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Chapter 13: Idiots
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
Six-Thirty visits Calvin’s gravesite and studies the inscription on his tombstone. Elizabeth has been teaching Six-Thirty English to disprove Calvin’s belief that dogs can only learn a set number of words. Already knowledgeable in over 100 words, Six-Thirty continues to learn under Elizabeth's guidance. Additionally, Six-Thirty has developed a unique way of silently communicating with Elizabeth's unborn child, whom he talks to about Calvin’s death.
Six-Thirty is an outlier in the novel because his presence places the novel in the territory of magical realism. Although Garmus explains his ability to communicate through Elizabeth’s lessons, Six-Thirty’s cognitive capabilities far surpass those of a dog. In this section and elsewhere, Six-Thirty thinks through complex problems and emotions.
Themes
Three months after Calvin's death, Elizabeth transforms her kitchen into a laboratory. Luckily, Calvin included her on the deed for his apartment, so she was able to keep it after he died. Elizabeth did not know Calvin had done this for her until he had passed away. Since Elizabeth’s dismissal from Hastings, her former colleagues often stop by the apartment to ask her questions about their work, especially Dr. Boryweitz. At first, Elizabeth provides help for free, but eventually she starts charging them so she can continue to afford the apartment.
The transformation of the kitchen into a lab suggests that Elizabeth wants her domestic space to be a workspace. Indeed, her house becomes her new workstation since she is no longer working at Hastings. Evidently, Elizabeth is missed at Hastings because her former colleagues—who showed her little to no appreciation previously—suddenly want her input on their work.
Themes
During one of his trips to the cemetery, Six-Thirty speaks to Calvin’s gravestone. Six-Thirty conveys updates about Elizabeth’s new lab, her ongoing efforts to teach him words, and her persistence in her scientific pursuits. He also tells Calvin that he hopes Elizabeth’s child will bring her happiness, which she desperately needs.
Again, Six-Thirty relays complex ideas and feelings that far surpass the cognitive functioning of dogs. Although he hopes that Elizabeth’s child will bring her happiness, the attitudes Elizabeth expressed earlier in the narrative suggests that the opposite could be more likely.
Themes
As Six-Thirty speaks to Calvin, the cemetery groundskeeper attempts to shoot him. Six-Thirty deftly evades the man and accidentally causes him to fall and injure his head. Recalling Calvin's accident, Six-Thirty acts swiftly to stop the bleeding from the groundskeeper’s wound, barking to attract attention until help arrives. This incident catches the attention of the same reporter who wrote about Calvin, leading to a story about a loyal dog who both mourned his owner and saved a life. As a result, the groundskeeper loses his job, and the ban on dogs at the cemetery gets revoked.
Although a pariah at Hastings, here Six-Thirty becomes a valued and adored member of the community. As with the initial article about Calvin, this article discussing Six-Thirty heroic deeds draws attention to the power the media plays in day to day life. As the novel progresses, the power and influence of the media only grows.
Themes
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