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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
When one of Elizabeth’s viewers asks for a diet tip on her show, Elizabeth recommends rowing as an exercise option. This advice leads to an unexpected surge of women at the boathouse, all eager to follow her suggestion.
Elizabeth’s recommendation of rowing as a form of exercise demonstrates her influence as a public figure: her words have the power to motivate a significant behavioral change among her viewers.
Themes
Meanwhile, protesters opposing Elizabeth’s openly declared atheism gather outside KCTV. Elizabeth remains unbothered, but Walter is deeply concerned, especially since Elizabeth has been receiving numerous death threats. Six-Thirty is also anxious and becomes particularly wary of a person in the television audience who doesn’t applaud. He sneaks into the studio, bypassing security. Inside, Elizabeth introduces Six-Thirty as her dog. The security guard who talked with Harriet and Madeline tells her that he already knows the dog because it came with them when they visited the studio. Elizabeth immediately gets angry because she never gave Madeline permission to come to the studio.
The protesters outside KCTV reflect the contentious nature of Elizabeth’s statement on atheism. Walter’s concern over Elizabeth’s safety contrasts with her composed demeanor, illustrating the courage she maintains in the face of adversity. The only thing that bothers Elizabeth is when she learns that Madeline has been to the studio to see her in action. Suddenly, the religious protests surrounding Elizabeth feel more real because she knows her daughter has become involved in her professional life.
Themes
To appease Elizabeth, Walter lies and says that Madeline’s visit was due to a homework assignment, “Watch Your Parent at Work Day.” During this conversation, Walter inadvertently agrees to let Six-Thirty appear on the show, where the dog quickly becomes a favorite among the audience. However, Six-Thirty remains vigilant, particularly focused on the suspicious non-clapper.
Walter’s fabrication of “Watch Your Parent at Work Day” underscores his protective instinct toward both Elizabeth and Madeline. He does not want to throw Harriet under the bus, and he secretly thinks that it was good that Madeline got to see her mother in action, even if he does not say so.
Themes
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Six-Thirty spots the non-clapper once he is off-stage and decides to investigate. There, he detects the smell of nitroglycerin in her handbag. He cleverly moves the bag closer to a security guard. Upon inspection, the guard finds dynamite sticks and flyers inside, labeling Elizabeth a “godless Communist.” He promptly alerts the police. Further investigation confirms that this woman was responsible for all the death threats against Elizabeth.
Here, Six-Thirty shows that he would have been a great bomb-sniffing dog, if only the people training him had shown him love the way Elizabeth has. Evidently, the woman with the bomb was a religious extremist who believes Elizabeth represents a threat to the woman’s values. Although Elizabeth never says anything about communism, the woman calls her a “godless Communist,” conveying the American public’s prejudice against communism and the threat to the so-called American way of life it supposedly posed.
Themes
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