The Chocolate Touch

The storekeeper’s name is never revealed because it doesn’t matter. He’s a catalyst for John’s personal growth and represents how people can choose to learn and change when life becomes difficult. The storekeeper is an all-knowing entity regarding his charges, such as John, as evident in how his store window displays the items John turned to chocolate. At the story’s end, he wears “an expression of satisfaction” (114) when John returns to the store desperate to save his mother. It’s unclear if the man always knew John would learn his lesson or if he seems satisfied only when he realizes that his methods worked.

Dr. Cranium is a “tall, thin man with a bald head and a gray mustache” (16). “Cranium” is derived from Latin and means skull or head, which has dual meanings for the doctor. First, he professes to understand the mind and John’s obsession with chocolate, even though he never offers any useful cures or advice to help John. Second, Dr. Cranium has a large ego, or “big head” (an expression that means one is full of oneself). At the end of the book, Dr. Cranium names John’s chocolate condition “Cranium’s disease” because he wants to take credit for discovering it, even though he had nothing to do with the chocolate ability.

Susan is a friend of John’s who has “soft yellow curls, round pink cheeks, blue eyes” (13), and a sense of innocence about her. Susan represents the changing nature of friendship. Susan’s feelings toward John vary depending on what’s happening. When John bites her coin in half, Susan goes from liking him to hating him in a heartbeat because he destroyed something special to her. On the playground, she ignores him, but later, at her party, she seems not to have a problem anymore, suggesting that time and the excitement of her birthday have helped dull her angry feelings. When John splatters chocolate all over her, however, she hates him again, which shows how quickly emotions can change. Susan will likely forgive John again once she realizes that her dress isn’t ruined, symbolizing that friendship is more important than material things.

John’s parents are typical parents of the 1950s (when The Chocolate Touch was written) and symbolize the stereotypical gender roles of the time. John’s dad goes to work and takes care of the yard, while his mom keeps house and cooks meals. Individually, they contribute little to the story beyond showing John’s home life. The exception is at the story’s end, when John turns his mother to chocolate. This event is the catalyst for John to change. His love for his mother is stronger than his love for chocolate, which allows him to return everything to normal.

Miss Plimsole is John’s schoolteacher. Like John’s parents, she mainly serves to ground the story in 1950s culture. She represents the stereotypical teacher of the time, wearing glasses and staring strictly at her class.