Risky Robert It is 1974 and a middle aged man finally has accomplished his life goals. He has written a massive success story, but is immediately met with backlash with threats to get the book taken away completely. He could have easily complied to all demands from the critics, but he takes the risk of a lifetime that could put his whole career at risk. This is the exact risk that Robert Cormier took which dignified his position as a legendary author. His novels through the mid to late 1900s made huge impacts on the genre. However, his great writings came with its fair share of controversy. Robert Cormier was a famous and resilient author because of his strict childhood and education, the controversial books he wrote and his refusal to change …show more content…
However this controversy lead to many awards. He was constantly advised that his books were too graphic and explicit, however he believed that it was much more important to explore the realism of society even if it has to contain brutal depictions. Some of this contreversy includes the brutal depicition of violence in The Chocolate War. He was scolded by many parents, teachers, and critics. An article about the life of Cormier states, “Norma Bagnall, for example, objected that the book lacked positive role models and presented only the ugly side of life. Cormier's subsequent works have also provoked the reaction that their stark depiction of violence and sexuality, and their unvarnished pessimism, make them unsuitable reading material for children” (“Cormier, Robert” 344). He would continue to write books for years up until the end of his life in which he published his last book The Rag and Bone Shop in 2001 just a few short months after his death. Even through all the negative reviews on his books, Cormier one many awards. These include “Best Human Interest Story of the Year”. “Associated Press in New England”, “Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference Fellow”, Best Newspaper Column,” “New York Times”, “Best Book for Young Adults”, “American Library Association Readers’ Choice”, ect. Cormier’s whole legendary career and resiliency led to all of these awards and the success of his