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Elizabeth’s Pencil
The Supper at Six set represents the broader societal changes of the 1960s and the personal evolution of Elizabeth Zott. The set is a televised stage where Elizabeth breaks the era’s gender norms by merging the domestic sphere with science, as she replaces the kitschy 1960s décor of the set with scientific lab equipment. The kitchen, traditionally a space for woman, becomes a laboratory where Elizabeth conducts culinary experiments that serve as accessible cooking and science lessons for her majority-female audience.
In a broader sense, the set signifies transformation. For Elizabeth, it represents a compromise—a step down from her career as a chemist—but also becomes a platform to speak her mind. Over time, Elizabeth grows disillusioned with her role on Supper at Six and decides to quit to return to science, a goal she eventually achieves. Throughout the course of the novel, Elizabeth becomes a scientist, then a TV persona who functions as a cook, activist, and educator all in one, before becoming a scientist again. The Supper at Six set is the site and catalyst that allows this transformation to take place.
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The Supper at Six Set Symbol Timeline in Lessons in Chemistry
The timeline below shows where the symbol The Supper at Six Set appears in Lessons in Chemistry. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 24: The Afternoon Depression Zone
...wearing a lab coat instead. She also inquires about the lab equipment she requested for the kitchen set , but Walter falsely claims it’s not ready.
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In reality, the set , designed like a tacky kitchen and lacking the requested equipment, is complete, but Walter...
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Chapter 25: The Average Jane
...a plain dress with a pencil in her hair and holding test tubes. Disgusted by the set , she openly criticizes it on air and walks off to talk to Walter, leading...
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Chapter 26: The Funeral
...the broadcast, Walter is completely worn out. Despite his exhaustion, Elizabeth keeps insisting on changing the kitchen set . She also ignores the cue cards, weaving scientific facts into her cooking segments instead....
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Contrary to Walter's expectations, Elizabeth starts her show by decluttering the kitchen set , handing out most of the items to the audience. While preparing a spinach casserole,...
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Chapter 32: Medium Rare
Harriet decides to sneak Madeline out of school to see Elizabeth live on the Supper at Six set . They plan to enter discreetly through the emergency exit and sit in the back...
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