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Chapter 5: Family Values
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
Although Calvin and Elizabeth are happy together, it seems that everyone at Hastings is rooting for their relationship to fail. They gossip nonstop about them, and the gossip is neither fair nor truthful. The worst gossip of all is a woman named Miss Frask, who works as a secretary in Personnel. Her job grants her access to lots of information about everyone, and she enjoys spreading gossip whenever she can.
Miss Frask epitomizes the role of the office gossip, exploiting her access to personal information so she can insert herself into the lives of others and sow discord. Notably, Elizabeth has yet to interact with Miss Frask, so Miss Frask has no reason to dislike her. This also means Frask does not know anything about Elizabeth’s life.
Themes
However, Elizabeth and Calvin have more pressing concerns other than what their peers think about them. For one, they decide to move in together. Elizabeth knows she cannot afford to pay the same amount of rent as Calvin, so she offers to cook for him five times a week in addition to what she can afford to pay. Calvin accepts the deal, knowing it is the only way he can get Elizabeth to come live with him.
The decision to move in together marks a significant step in Calvin and Elizabeth’s relationship. Elizabeth's offer to cook to make up for what she can’t contribute to rent illustrates her desire to maintain an equitable partnership.
Themes
Calvin also tries to get Elizabeth to come work with him in his lab, but she refuses. She does not want others to get the impression that she is only with Calvin to advance her career. Additionally, she does not want Calvin to get credit for her accomplishments. Calvin recently received his third Nobel Prize nomination, and Elizabeth knows she will always be in his shadow if she associates too closely with him.
Elizabeth's refusal to work in Calvin's lab underscores her desire to be valued for her own merits. Her concern about being overshadowed by Calvin, speaks to a broader societal trend where women's achievements can be overshadowed by their more prominent male partners.
Themes
Elizabeth and Calvin also discuss the topic of marriage, which Elizabeth is against. Calvin respects Elizabeth’s position, but he secretly hopes she will change her mind. He even buys a ring, which he carries around in his pocket, waiting for the right moment. One day, while sitting in the cafeteria at Hastings, Elizabeth tells Calvin that she will be attending a wedding because someone asked her to be a bridesmaid. Seeing a good opportunity, Calvin pulls out the ring he bought and proposes to Elizabeth. Nearby, their colleagues observe the scene, waiting to see how it plays out.
The conversation about marriage between Elizabeth and Calvin introduces the theme of personal values versus societal expectations. Elizabeth's opposition to marriage is indicative of her desire to maintain her professional identity and autonomy. Meanwhile, Calvin's secret hope and the act of carrying a ring shows a traditional romantic idealism that is in tension with Elizabeth's modern independence.
Themes
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Elizabeth immediately rejects Calvin. She tells him that she does not want to become “Mrs. Calvin Evans” because of what it will do to her career. Calvin says he does not care if she changes her last name to match his. However, for Elizabeth, that is not the point. She feels like people will view her as “Mrs. Calvin Evans” even if she retains her own last name. Elizabeth’s rejection hurts Calvin and puts him in a bad mood.
The public proposal in the cafeteria is a critical moment where private desires clash with public spectacle. Elizabeth's rejection is not just about refusing Calvin; it's a statement against being sucked into the identity of "Mrs. Calvin Evans," which she fears would diminish her personal agency and sense of self.
Themes
Calvin asks Elizabeth if she will reconsider. He wants to start a family and thinks of marriage as the first step. This suggestion is even more appalling to Elizabeth, who was under the impression that Calvin had no interest in kids. Calvin tells Elizabeth that he wasn’t thinking of kids—rather, he wants the two of them to get a dog. Relieved, Elizabeth kisses Calvin and says she would be happy to get a dog with him, though she still does not agree to marry him. Nearby, their Hastings colleagues are annoyed that things ended up going well.
When Calvin reveals that he was not referring to children but rather getting a dog together, it alleviates Elizabeth’s concerns and allows for them to compromise on their future together. However, whether the suggestion was actually Calvin’s plan from the start—as opposed to suggesting they have children together—is unclear.
Themes
