Lessons in Chemistry: Chapter 32: Medium Rare Summary & Analysis

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 row unnoticed. However, when they arrive, they find a massive crowd already gathered, hoping to get into the show. A security guard informs them that the audience has been pre-selected: they can’t enter, as people have been waiting since the early hours of the morning. Cleverly, Madeline asks the security guard to write his name in her notebook, under the pretense of telling her mother about his challenging job. When the security guard sees Madeline’s last name in the notebook, he immediately realizes who she is and takes her and Harriet inside.

Once inside, Walter’s secretary offers Harriet and Madeline front-row seats, which they accept after ensuring that the bright lights will prevent Elizabeth from seeing them. Madeline watches her mother with pride but also feels a twinge of jealousy, realizing she has to share her mother with the show’s vast audience.

Walter, concerned, meets with Harriet and Madeline, questioning why Madeline isn’t in school. He warns that Elizabeth might be upset if she finds out Madeline is there, explaining that Elizabeth’s intention is to shield her daughter from the invasive nature of fame. Madeline, curious, asks Walter about Elizabeth’s popularity, to which Walter responds that  Elizabeth is popular because of her exceptional cooking and her rare honesty.

After speaking with Walter, Harriet and Madeline return to the audience to watch Elizabeth. In a bold move at the end of the show, Elizabeth, in response to an audience question, declares herself an atheist. This revelation leads to a flurry of phone calls to Walter as the episode wraps up. Unlike the previous phone calls Walter received about the show, many people are unhappy with what Elizabeth had to say.