The Pact
Chapter 19: NOW: November 7, 1997
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with a tense scene on November 7, 1997, where Chris holds a gun to Emily’s temple as she contemplates suicide. Both are visibly shaken, and Chris fears the gun might accidentally discharge. He recalls their childhood connection, where physical pain experienced by one would inexplicably affect the other, a phenomenon their pediatrician dismissed as “sympathy pain.” Despite expectations they would outgrow it, their bond remains unbroken. Chris realizes that if Emily dies, he will too, metaphorically, as she is his heart. He wrestles the gun away, refusing to let her end her life, but Emily pleads with him to return it, insisting she cannot live without him.
Emily’s desperation and Chris’s internal conflict escalate as she argues that if he loves her, he should let her go. Chris, torn between saving her and respecting her wishes, feels her overwhelming sorrow as if it were his own. He flees the scene but returns after half an hour to find Emily still holding the gun, sobbing uncontrollably. She admits she lacks the courage to kill herself but also feels incapable of living. Chris, heartbroken, recognizes her agony and the depth of her despair. The gun becomes a symbol of their shared torment, with Emily begging Chris to either stay or help her end her suffering.
In a moment of clarity, Chris understands that Emily is not afraid of death but of continuing to live in pain. He grapples with the moral weight of her request, torn between his love for her and the horror of complying. Emily, sensing his hesitation, guides his hand back to the gun, urging him to act. Flashbacks of happier times, like a summer tennis match, contrast sharply with the present, highlighting the tragedy of their situation. Chris, overwhelmed by emotion, struggles to reconcile his love for Emily with the unthinkable act she asks of him.
The chapter culminates in a heart-wrenching climax as Emily, determined and calm, presses Chris’s hand to pull the trigger. His tears blur his vision, but her resolve is unwavering. She whispers words of love and encouragement, and in a final, devastating moment, the gun fires. The chapter ends abruptly, leaving Chris and Emily locked in their tragic embrace, the consequences of their actions left unresolved. The scene underscores the themes of love, sacrifice, and the unbearable weight of shared suffering.
FAQs
1. What is the significance of the childhood memory Chris recalls about Emily and their shared pain?
Answer:
The childhood memory highlights the deep, inexplicable connection between Chris and Emily, where physical pain experienced by one is simultaneously felt by the other. This phenomenon, dismissed by their pediatrician as “sympathy pain,” foreshadows the intensity of their bond and the central conflict of the chapter: Chris’s inability to bear Emily’s suffering. The memory underscores the idea that their connection is not just emotional but almost physiological, making it impossible for Chris to separate his well-being from hers. This sets the stage for his agonizing decision later in the chapter.2. How does the chapter explore the theme of agency and control in the context of Emily’s suicide attempt?
Answer:
The chapter portrays a struggle over agency, with Emily seeking control over her life by choosing death, while Chris wrestles with the moral and emotional weight of enabling or preventing it. Emily’s plea—”If you love me, give it back”—frames love as acquiescence to her autonomy. However, Chris’s refusal (“I do love you!”) reveals his conflicting desire to protect her, even against her will. The gun becomes a symbol of this tension: Emily initially holds it but cannot pull the trigger, while Chris ultimately takes control, blurring the lines between compassion and coercion. The scene questions whether true agency exists when two people are so deeply intertwined.3. Analyze the symbolism of the gun in this chapter. How does its physical description reflect the characters’ emotional states?
Answer:
The gun is described as “slick with Emily’s sweat” and “as warm as her own skin,” mirroring the intimacy and visceral horror of the moment. Its warmth suggests it has become an extension of her body, while the sweat conveys fear and desperation. When Chris holds it, the gun’s physicality—its weight, the uncocked hammer—mirrors his internal struggle between action and restraint. Later, Emily strokes it “as she might have caressed a kitten,” a grotesque juxtaposition of tenderness and violence, emphasizing her conflicted relationship with death as both a release and a terrifying unknown.4. Why does Chris ultimately comply with Emily’s request, despite his earlier resistance?
Answer:
Chris’s decision stems from his realization that Emily’s agony is not fear of death but fear of continuing to live in pain (“Emily was not afraid of dying. She was afraid of not dying”). His empathy overwhelms his self-preservation; he cannot bear her suffering any more than he could as a child when her bruises mirrored his falls. The narrative frames his compliance as the ultimate act of love—aligning with Emily’s earlier plea to “do it for me.” Yet, the act is also paradoxical: in trying to free her, he binds himself to her fate, as suggested by the line, “You couldn’t live for very long without a heart.”5. How does the chapter use sensory details to heighten the emotional impact of the climax?
Answer:
Sensory details immerse the reader in the characters’ turmoil. Tactile imagery dominates: the gun’s “dent” on Emily’s temple, Chris’s “shaking hands,” and the “viscous” passage of time as he waits for the shot. Auditory cues are sparse but pivotal—Emily’s choked sobs, the silent tension before the trigger is pulled—creating a haunting contrast. Visual details, like Emily’s face “waver[ing]” through Chris’s tears, distort reality, mirroring his psychological unraveling. The climax merges senses: Emily’s voice “vibrat[es] against his chest,” blending touch and sound to convey their inseparable connection even in the act of separation.
Quotes
1. “He cuts himself,” his mother had laughed. “And she bleeds.”
This early childhood memory reveals the profound, almost supernatural connection between Chris and Emily, where one’s physical pain manifests in the other—a bond that persists into adulthood and becomes central to the chapter’s tragic dilemma.
2. “You couldn’t live for very long without a heart.”
Chris’s realization as he prevents Emily’s suicide encapsulates their symbiotic relationship. The metaphorical weight of this line underscores how Emily’s survival is inextricably tied to his own will to live.
3. “I’m too much of a coward to kill myself,” she whispered. “And too much of a coward to live.”
Emily’s agonizing confession captures the paradox of her despair. This pivotal moment reveals her trapped state—unable to escape her pain through death or life—which drives the chapter toward its devastating conclusion.
4. “Emily was not afraid of dying. She was afraid of not dying.”
This epiphany marks the chapter’s turning point, where Chris fully comprehends Emily’s suffering. The stark phrasing contrasts conventional fears about death, reframing her desperation as a longing for release rather than an end.
5. “Now,” she said. Now, Chris, now.”
The repetition of “now” in Emily’s final plea—echoing the book’s title—creates a chilling rhythm that builds toward the tragic climax. This urgent refrain crystallizes the chapter’s themes of love, sacrifice, and irreversible action.