The Goal by Elle Kennedy: Chapter 22 Summary and Analysis

⚠️ 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

Sabrina sits in a Starbucks, overwhelmed by the decision to schedule an abortion. She is fifteen weeks pregnant and has avoided contacting Tucker for a week. Suddenly, Joanna Maxwell – Beau’s sister – appears. Joanna reveals she quit Broadway to cut a demo and pursue a music career, a risky move that shocks Sabrina. Joanna explains that Beau would have supported her, and that his death made her rethink her life. After they part, Sabrina visits her law advisor, Professor Gibson, and asks whether she can handle Harvard with a child. Professor Gibson admits it will be hard but possible, and reassures Sabrina that she has a good partner in Tucker. Later, alone in her car, Sabrina realizes she hasn’t scheduled the abortion because she doesn’t want one. She decides to keep the baby.

Key Events

Sabrina encounters Joanna Maxwell at Starbucks; Joanna announces she left Broadway to record a demo.
Joanna confesses that Beau’s death made her prioritise happiness over a safe career.
Sabrina and Joanna share a moment of grief; Joanna says Beau always liked Sabrina.
Sabrina visits Professor Gibson and admits she is pregnant.
Professor Gibson tells Sabrina she could succeed at Harvard even with a child, but might sacrifice top honours.
Sabrina, alone, tears up a pros‑and‑cons list and decides to keep the baby.

Character Development

Sabrina – Throughout the chapter Sabrina moves from paralysis to agency. Meeting Joanna, who took a huge risk for happiness, and talking to Professor Gibson, a role model she admires, help her see that she can shape her future. Her final decision to keep the baby marks a break from her rigid, plan‑driven personality.

Joanna Maxwell – She appears in deep grief but also resilience. Quitting Broadway shows she is willing to trade security for fulfilment, echoing Beau’s own philosophy. Her raw honesty about missing Beau allows Sabrina to process her own feelings.

Professor Gibson – Provides a balanced, non‑judgmental perspective. She represents the kind of woman Sabrina wants to become – successful, kind, and respected – and her honesty about the trade‑offs of motherhood gives Sabrina the clarity she needs.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Risk vs. Security – Joanna’s choice to leave Broadway contrasts with Sabrina’s lifelong need for a safe plan. Both are responding to Beau’s death: Joanna by chasing a dream, Sabrina by reconsidering what “safe” means.
Grief as a Catalyst – Beau’s memory pushes both Joanna and Sabrina to re‑evaluate their priorities. Joanna directly says Beau would want her to be happy; Sabrina’s mental image of Beau’s casket haunts her and influences her decision.
The Pros‑and‑Cons List – Symbolises Sabrina’s analytical, risk‑averse nature. Tearing it up represents her choice to trust her heart rather than a calculated equation.

Why This Chapter Matters

This is the turning point for Sabrina’s pregnancy arc. By deciding to keep the baby, she abandons the “safe” path she has clung to since childhood. The chapter also deepens the connection to Beau’s family: Joanna’s scene humanises grief and shows how loss can liberate instead of paralyse. It sets up the final half of the novel, where Tucker will learn about the pregnancy and Sabrina must navigate a future she never planned.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does Sabrina initially think Joanna’s decision to quit Broadway is foolish, and what changes her mind?
Sabrina views Joanna’s move as reckless because Sabrina herself is terrified of giving up her planned career. Meeting Joanna and hearing that Beau would have supported her prompts Sabrina to see risk‑taking as brave rather than stupid.
What does Professor Gibson’s response reveal about Sabrina’s fears?
Sabrina is afraid that having a child will ruin her chances of being a top Harvard Law graduate. Professor Gibson’s honest admission that Sabrina might not achieve summa cum laude or Law Review acknowledges that fear while still affirming that Sabrina can succeed.
How does the memory of Beau influence Sabrina’s final decision?
Sabrina cannot shake the image of Beau’s casket, and Joanna’s confession that Beau valued happiness over a pro career reminds Sabrina that life is short. She realises she has been avoiding the abortion because she wants the baby – a decision that aligns with Beau’s philosophy of choosing personal fulfilment.