"Famed Novelist Gives Leominster Leading Role" <em>Telegram & Gazette</em>
This article explores how Cormier's upbringing in the postwar French Hill district of Leominster influenced the setting for many of his novels. "I'm sentimental about French Hill," proclaims Cormier. The article references a free-verse book about his fictional town Monument, called <em>Airplane</em>, published in 1999 under the titleĀ <em>Frenchtown Summer.</em>
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=George+Snell">George Snell</a>
<em>Telegraph & Gazette</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
1 December 1998
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 6.5 x 15.75, 6.75 x 12.75
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Newspaper+article">Newspaper article</a>
"In the Heat" in <em>Sixteen Short Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young Adults</em>
In this story, the narrator and his 15-year-old son Richy go to his wife's funeral. The narrator struggles to cope with his wife's death, especially unexpected reminders of her. While driving to and from the funeral, the narrator also recounts memories of his parents and, in the end, feels the need to revisit his childhood neighborhood. Richy copes rather well to his mother's death and shares with his father how he remembers his mother, not in the hospital or the coffin, but lying in the sun and dancing with his father.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier%2C+Donald+R.+Gallo+%28editor%29">Robert Cormier, Donald R. Gallo (editor)</a>
<em>Sixteen Short Stories by Outstanding Writers for Young Adults</em>, edited by Donald Gallo, published by Delacorte Press
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
1984
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
"Readers Responding Creative Writing and YA Literature" English Journal
Hardcover anthology
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Story+in+an+anthology">Story in an anthology</a>
"Pretend, A Verb: To Make Believe"
In this short story, Jerry's father receives a questionnaire attached to a letter from New York about an inheritance. The family spends the summer dreaming of the amount they would receive and that optimism carries them through a summer layoff and slim savings. Jerry's worldly uncle already knows its a hoax but argues that the whole family knew that to be true but wanted to dream anyway.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
<em>St. Anthony's Messenger</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
April 1967
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5 x 11 magazine page
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Magazine+feature+-+short+story">Magazine feature - short story</a>
"St. Cecilia's Parish 1999-2000 Portrait of a Parich"
This article praises Cormier's work compiling a history of his home parish St. Cecilia's. Notably, this article presents a more circumspect account of Cormier's house burning when he was in the eighth grade, his use of St. Cecilia's for Monument's St. Jude's, and his changing views on the word processor.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Craig+S.+Semon">Craig S. Semon</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/82" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span>"English students go right to top with their questions" The Advertiser</span></a>
JPG, 8.5x11
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Typescript+draft+feature">Typescript draft feature</a>
"Writer's work travels far" <em>Telegram</em>
This 1997 article in the <em>Telegram</em> chronicles Cormier's early life growing up in Leominster, from his father's work in the plastic factory and his untimely death, to his beginnings as a writer, through his ultimate success of <em>The Chocolate War</em> and<em> I Am the Cheese</em>. The article also discusses how integral Leominster is to Cormier's work and life.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=George+Snell">George Snell</a>
<em>Telegram & Gazette</em>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
9 March 1997
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5x11
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Newspaper+article">Newspaper article</a>
<em>Heroes</em> marked typescript miscellaneous pages
Thirty pages of <em>Heroes</em> manuscript, most of which show hand-written revisions and markings. Pages show pasted strips of salvaged sections from earlier drafts. Repeated versions of war scenes sliced with scenes of playing soldiers as children in the street appear. Included is a moment of Cormier writing about his own childhood memory of his house on fire. Frequent mentions of insomnia, eyes, and Francis's crush on Nicole appear. Fragments of Francis's final meeting with Nicole also feature heavily.
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=39&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Robert+Cormier">Robert Cormier</a>
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
Annamary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/109" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heroes handwritten notes</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/110" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heroes marked typescript</a><br /><a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/112" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Heroes cut and pasted typescript pieces</a>
JPG, 8.5x11, several cut and scotched taped together
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Marked+typescript">Marked typescript</a>
<em>Scholastic Scope</em> Stories by Robert Cormier including "President Cleveland, Where Are You?" and "Protestants Cry, Too"
This complete Scholastic Scope booklet includes two stories by Robert Cormier along with fill-in-the-blank word puzzles, a word search, a crossword puzzle, jokes, a comic strip, and queries and advice from readers. Furthermore, readers will find a brief collection of fictional anecdotes about plagiarism. The booklet also includes a brief biography and introduction to the two Cormier stories set in Frenchtown. The introduction mentions how Cormier writes from his life experiences.
"President Cleveland, Where Are You?" is narrated by an 11-year-old Jerry who competes with the neighborhood kids to win a baseball glove by collecting President cards. When he has a chance to win, he sacrifices the win for the benefit of his brother.
"Protestants Cry, Too" continues with Jerry Renault's family, but focuses on Arnaud, the older brother, who decides to marry Jessica Stone, a Protestant, against his father's wishes. He enlists in the army beforehand and his father has a change of heart when he sees Jessica as a human, crying as Armaud leaves. Following the story are a number of questions and activities about writing letters.
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<em>Scholastic Scope,</em> vol. 30, no. 3
Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
25 September 1981
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
JPG, 8.5 x 11 newsprint paper
English
Robert Cormier's letter to Mike Gubbins 6 March 1999
In this letter to a student, Robert Cormier describes how his own emotions fuel his writing and how he must be emotionally invested in his characters. He also discusses World War II and his fictional town of Monument.
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Robert E. Cormier Collection at Fitchburg State University's Amelia V. Gallucci-Cirio Library
6 March 1999
AnnaMary L. Consalvo
Katharine Covino
Elise Takehana
<a href="https://robertcormiertwistedintimacy.omeka.net/items/show/35" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"><span>Mike Gubbins's letter to Robert Cormier 18 February 1998</span></a>
JPG, 8.5x11
English
<a href="/items/browse?advanced%5B0%5D%5Belement_id%5D=51&advanced%5B0%5D%5Btype%5D=is+exactly&advanced%5B0%5D%5Bterms%5D=Letter">Letter</a>