''Contract With the World'' is a 1980 novel written by Canadian author

Jane Rule Jane Vance Rule (28 March 1931 – 27 November 2007) was a Canadian writer of lesbian-themed works. Her first novel, ''Desert of the Heart'', appeared in 1964, when gay activity was still a criminal offence. It turned Rule into a reluctant m ...

. The story takes place in

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

, in the mid-1970s, and is divided in six parts, each focusing on the perspective of a different character. Themes of artistic motivation, personal fulfilment, and sexual politics are present throughout.

Characters

The six primary characters to which each a chapter is devoted are: Joseph (walker), Mike (sculptor), Alma (story writer), Roxanne (recording artist), Allen (photographer/"mourner"), and Carlotta (a painter) 1980 Canadian novels Novels by Jane Rule Novels set in Vancouver Novels about artists Novels about writers Novels set in the 1970s {{Canada-novel-stub