The Pact discussion

The Pact by Jodi Picoult, is a contemporary novel dealing with love and anguish, told in medias res and is filled with character complexity. The overarching plot leaves the reader on edge and almost sick to their stomach with the haunting reality and trueness of the storyline. The Pact centers around character development and the three things I learned all have to do with different aspects of characterization.

The first thing I learned about characterization is its effectiveness in progressing the story while also provoking emotion. The Pact plotline progresses through the character development of the two main teenagers and their four parents. The characters dynamic level also increases as relationships between characters develop. It is hard to cite specifically where characters develop, since the characters and their relationships are at a constant growth until the very end. I realized the importance of how characters progress the plot on page 27, when it reads, "From the way Melanie hefted the small brick of banana bread in the palm of her hand, her husband was not sure if she was planning to eat it or to throw it. She closed the front door, still shiny with new paint, and carried the loaf to the two cartons that were substituting as a makeshift kitchen table." This scene was the first of many flashbacks that used character development to enrichen and progress the plot. It stresses the importance of showing and not telling.

The second thing I learned is that plot twists are most effective when the reader is invested in the characters. Often, investment in characters is coupled with character believability. I learned that small details can greatly impact the believability of a character. A minor detail that made me believe in the characters was on page 8, which read, "Although there had never been a standing reservation made, the rear corner table of the Happy Family Chinese restaurant was always saved on Friday nights for the Hartes and the Golds, who had been coming there for as long as anyone could remember. Years ago, they had brought the children, littering the crowded nook with high chairs and diaper bags until it was nearly impossible for the waiters to maneuver the steaming platters of food onto the table." Having this detail in mind made certain plot twists even more emotionally provoking. One of these huge moments happened further down on page 8, and it read "He kissed her so gently she wondered if she had imagined it. She pulled back slightly, to look into his eyes. And then there was a shot." The connection to the characters through minor details made this last paragraph all the more emotional and provoking.

The third thing I learned about characterization is the effectiveness of lacking a clearly defined protagonist and antagonist and instead having the reader go back and forth on their feelings towards characters. My feelings towards many characters from the Pact changed significantly from beginning to end. This lack of having a set person to "route" for allowed the reader to develop their own opinions, as well as focus on the messages being conveyed.