It is seldom that you read a book that makes you laugh in almost every chapter, making you forget the darkness that often engulfs you when you are feeling blue. Lessons in Chemisty by debutant author Bonnie Garmus is one such book. I picked up this book coincidentally on a flight en route Goa last month, and I was hooked, so much so that my brother, the original owner of the book, left the book with me so that I could finish it. Could anyone ask for a more benevolent brother? I think not.
Elizabeth’s catchphrase is, “Children, set the table. Your mother needs a moment to herself. ” (Photograph by Hardeep Singh)
Set in the 1950s and early 1960s, Lessons in Chemistry narrates the tale of Elizabeth Zott, a chemist who has to fight against sexism at every step of her career. At the Hastings Research Lab at Commons, Massachusetts, she has to fight tooth and nail in order to do her work, even resorting to stealing beakers for that purpose. While doing so, she runs into Calvin Evans, the star of the lab, who is not just a famous chemist, but a seasoned rower. Over a series of encounters between the two, Calvin is smitten by Elizabeth. She too develops feelings for him, and they eventually move in together. However, Elizabeth has no plans on getting married or having children. Being a scientist is all that she thinks about.
Calvin and Elizabeth live together and aid each other’s work, even utilising their lovemaking sessions for taking notes on their work. They even take in a dog called Six-Thirty who plays a pivotal role throughout this tale, talking to the readers through his inner monologues. In Calvin’s company, Elizabeth too dabbles into rowing, and is praised by their coach Dr. Mason who is a gynaecologist by profession. Calvin even fights to secure funding for Elizabeth’s research on abiogenesis, of course without letting her know. However, Calvin loses his life in a fatal accident. Grief-stricken, Elizabeth discovers that she is pregnant with Calvin’s child, and is terminated from her services from Hastings because she’s bearing an illegitimate child (can you believe this?!)
Pregnant and jobless, Elizabeth isn’t someone to give up. She turns her kitchen into a laboratory and makes an income by charging her former colleagues for solving their problems. She eventually gives birth to a girl, whom she mistakenly names ‘Mad’ (lol!) Six-Thirty then helps her find a name that might make more sense. Thus, Madeline Zott is christened. Mad is as unusual a child as is her mother. At just 4 years old, she is able to read properly. She also asks inappropriate questions in class, angering her teacher Mrs. Mudford, who summons her mother often to address these problems. One day, Elizabeth discovers that Mad’s classmate Amanda eats her lunch at school, which infuriates her so much that she storms into her father Walter Pine’s office and lectures him about the importance of nutrition. Walter, who works at a channel KCTV, is so blown away by Elizabeth’s personality, that he casts her in a cooking show! Elizabeth, who goes back to Hastings and has her research stolen by her boss Dr. Donatti, quits the lab and takes in Walter’s offer. Thus, ‘Supper at Six’ is born.
Supper at Six isn’t your regular cooking show though. Here, salt is called Sodium Chloride and every preparation has chemistry laced with it. Elizabeth defies her producer and goes on to say and do whatever she feels like, sometimes leading to controversies. In one episode, for instance, someone from the audience asks her what prayer does she say before partaking food. To this, she answers that she doesn’t say any prayer as she’s an atheist. This leads to a furore so intense that she starts getting death threats. However, she becomes a television sensation, with her show being syndicated into several parts of the country. In spite of all this fame, she realises that she wants to get back into research, and after two years, Supper at Six airs its final episode. After this, she anticipates getting offers from various research labs, but gets none. On the contrary, she gets a call to join Hastings again, an offer that she isn’t keen on accepting. On reaching Hastings, she realises that its been taken over by the Parker Foundation, and that Dr. Donatti has been sacked. She can now continue her research in peace. Thus, the story comes to an end.
The most striking feature of this story is how it evokes a range of emotions in the readers. From laughter and joy, to grief and regret, the story travels through all these emotions. Elizabeth’s attitude to every situation is quite noteworthy. She always manages to find a way to move forward. And she’s extremely courageous. It is these characteristics that endear her to the readers. In challenging the status quo at every step of the way, Elizabeth encourages women to be bold enough to challenge the dominance of their male counterparts. My favourite lines from the book are the words that she says to the audience during the last episode of Supper at Six:
“Whenever you start doubting yourself, whenever you feel afraid, just remember. Courage is the root of change—and change is what we are chemically designed to do. So when you wake up tomorrow, make this pledge. No more holding yourself back. No more subscribing to others’ opinion of what you can and cannot achieve. And no more allowing anyone to pigeonhole you into useless categories of sex, race, economic status, and religion. Do not allow your talents to lie dormant, ladies. Design your own future. When you go home today, ask yourself what you will change. And then get started.”
At a time when words like ‘feminism’ weren’t all that popular, Elizabeth represents an intelligent and strong-headed woman, who inspires millions of homemakers through her cooking show. She is the embodiment of perseverance, hope and courage. All of us can surely learn a lot from her iron will and determination.
Starry Solace 