Chapter summaries Five Survive Holly Jackson

Chapter Thirty-seven: The Betrayal and the Truth About Red

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Red sees the check mark on Arthur’s hand and realizes he is the mole. Oliver pins Arthur down, and Simon searches him, finding a small plastic device. Arthur explains it is a button—a remote for a light he attached to the RV’s roof. He used that light to communicate with the sniper via Morse code. Arthur confesses he told the sniper to shoot out Don and Joyce’s tires, not to kill them, and later gave a warning shot intended to scare Maddy. Then he reveals his true identity: Arthur Gotti, son of Frank Gotti. He says Red is not a witness to a murder; she was paid to falsely testify that Frank killed Joseph Mannino. Arthur pleads with Red to name the person who paid her. After a tense hesitation, Red whispers, “It’s Catherine Lavoy.”

Key Events

  • Red spots a check mark on Arthur’s hand, matching one she drew earlier, and understands he is the mole.
  • Oliver tackles Arthur, and Simon finds a small round plastic device in Arthur’s pocket.
  • Arthur reveals the device is a button that controls a light he installed on the RV roof to signal the sniper.
  • Arthur explains he told the sniper to disable Don and Joyce’s vehicle, not to kill them. He also tried to stop Maddy from leaving the RV because he no longer trusted the sniper.
  • Arthur admits his real name is Arthur Gotti, son of mob figure Frank Gotti.
  • Arthur reveals that Red is not a witness to the murder of Joseph Mannino; she has been paid to lie under oath and claim she saw Frank Gotti at the scene.
  • Red confesses the name of the person who hired her: Catherine Lavoy.

Character Development

  • Arthur: Shifts from a seemingly kind friend to a calculated infiltrator. His actions—planting the light, communicating with the sniper—show he is willing to manipulate everyone, including Red, to get information. Yet his panic when Maddy is shot suggests he did not intend for his plan to turn deadly.
  • Red: Faces the ultimate moral crisis. She has to choose between protecting her secret (and the money that comes with it) and saving her friends. Her admission reveals she has been living with guilt and shame, and that her relationship with Arthur was built on a lie.
  • Oliver: Reacts with violent rage, confirming his impulsive and aggressive nature. He immediately takes control, ordering Simon to search Arthur and demanding answers.
  • Simon: Shows clear shock and hurt; he trusted Arthur as a close friend. His facial expression when searching Arthur conveys deep betrayal.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Betrayal and Trust: The central revelation that Arthur is the mole shatters every bond built in the RV. The check-mark symbol—once a private joke between Red and Arthur—becomes a sign of deception.
  • Moral Compromise vs. Survival: Red’s false testimony was motivated by desperate need for money (to help her father), yet it embroiled innocent people in violence. The chapter forces her to weigh her original compromise against the escalating toll.
  • Communication and Signals: The light on the RV, the walkie-talkie, and the check marks all serve as coded signals—some used for connection, others for control. When Arthur throws away the button, it represents both a loss of control and a forced confrontation with truth.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the dramatic turning point of the novel. Arthur’s unmasking as the mole and his true identity as Frank Gotti’s son recontextualize the entire story. The reader now understands that the trip was a setup from the start, aimed at extracting a name from Red. Red’s confession—“It’s Catherine Lavoy”—raises the stakes for the final chapters: who is Catherine Lavoy, and what will happen now that the secret is out? The chapter also deepens the moral complexity, showing that Arthur believed he was protecting Red even as he endangered everyone else.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Arthur say he didn’t intend for Don and Joyce or Maddy to be shot?
Arthur claims he only told the sniper to disable Don and Joyce’s vehicle (shoot out tires and the gas tank) so they would stay with the group. He says he never thought the sniper would kill them. Similarly, when Maddy ran, Arthur says he told the sniper to fire a warning shot in front of her, not at her. This suggests Arthur was trying to manage the situation without bloodshed, but lost control of the sniper’s actions.

2. What does the check mark on Arthur’s hand reveal, and why is it significant?
The check mark is the same symbol Red drew on her own hand earlier—a small private code between her and Arthur. When she sees it on his hand, it confirms he is the mole who has been communicating with the sniper. The symbol, once a sign of fondness, now becomes a marker of betrayal.

3. Why does Red hesitate to name the person who paid her, even after everything that has happened?
Red is caught between two betrayals: naming Catherine Lavoy would break the contract she made for desperately needed money (to pay off debts, help her father, and afford basic necessities), but staying silent allows more violence. She feels guilty either way. Her hesitation shows that the moral compromise she made was not easy, and she still fears the consequences of revealing the truth.

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