The Chocolate War: Chapter 15 Summary & Analysis

Emile Janza approaches Archie and asks him if he still has “the picture.” Archie feigns ignorance at first, but then admits that he does still have the photo. Emile asks if it’s for sale. Archie replies that it’s not—and even if it were, it’s “not the greatest picture ever taken” of Emile, who has a “funny look on [his] face” in the photograph. Emile, not amused, asks Archie where he keeps the picture. Archie assures Emile that the picture is safe. One day, Archie teases Emile, Emile might be able to get the photograph back without paying for it.

Though the tone of the conversation is light and teasing, Archie knows that Emile is deadly serious about getting the picture back. The “terrible irony,” Archie thinks, is that there is no picture in the first place—Archie is simply blackmailing Emile. One day, Archie cut class and found a camera dangling from a coat hook on someone’s open locker. He didn’t intend to steal it, but instead just misplace it and send the owner on a wild goose chase. Archie stepped into the men’s room with the camera to have a quick smoke; when he opened one of the stall doors, he found Emile inside, masturbating. Archie pretended to take a picture of Emile, and then hurried out of the lavatory.

Now, Archie watches as Emile, apparently feeling secure enough that his secret is safe with Archie, begins to pick on a freshman. He orders the freshman—who is running to class, clearly worried about being late—to go across the street and buy him a pack of cigarettes. The freshman protests that he has no money, but Emile insists the freshman find a way to purchase the cigarettes by lunchtime—or else. Archie lingers with Emile, knowing that there are two kinds of people in the world: those who are victims, and those who victimize others. He knows there is no doubt about which kind of person Emile is—or, for that matter, which kind Archie himself is.