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Chapter 9
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Atmosphere, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Love, Relationships, and Meaning
Courage and Identity
Sexism and Misogyny
Heteronormativity and Family
Summary
Analysis
In August of 1981, on a Monday, there’s a meeting for all of the astronaut candidates. At that meeting, Antonio announces that all of the 18 astronaut candidates have passed the training and are now astronauts. One of the first things that Joan does is call Barbara and Frances to tell them the news. On the phone, Frances says that she is proud of Joan. Later that night, the new astronauts go out to a bar. At the bar, Hank and Donna announce that they’re engaged. Toward the end of the night, Lydia is drunk. She tries to compliment Vanessa and Joan and say that she has things to learn from both of them, but she speaks clumsily and ends up insulting Vanessa and Joan.
This passage shows Joan achieving one of her primary goals of becoming an astronaut. Notably, one of the first things that Joan does after achieving that goal is call Barbara, showing that while the two frequently have differences and conflicts, they remain close. This passage also shows the closeness of the astronauts. For example, Hank and Donna met as astronaut candidates and now announce to their fellow astronauts that they are engaged, reflecting how working together led to personal as well as professional bonds among the astronauts.
Active
Themes
Vanessa then gives Joan a ride home. When they get to Joan’s apartment, Vanessa asks if they can talk inside. Inside, Vanessa tries to tell Joan that she feels an urgency to do some things in her life, like be in a relationship. She asks Joan to tell her if she (Vanessa) should be waiting for Joan or not. Joan feels her heart rate go up. Vanessa meets Joan's eyes and then pulls Joan close to her and kisses her. Joan kisses Vanessa back. In that moment, Joan feels like she has everything she’s ever wanted in life and realizes that for her whole life, there has been an “unmarked door” waiting for her.
Joan’s spiking heart rate in this passage underlines the fear she feels about facing and embracing her identity as a lesbian woman. Notably, though, Joan doesn’t let that fear control her actions. Instead, the novel suggests that she summons the courage to do something she is afraid to do when she kisses Vanessa. Notably, this scene occurs just after Joan has been named an astronaut, underlining how the novel pairs the courage Joan needs to become an astronaut with the courage she needs in order to embrace her identity.
Active
Themes
About a week later, Joan and Vanessa decide to take a trip together to the coast of Texas. They drive down separately to avoid attracting attention. At the hotel, they have sex. As they’re getting ready to go to dinner, Vanessa asks Joan if she’s nervous, and Joan says yes. Vanessa, though, says she’s excited, not nervous, and she can’t wait to know everything there is to know about Joan. The two then go to dinner, where they talk about their shared passion for space and space exploration.
Active
Themes
On the drive back to the hotel, Joan and Vanessa pull over on the side of the road and have sex again. When they’re back at the hotel, they stay up until 3:00 a.m. Vanessa then notices that Joan is breaking out in hives and asks Joan what is wrong. Joan says it’s only happened once before, when she went to Disney World and got to meet several Disney characters on her own. She was so happy that she broke out in hives, Joan explains. And Joan feels the same way now. Vanessa says that’s one of the most romantic things she’s ever heard.
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