The Pact
Jodi Picoult
Theme 1: ''There are many ways to love someone''
Emily Gold and Chris Harte had been destined lovers since the day they were born. Everyone expected them to be together, and there was no question that one day they would get married. The problem was, Emily thought of Chris more as a brother than a lover, and now, Emily is pregnant with his child. Emily could not imagine her life without Chris, but at the same time she felt a little too close for comfort. She indeed did love Chris, but not in the way that he loved her.
theme 2: ''The truth will always reveal itself''
Chris Harte is put on trial for first degree murder of Emily Gold. Chris goes into his trial with the motive that Emily and him made a suicide pact, but that motive changes when he tells his lawyer, Jordan, that he was never suicidal. An art therapist looked at a piece of Emily's artwork during the trial, and inferred that she had been sexually abused. Sometime the things that are most crucial cannot be seen from the surface. By the end of the story, Chris confessed the truth in front of the entire courtroom. Emily's parents never knew that Emily was even considering suicide, and it was easier to blame Chris for what happened instead of facing the guilt of not knowing their daughter. Now that they know the truth, they are faced with guilt and depression.
Similarities / How they interact
These two themes go hand in hand because if Chris had never felt that deep love for Emily, he would not have been so compelled to share his story and give the truth. Chris had loved Emily so much that he could not see her in pain and had to face the truth of his promise to let her go through with suicide.
On the flip side, these themes contrast each other because if Emily loved Chris, she would have told him the truth about her pregnancy and why she wanted to end her life. She would have given in to the Planned Parenthood counselor and told Chris what was really happening.