desperately trying to make the football team. The setting of this story is at an all boys' Catholic prep school called Trinity. A teacher named Brother Leon had bought a ton of chocolates to sell for a fund-raiser-more than he should have. He calls on the Vigils to help him out. The Vigils is a secret group of students that assign cruel tasks for students to do, or else. The assignor of the Vigils is Archie Costello. He likes to play with mental abuse when it comes to the assignments. Anyway, Jerry refuses to sell the chocolates. This is because it was an assignment by the Vigils. After the assignment is complete, he still refuses to sell the chocolates. He is getting noticed at first, but then he starts to get ignored and ridiculed for his act. This story ends with Jerry in a fight with Emile Janza, a sadistic bully who has no morals. Jerry gets practically beaten to a pulp. The lesson from this story seems to be "not to disturb the universe." I would not even think of disturbing the universe, because I could never be sure of the outcome. This book was written by the English culture. One of the conflicts in this story is man vs. himself because Jerry faces the decision every day at roll call whether to accept the chocolates or not. An element of community is religion, because Trinity is a Catholic school.
             The Merchant of Venice is about a man named Bassanio who wishes to marry Portia, a richly left woman. The problem is, he has no money. He asks his best friend, Antonio, for 3,000 Ducats. Antonio has all of his money out at sea, on his merchant ships, so he asks Shylock, a Jew, for a loan. Of course, with all...