The Pact
Chapter 5: THEN: 1989
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with Chris and Emily, two mischievous children, making prank phone calls from Emily’s bedroom in 1989. Their playful banter and daring escalate as they call strangers with absurd questions, like asking if “Mr. Longwanger” truly has a long wanger, and impersonating school staff to trick Chris’s mother. Their laughter and camaraderie highlight their close friendship, but their antics soon backfire when Chris’s mother, Gus, cancels an important appointment to respond to the fake school call. The children’s recklessness leads to consequences, with Chris being grounded for three days, leaving him frustrated but still connected to Emily through their secret Morse code signals.
As Chris faces his parents’ stern reprimand, the chapter shifts to their perspective, revealing their mixed emotions. Gus and James, though exasperated, find humor in their son’s pranks, reminiscing about their own youthful mischief. Their playful teasing and affectionate dynamic contrast with their disciplinary roles, showing their struggle to balance authority with understanding. The tension between parental responsibility and nostalgia for childhood freedom is palpable, as they acknowledge their own pasts while trying to guide Chris. Their lighthearted reconciliation, ending with a romantic moment, underscores the complexity of family dynamics.
Meanwhile, Chris and Emily maintain their bond despite being punished. Using Morse code with bedroom lamps, they communicate across the distance, sharing their frustrations and solidarity. This silent dialogue symbolizes their unbreakable connection and resilience in the face of adversity. The chapter subtly contrasts the innocence of childhood rebellion with the weight of parental expectations, as both generations navigate their relationships and identities.
The chapter concludes with a diary entry from Emily, offering a glimpse into her inner world. Her scattered thoughts—ranging from school gossip to her admiration for Chris—reveal her youthful perspective and the budding emotions she struggles to articulate. The unfinished entry about Guinevere hints at her romantic idealism, mirroring the chapter’s themes of connection, secrecy, and the bittersweet transition from childhood to adolescence. The diary serves as a quiet reflection on the chapter’s events, tying together the threads of friendship, family, and growing up.
FAQs
1. How do Chris and Emily communicate after being grounded, and what does this reveal about their relationship?
Answer:
After being grounded, Chris and Emily use Morse code by flicking their bedroom lights on and off to communicate across the distance between their homes. This method, learned at summer camp, allows them to send messages like “HOW BAD” and responses indicating the severity of their punishments. This reveals the depth of their connection and creativity in maintaining contact despite restrictions. It also highlights their shared history (e.g., camp experiences) and their rebellious yet resourceful natures, as they find ways to defy parental authority while appearing to comply.
2. Analyze the contrasting parenting styles of Chris’s parents and their impact on him.
Answer:
Chris’s parents present a united front, standing “like sequoias” and alternating reprimands, which overwhelms Chris and makes him feel powerless. Their discipline is strict (a 3-day grounding) and focuses on the inconvenience caused by his prank, rather than exploring his motivations. However, the chapter also reveals their humorous, affectionate side in private, as they laugh about the prank and reconnect intimately. This duality suggests their sternness is performative, but their lack of open communication with Chris leaves him feeling misunderstood and resentful, as seen in his internal monologue about their expectations.
3. What literary devices are used to emphasize the theme of youthful rebellion in the chapter?
Answer:
The chapter employs irony (Chris’s parents secretly finding the prank funny while punishing him), symbolism (the flickering lights representing clandestine defiance), and juxtaposition (the kids’ playful mischief vs. the parents’ stern facade). The prank calls themselves are metaphors for testing boundaries, while the Morse code scene underscores rebellion as a shared language between Chris and Emily. The parents’ private laughter contrasts with their public severity, highlighting the generational divide and the performative nature of authority.
4. How does the chapter portray the transition between childhood and adolescence for Chris and Emily?
Answer:
The chapter captures their liminal stage through their actions: prank calls (childish mischief) are paired with emerging self-awareness (Chris’s guilt over his mother’s canceled appointment). Emily’s diary entry contrasts childish observations (guinea pigs, gossip) with her avoidance of discussing romantic tales with Chris, hinting at budding complexity. Their Morse code communication shows maturity in problem-solving, while their defiance (e.g., mocking authority figures) reflects adolescent resistance. The parents’ intimate reunion also subtly contrasts with the kids’ innocent bond, foreshadowing future emotional growth.
5. Evaluate the significance of the chapter’s title, “THEN: 1989,” in framing the narrative.
Answer:
The title “THEN: 1989” establishes nostalgia, framing the events as a remembered past. The year 1989 anchors the pre-digital era (prank calls, phone books) and cultural references (Jesse Helms, Prince Albert jokes). The word “THEN” contrasts with the characters’ present, suggesting reflection on how these moments shaped them. For Chris and Emily, it marks a specific, formative time of rebellion and connection; for the parents, it recalls a phase of balancing discipline and passion. The title thus invites readers to consider how such fleeting moments define relationships over time.
Quotes
1. “Sometimes Chris wished he could sneak a peek at the back of the book, so to speak, and see how it was all going to turn out, so that he wouldn’t have to bother going through the motions.”
This quote captures Chris’s adolescent frustration with expectations and his desire to understand life’s outcomes—a poignant reflection on youthful impatience and the universal human wish to foresee destiny.
2. “They had learned Morse code at camp last summer. Emily’s room kept flickering. H… I. Chris flicked his thumb over the lamp’s base again. H… O… W… B… A… D.”
This moment highlights the deep, playful connection between Chris and Emily, using coded communication to maintain solidarity even when punished—showcasing their creativity and bond.
3. “Gus let herself remember what it had been like over a decade ago when the house still smelled of planed wood and fresh paint, and time was a gift given from the hospital scheduler.”
Gus’s nostalgic reflection contrasts youthful passion with adult responsibilities, illustrating how parenthood and routine reshape intimacy—yet the spark remains, as shown in the playful “Mr. Longwanger” banter that follows.
4. “Chris is reading an autobiography of Muhomad Alii for his book report. He asked what I was doing and I started to tell him about Lancelot and Guinevere and King Arthur but then I stopped. He’d probably want to know about the knights and those are the parts I’ve been skipping.”
Emily’s diary entry reveals her selective engagement with stories (focusing on romance over adventure) and hints at her evolving feelings for Chris, subtly framing their relationship through literary parallels.