The Pact
Chapter 10: THEN: April 1996
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with a vivid scene at a high school swim meet in April 1996, where Chris, a talented swimmer, breaks a school record in the 100-meter butterfly. Emily, his longtime girlfriend, watches proudly from the bleachers, relishing their public connection. Their relationship is deeply rooted in friendship and family ties, spanning nearly three years, which sets them apart from typical teenage romances. However, the chapter hints at underlying tensions, particularly around societal expectations and assumptions about their physical intimacy.
Chris faces peer pressure from teammates like Carlos, who make crude remarks about Emily, implying their relationship is sexually active. Chris deflects these comments without outright denying them, aware that doing so might make him seem naive or weak. Emily, meanwhile, struggles with her own conflicted feelings about physical intimacy. While she cherishes their emotional bond, she recoils from sexual advances, feeling a deep, inexplicable discomfort that she can’t articulate—even to herself.
Later, Emily visits Chris’s house under the pretense of studying, but their session quickly shifts to physical closeness. Emily enjoys their affectionate moments but panics when Chris escalates their intimacy, pulling away abruptly. Chris, frustrated yet caring, grapples with societal expectations and his own desires, unsure how to reconcile them with Emily’s boundaries. Their dynamic reflects the broader tension between external perceptions and their private reality.
The chapter concludes with Emily’s internal turmoil, as she questions her reactions and fears hurting Chris. Meanwhile, Chris is left confused by her rejection, torn between respecting her boundaries and his own unmet expectations. Their relationship, though built on love and history, is strained by unspoken conflicts and societal pressures, leaving both characters at an emotional impasse.
FAQs
1. How does the author use contrasting imagery to highlight Emily’s internal conflict about her relationship with Chris?
Answer:
The chapter employs vivid contrasts between public admiration and private discomfort. While Emily visibly enjoys Chris’s public affection (smiling during his victory, appreciating their recognized relationship), she privately recoils from physical intimacy (“your skin shrink back from his”). The pool scene’s triumphant imagery (Chris “streaking beneath the surface”) clashes with later bedroom tension where Emily “wiggl[es]” uncomfortably. These contrasts mirror her dual reality: societal expectations of teenage romance versus her personal aversion to sexual intimacy, emphasizing her isolation in this conflict.2. Analyze how gender stereotypes influence the social dynamics between Chris, Emily, and Carlos.
Answer:
Carlos’s locker-room banter (“hot little piece,” “bet you get some tonight”) reflects toxic assumptions that male status depends on sexual conquests, pressuring Chris to perform masculinity. Though uncomfortable, Chris deflects rather than confronts these remarks to avoid social ridicule (“made Chris look like a fool”). Emily, meanwhile, is reduced to an object in male discourse (“give her my number”). The chapter critiques how such stereotypes trap both genders: Chris must pretend to conform, while Emily’s autonomy is erased, exacerbating her guilt over not fulfilling expected romantic roles.3. What significance does the setting of the swimming competition hold in characterizing Chris and Emily’s relationship?
Answer:
The pool setting symbolizes the performative aspect of their relationship. Chris’s record-breaking swim showcases his athletic prowess, which Emily publicly celebrates, reinforcing their “perfect couple” image. However, the water imagery later resurfaces negatively when Emily feels her body “betray” her like an uncontrollable force. This juxtaposition reveals the dichotomy between their outward harmony and private struggles—just as Chris masters the physicality of swimming, he cannot navigate the emotional currents of their intimacy, leaving Emily emotionally adrift.4. How does the author use secondary characters like Carlos and Emily’s mother to deepen the central conflict?
Answer:
Carlos embodies societal pressure, voicing crude assumptions that intensify Chris’s expectations of physical intimacy. Emily’s mother, while caring, unintentionally reinforces the inevitability of Emily’s bond with Chris (“why talk about something that isn’t going to happen?”). Both characters represent external forces that normalize the relationship’s progression, making Emily’s discomfort seem aberrant. Their presence underscores the isolation of Emily’s experience, as no one questions the relationship’s trajectory, leaving her without language or support to articulate her feelings.5. Evaluate the chapter’s portrayal of consent through Emily’s nonverbal reactions during intimate moments.
Answer:
The chapter powerfully depicts nuanced consent issues. Emily’s passive tolerance of kissing (“let him kiss her”) shifts to active distress when boundaries are crossed (“her hand jumped up, trembling”). Her frozen response (“I… can’t”) and avoidance of eye contact reveal non-verbal withdrawal, contrasting with Chris’s interpretation of silence as permission. The narrative critiques how romantic longevity (three years together) and social expectations (“everyone knew”) create implicit pressure to comply, highlighting how even “loving” relationships can overlook unambiguous enthusiastic consent.
Quotes
1. “The fact that everyone knew someone like him had picked someone like her was one of the things she loved about being Chris’s girlfriend. Unfortunately, there were also things she hated.”
This quote captures Emily’s complex feelings about her relationship with Chris, highlighting both the social validation it brings and the underlying tensions that trouble her. It introduces the central conflict of the chapter regarding societal expectations versus personal discomfort.
2. “Em did not know what sex was supposed to feel like, but she guessed it wasn’t having your skin shrink back from his, your stomach roll, your head pound out that this was wrong.”
This powerful description reveals Emily’s visceral discomfort with physical intimacy, contrasting societal expectations with her personal experience. It’s a key insight into her internal struggle with sexuality and relationship norms.
3. “It was clear that Chris loved her; of course he’d want to make love to her. And certainly it was right—for God’s sake, she’d been hearing her name linked to Chris’s since before she could speak.”
This quote demonstrates the immense social pressure Emily feels to conform to expectations about her relationship with Chris, even when it conflicts with her personal feelings. It shows how deeply ingrained their coupling is in their social environment.
4. “She stared at a carefully printed page of graphs, wiggling because of what Chris was doing to her. Emily thought of the wavy sine curve on her homework: one half leaning in, one half pulling away.”
This beautifully captures Emily’s divided feelings through the metaphor of mathematical graphs, representing her simultaneous attraction to and discomfort with Chris’s advances. The imagery powerfully conveys her emotional conflict.
5. “He was going to say, ‘Study tomorrow.’ But the words came out wrong, and before he knew it he had grasped Emily’s wrist and pressed it between his legs. ‘You’re supposed to touch me,’ he said.”
This moment represents a critical turning point where Chris’s frustration boils over into physical coercion, escalating the tension between them. It shows how societal expectations can manifest in harmful ways, even in loving relationships.