Summary and Analysis of "The Pact"

By Students' Academy

A Few Words
Introduction
Plot Summary
Major Characters
Complete Summary
Critical Analysis

English literature students sometimes find it difficult to read some major syllabus books and need someone's help. Literary language differs from everyday spoken language, so they find it difficult to read literary articles, plays, poems, and novels. In such a situation, instruction books help them.

This guidebook is for students of English literature. It is not the original book. If you want to read the original text, this is not the book for you.

This guidebook provides only a summary and analysis of the original text.

Thank you

The plot of the novel revolves around the death of a teenage girl named Emily. After her death, there was a controversial trial. The story explores close relationships and concealed emotions very skillfully.

The reader remains actively involved during the trial because the reader is inevitably compelled to solve the clues along with the jury and the people who loved Emily to decide whether Emily had committed suicide or it was a murder.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Raja Sharma
• Release date: Nov 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005845223

Students' Academy

Easy study guides for the students of English literature.

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Summary and Analysis of The Pact

Students' Academy

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Summary and Analysis of The Pact

Students' Academy

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Table of Contents

A Few Words

Introduction

Plot Summary

Major Characters

Complete Summary

Critical Analysis

Chapter 1

A Few Words

English literature students sometimes find it difficult to read some major syllabus books and need someone's help. Literary language differs from everyday spoken language, so they find it difficult to read literary articles, plays, poems, and novels. In such a situation, instruction books help them.

This guidebook is for students of English literature. It is not the original book. If you want to read the original text, this is not the book for you.

This guidebook provides only a summary and analysis of the original text.

Thank you

Chapter 2

Introduction

The Pact by Jodi Picoult was first published in 1998. It was a highly successful novel, and it soon became very popular after its publication. The book was adapted into a Lifetime movie in 2002.

The plot of the novel revolves around the death of a teenage girl named Emily. After her death, there was a controversial trial. The story explores close relationships and concealed emotions very skillfully.

The reader remains actively involved during the trial because the reader is inevitably compelled to solve the clues along with the jury and the people who loved Emily to decide whether Emily had committed suicide or it was a murder.

Owing to some controversy, the book was banned in some parts of the United States. The author has discussed this issue in her podcast, Big Brother is Watching What You Read.

The Pact is a spellbinding story that keeps the reader interested till the very end. It is a highly thought-provoking story that deals with several contemporary issues in society.

Chapter 3

Plot Summary

The novel follows the story of the two central characters, Emily Gold and Chris Harte. They are young adults. They spend a lot of time together. Eventually, a romantic relationship develops between the two in their teenage years.

Emily Gold happens to have been sexually abused during her childhood. She had become pregnant as a result. She is deeply depressed owing to that tragic incident in her life. She feels that she is trapped in her relationship with Chris. Eventually, she decides to commit suicide.

Chris wants to help her ease her pain, although he does not want her to die. He brings a gun and gives it to her. He happens to be there when she dies that night.

The main conflict arises after Emily’s death. It can’t be decided whether she committed suicide or Chris murdered her. He is suspected of being part of her suicide pact. Finally, the police arrest him, and he is sent to prison.

Emily’s parents are deeply afflicted, but they must bear their grief with their other children. Chris Hart awaits his trial in prison. It turns out to be a very long and intense trial, but eventually Chris is proved not guilty and he is released.

The style of the writing is quite complex. The story is told by a third-person omniscient narrator; however, the narration keeps switching between different characters of the novel. The narrative keeps shifting between the present and the past.

Through these regular shifts, the reader gets to learn about the important information in pieces, not all at once in a logical sequence.

The story has a spontaneous flow, and the reading is quite interesting and absorbing.

Chapter 4

Major Characters

Emily Gold

Emily Gold is the main character of the novel, but the main story begins after her death. She happens to be a high school student. She lives in a small town with her parents and siblings.

She has a boyfriend named Chris. During her teenage years, she becomes pregnant. She happens to have been abused in her childhood. She eventually decides to commit suicide.

She does not tell anyone that she is pregnant or that she was sexually abused as a child. As a result, she is disgusted by sex. She loves Chris very much, but she decides to commit suicide with his help.

He arranges a gun for her to ease her pain at the time of her death. She takes her own life, but after her death, the police begin to doubt Chris. They are not able to establish whether Emily’s death was a suicide or a planned murder.

Chris Harte

Chris Harte is the second-most important character in the novel. He can be called the protagonist of the novel.

He and Emily happen to have grown up together. They spend a lot of time together, and eventually they fall in love with each other. Chris and Emily have had sex, and consequently, she is pregnant.

When Emily tells him that she wants to die, he does not agree with her because he loves her very much. Emily forces him to help her commit suicide. He brings her a gun.

After her death, Chris is arrested and sent to prison for murdering Emily. Eventually, after a long trial, he is proven not guilty.

Melanie Gold

Melanie Gold is one of the major characters. She is Emily’s mother. She is a librarian by profession. Emily's death has left her deeply troubled.

She can’t believe that her daughter committed suicide, because she believes that if her daughter had been depressed, she should have told her mother.

She can’t even imagine that her daughter was depressed, and she did not tell her mother about the cause of her depression.

Michael Gold is Melanie’s husband. Once, she had a problem with her husband over the issue of Emily’s death because her husband believed that Chris would not hurt Emily.

Michael Gold

Michael Gold is a veterinarian by profession. He is Emily’s father and Melanie’s husband. He is deeply afflicted by his daughter’s death, but he does not believe that Chris is responsible for her death. He is a very sensitive person and a very kind father figure.

While Chris is waiting for his trial in prison, Michael secretly visits him there. He even has meals with Gus Harte, Chris’s mother. Michael’s wife does not approve of it, and she has an argument with her husband.

Owing to his sympathy for Chris, whom his wife believes killed her daughter, his relationship with her becomes strained. They have different viewpoints on whether Chris killed their daughter or not.

Gus Harte

Gus Harte is Chris Harte’s mother. Her son is sent to jail on suspicion of murdering Emily Gold, his beloved.

Gus is a highly protective mother, and she is ready to do anything to