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Chapter 12: Calvin’s Parting Gift
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Lessons in Chemistry, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Gender Inequality
Science vs. Religion
Overcoming Tragedy and Trauma
Family
Summary
Analysis
Calvin’s passing and the publication of the disparaging article create a dilemma for Hastings because their chief donors threaten to pull funding, including the man who was funding the abiogenesis research. Now that Calvin is gone, Elizabeth is the only person who stands out as exceptionally talented at Hastings. Yet, due to her gender, Donatti is reluctant to grant her significant authority or opportunities. Additionally, he tells the abiogenesis donor that “Mr. Zott” is their chief researcher on the subject.
Even though he was compensated poorly, Calvin was the only person holding up the Hastings Institute. Although Elizabeth is also talented, without Calvin in the picture, her opportunities are limited, and Donatti knows he cannot use her as the face of the institution, nor would he. He assumes his investors would pull their funds if they discovered “Mr. Zott” was actually “Mrs. Zott.”
Themes
The situation becomes more complex when Elizabeth's pregnancy becomes public knowledge, thanks to Miss Frask, who gossips to everyone about what she has learned. Donatti worries that his investor will pull funding if he finds out Elizabeth is a woman. As such, even though Donatti does not have anyone else to work on abiogenesis, he fires Elizabeth. When Elizabeth contests her dismissal on the grounds of her pregnancy, she learns that Calvin's influence was the sole reason she had been allowed to pursue her abiogenesis research at all.
Donatti’s decision to fire Elizabeth comes from a mixture of his professional and personal concerns. He has been wanting to get rid of Elizabeth for a long time, but he has not found the proper grounds for termination. Because there were no laws in place to protect pregnant women against workplace discrimination in the 1960s, Donatti sees it as the perfect opportunity to get rid of Elizabeth.
Themes
