Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Reckoning, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Guilt and Legacy
Morality, Survival, and Perspective
Sexuality and Shame
Body Image and Publicity
Indifference vs. Feeling
Summary
Analysis
Not long after recording her father, Magda begins filming the sequel to Babe, Babe: Pig in the City. Meanwhile, Magda, Gina, and Jane Turner (as characters Kath, Kim, and Sharon) start a new show, Something Stupid, which airs some of Magda’s favorite sketches—parodies of odd architectural trends and of uninformative news anchormen.
After the interlude of a few chapters on Magda’s relationship to her sexuality and her father’s past, this chapter landmarks this personal history with what is happening in Magda’s public life—the life that she is most known for.
Themes
While filming Babe: Pig in the City, Magda falls in love with the animals on set, particularly Mitra, an orangutan who throws his arm over her shoulders and meets her gaze with non-judgmental eyes. Sure that animals have souls, Magda gets a beagle and names her Jane Austen. When the dog wanders off a cliff and breaks her leg, Peter nurses her while Magda works.
That Peter cares for Magda’s dog suggests that Magda and Peter have gotten closer. Recently, both have made efforts to let down the walls that have stood between them: Magda told Peter about her sexuality, and Peter told Magda the story of his past.
Themes
From a dog expert, Magda learns that a dog’s misbehaviors can say a lot about their owner. Thinking that dogs might be the key to understanding human nature, Magda starts the show Dogwoman. When Dogwoman is not popular, Magda’s confidence suffers; however, at the debut party, she meets Kristen, whom she dates for eight years. When Magda’s dog misbehaves, Peter advises Magda to put the dog down. Magda is baffled that Peter could love something yet be ready to kill it.
This scene shows that while, publicly it seemed that Magda was not finding success, in her personal life she is reaching new heights with a committed relationship. In this way, publicity can belie one’s personal life. On the other hand, despite development in Magda’s personal life, her bafflement over her father’s character remains unchanged.
Themes
