The Pact (1998) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

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• Emily Gold: Melanie and Michael's only child, Emily is a talented artist and student who has been connected at the hip to Chris Harte since before she can remember. Afraid to let anyone down, she holds in a dark secret which eventually overtakes her and drives her to make a drastic decision.
• Christopher Harte: A bright teenager and promised a bright future but turn upside down when something terrible happened to him. Put on trial for the murder of Emily Gold when the police become suspicious of a suicide pact and start suspecting murder.
• Melanie Gold: Best friend and neighbor with Gus Harte for over 18 years before the death of Emily. She was Emily's mother.
• Michael Gold: A large-animal veterinarian, Michael Gold is the father of Emily Gold and husband of Melanie.
• Augusta (Gus) Harte: Protective mother of Kate and Chris Harte, believes without a doubt that Chris did not kill Emily.
• Dr. James Harte: Father of Kate and Chris Harte, husband of Gus. He is an accomplished doctor and a hunter in his spare time. He doesn't like to show his feelings.
• Jordan McAfee: Chris's Lawyer
• Detective Anne-Marie Marrone: Detective on the murder trial who believes Chris Harte murdered Emily Gold.
• Kate Harte: Chris's little sister and a dancer.
• Honorable Judge Puckett: The judge on Chris's case.
• Barrie Delaney: Assistant attorney general
• Steve Vernon: A prisoner
• Dr. Emanuel Feinstein: Chris's psychiatrist
• Hector: Evil prisoner who harasses Chris.
• Charlie: The Harte family dog when Chris was a young boy.
• Mrs. Bertrand: Chris's English teacher
• Donna DeFelice: Jewelry store employee
• Sandra Vernon: Private investigator working for the defense.
• Mr. Magritte: Belgian artist
• Jamelia: Add a description of this character.
• Dr. Jubal Lumbano: A witness in court
• Heather Burns: Emily's best girl friend in school.
• Dr. Linwood Karpagian: Psychologist who specializes in the study of teens and teen depression and suicide.
• Stephanie Newell: Counselor from Planned Parenthood.
• Kim Kenley: Emily and Chris' art teacher. Especially fond of Emily and believed that Emily's artistic talent was truly special.
• Mrs. Edna Neely: School teacher of Chris and Emily.
• Joan Bertrand: Teacher
• Phoebe
• Randi Underwood: E.R. physician's assistant who tended to Emily Gold the night she was brought in.
• Selena Damascus: Private investigator for Chris
• Thomas McAphee: Jordan McAphee's 13 year old teenage son
• Mr. Favre
• S. Barrett Delaney: DA
• Leslie F. Puckett: Presiding judge
• Carlisle
• Ms. Newell: See the description of Stephanie Newell.
• Kim Kenly
• Krull
• Lou Ballard
• Deborah
• Damon
• Francis
• Joe Simpson
• Jacob Saltzman
• Gary Moorhouse
• Carlos
• Adrienne Whalley
• Mr. Longwanger
• Ms. DiBonnalo
• Mr. Waterstone
• Hank Myers

Quotes edit see section history

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• “Do you know... what it's like to love someone so much, that you can't see yourself without picturing her? Or what it's like to touch someone, and feel like you've come home?”

  Christopher Harte

• “What could it be like to find out, in a matter of minutes, that the kid you believed the sun rose and set on was not the person you'd thought?”

  Christopher Harte

• “Some people spend their whole lives looking for that one person... I was lucky enough to have her all along.”

  Christopher Harte

• “I can see myself now... And I can see what I want to be, ten years from now. But I don't understand how I'm going to get from here to there.”

  Emily Gold

• “Do you know what it's like to give your whole self to a person, and your whole heart to boot, until you've got nothing left to give - and then realize that it still isn't what they need?”

  Michael Gold

• “My whole life was about her... What if her life wasn't all about me?”

  Christopher Harte

• “The panel at the New England Journal of Medicine would rescind the award when they learned about his suicidal son, on trial for murder. Surely you did not pay homage to a vision specialist who had not seen this coming.”

  James Harte

• “He did not have to read the careful number to now the weight of Emily's heart; he'd held it for years.”

  Chris Harte

• Popular Highlights from Kindle Customers

• And that’s what I think love is,” Chris said quietly. “When your hindsight’s twenty-twenty, and you still wouldn’t change a thing.”

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• When you loved someone, you put their needs before your own. No matter how inconceivable those needs were; no matter how fucked up; no matter how much it made you feel like you were ripping yourself into pieces.

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• And ever has it been that love knows not its own depth until the hour of separation. —KAHLIL GIBRAN The Prophet

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• “Do you know what it’s like to give your whole self to a person, and your whole heart to boot, until you’ve got nothing left to give—and then realize that it still isn’t what they need?”

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• “Do you know,” Chris said softly, “what it’s like to love someone so much, that you can’t see yourself without picturing her? Or what it’s like to touch someone, and feel like you’ve come home?”

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• Oscar Wilde said that the pure and simple truth is rarely pure and never simple. Truth, you see, is in the eye of the beholder.

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• BEING A MOTHER GIVES YOU a singular sort of vision, a prism through which you can see your child with many different faces all at once. It is the reason you can watch him shatter a ceramic lamp, and still remember him as an angel. Or hold him as he cries, but imagine his smile. Or watch him walk toward you, the size of a man, and see the dimpled skin of an infant.

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• That a lie which is half a truth is ever the blackest of lies; That a lie which is all a lie may be met and fought with outright; But a lie which is part a truth is a harder matter to fight. —ALFRED, LORD TENNYSON

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• cirousel where they were sitting. Some alcohol was found too, a bottle of Canadian Club. One bullet had been fired, one was still in the revolver; ballistics matched the bullet with the gun, and we don’t have the fingerprints back yet.” She blotted her lips with a napkin. “When I interviewed the boy—”

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• And, after all, what is a lie? ’Tis but The truth in masquerade. —LORD BYRON Don Juan There is no refuge from confession but suicide; and suicide is confession. —DANIEL WEBSTER

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Setting & Locations edit see section history

• Bainbridge Memorial
• Wood Hollow Road
• New Hampshire
• Sambuca

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Themes & Symbolism edit see section history

• Sacrificial Love: If you really love someone sometimes it may be best to let them go.

Series & Lists edit see section history

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Jodi Picoult (Author)

First Edition edit see section history

Classification edit see section history

• Library of Congress: PS3566.I372 P3 1998
• Dewey: 813.54

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Ages 16 and up. Contains suicide themes

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › Contemporary
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Literary

Movie Connections edit see section history

• The Pact (IMDb)

More Books Like This edit see section history