The Pact
Chapter 7: THEN: December 1993
by Picoult, JodiThe chapter opens with Chris and Emily traveling to Sugarloaf for a skiing trip with Emily’s family. The two engage in a playful yet competitive Tetris match on their Game Boys, bantering and teasing each other until their argument escalates. Chris, frustrated by Emily’s perceived cheating, eventually sulks but tries to reconcile by offering another game. The dynamic between them highlights their close but contentious friendship, with Chris secretly vowing to outshine her on the slopes. Meanwhile, Emily’s parents exchange amused glances, commenting on the chaos of their interactions.
Chris’s father, James, decides to go hunting on Christmas Eve with a man he met on the ski lift, much to the annoyance of Chris’s mother, Gus. Chris joins the expedition, excited at the prospect of hunting pheasant or rabbit. The group, led by Hank Myers and his beagle, Lucy, ventures into the snowy woods. Chris, initially eager, grows bored and cold as the hunt progresses. When Lucy flushes out a snowshoe hare, Hank explains the animal’s circular running pattern, and Chris eventually shoots it—only to be overwhelmed by guilt and disgust at killing such a small, defenseless creature.
The hunting trip takes an emotional toll on Chris, who vomits after seeing the hare’s bloody remains. Hank and James exchange tense words, with James visibly embarrassed by his son’s reaction. Chris, trying to salvage his pride, offers to clean the hare but is haunted by the irony of the animal circling back to safety only to be killed. The experience leaves him silent and reflective, contrasting sharply with his earlier excitement. The scene underscores a moment of moral reckoning for Chris, who grapples with the ethics of hunting and his own emotions.
The chapter concludes with Gus and James reconciling after the hunting trip, their playful and intimate banter contrasting with the earlier tension. Gus teases James about Santa Claus, and their flirtation escalates into a passionate moment. The lightheartedness of their interaction serves as a counterpoint to Chris’s turmoil, emphasizing the chapter’s themes of conflict, reconciliation, and the complexities of human relationships. The unfinished ending leaves their intimacy implied, tying the chapter together with a mix of humor and warmth.
FAQs
1. How does the hunting experience contrast with Chris’s expectations, and what does this reveal about his character?
Answer:
Chris initially approaches hunting with excitement, asking about potential prey like moose and pheasant. However, the reality of hunting a small, defenseless hare deeply affects him—he vomits after killing it and feels profound guilt. This contrasts sharply with his earlier hunting experiences (like deer) and reveals his underlying sensitivity. The chapter shows Chris grappling with the moral weight of preying on something vulnerable, suggesting a developing conscience and emotional complexity beneath his competitive exterior.2. Analyze the significance of the hare’s behavior (circling back to its starting point) and how it parallels Chris’s emotional journey.
Answer:
The hare’s instinct to circle back to safety, only to be killed upon returning, mirrors Chris’s own conflicted feelings about home and belonging. Just as the hare expects refuge, Chris likely expects validation from his father during the hunt. Instead, he faces disappointment (his father’s anger/embarrassment) and is forced to confront his actions. This parallel underscores themes of inevitability and disillusionment—Chris, like the hare, cannot escape the consequences of his choices, even when seeking familiarity.3. How does the author use dialogue to characterize the relationship between Emily and Chris in the car scene?
Answer:
Their rapid-fire, playful bickering (“Am not,” “Are too”) and competitive Tetris match reveal a dynamic of camaraderie laced with tension. Emily’s insistence on an apology and Chris’s internal frustration (“Sometimes he wanted to kill her”) highlight their push-pull relationship. The dialogue captures their teenage stubbornness and intimacy—they’re comfortable arguing but also deeply attuned to each other’s emotions, as seen when Chris tries to reconcile by offering another game.4. What role does irony play in the hunting scene, particularly regarding Chris’s father’s expectations?
Answer:
James expects Chris to embody traditional masculinity (e.g., handling the hunt without hesitation), but the trip becomes ironic when Chris—a seasoned hunter—reacts with visceral disgust to killing the hare. James’s embarrassment underscores the gap between his expectations and reality. The irony deepens when Hank questions Chris’s experience, exposing James’s performative pride. This moment critiques societal pressures on boys to suppress vulnerability, as Chris’s humanity clashes with his father’s idealized version of him.5. How does the chapter juxtapose the themes of violence and intimacy through the two key scenes (hunting and Gus/James’s interaction)?
Answer:
The brutality of the hunt (literal violence against the hare) contrasts with the playful, consensual intimacy between Gus and James. While Chris struggles with the consequences of violence, his parents’ lighthearted sexual banter (“Santa Claus coming”) highlights how intimacy can be a refuge from conflict. This juxtaposition underscores duality in human nature—aggression and tenderness coexist, as seen in James’s sternness during the hunt versus his affection with Gus. The chapter suggests that relationships (parental, romantic, or friendship) often navigate these extremes.
Quotes
1. “Driving, Michael glanced at his wife. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is why we never had another kid.’”
This humorous exchange captures the dynamic between Emily and Chris, highlighting the playful yet contentious nature of their relationship through the parents’ perspective.
2. “Hank Myers smiled at him. ‘Thing about hares is, they run in a circle. Lucy won’t catch up, but that’s okay. She’ll run the hare back to where it started.’”
This quote is significant as it foreshadows the tragic irony of the hare’s fate—returning to safety only to meet its end—mirroring Chris’s own emotional journey and the chapter’s themes of inevitability and consequence.
3. “Chris had killed deer; he would have enjoyed hunting moose or elk or bear. But he took one look at the hare and felt sick.”
This moment marks a turning point for Chris, revealing his unexpected emotional vulnerability and moral conflict, contrasting his earlier bravado with the reality of killing something small and defenseless.
4. “He walked beside his father in silence, afraid of saying anything and afraid of not saying anything at all, thinking of the hare that had circled home, expecting safety.”
This poignant reflection underscores the chapter’s emotional core, illustrating Chris’s internal turmoil and the tragic irony of the hare’s fate, symbolizing misplaced trust and the harshness of reality.