Chapter summaries Lessons in Chemistry Bonnie Garmus

Chapter 28: Saints – Summary & Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Notice

This page contains detailed plot and character revelations from Chapter 28 of Lessons in Chemistry. If you have not read the chapter, proceed with caution.

Summary

Madeline visits the library to find an address for a boys' home in Iowa, where her father grew up. The librarian helps her, but the home is not listed. A minister, Reverend Wakely, suggests the name might reference a saint. Madeline explains her family tree project, revealing her mother’s father is in jail, her grandmother is in Brazil, and her uncle is dead. She says she can miss people she never knew. Wakely offers to call the home on her behalf, claiming it as church business. When Madeline gives him her father’s name—Calvin Evans—Wakely is stunned. He recalls meeting Evans years earlier at Harvard, where the scientist dismissed religion during a panel. They became pen pals, but the correspondence ended after Wakely asked about Evans’s father. Wakely later officiated Evans’s funeral. Madeline shows him a newspaper photo of the funeral, identifying herself as inside her mother, Elizabeth, and her father in the casket. Wakely is deeply moved. The chapter ends with Madeline whispering a secret in his ear; he reciprocates, and she reassures him.

Key Events

  • Madeline searches for the All Saints Boys Home in Iowa during a library visit.
  • Reverend Wakely identifies himself and begins a conversation with Madeline.
  • Madeline reveals her family background, including the death of her father and the imprisonment of her grandfather.
  • Wakely explains the difference between privacy and secrets.
  • Madeline gives Wakely the name Calvin Evans, and Wakely realizes who he is.
  • Wakely recalls his Harvard days, auditing a chemistry course, and his debate with Evans over religion.
  • Wakely remembers their pen-pal relationship and its abrupt end.
  • Madeline shares the newspaper clipping of her father’s funeral, explaining it’s their only family photo.
  • Wakely and Madeline each whisper a secret to the other.

Character Development

  • Madeline Zott: Shows determination and emotional maturity as she investigates her father’s past. She articulates complex ideas about family, longing, and privacy. Her willingness to trust Wakely indicates growth in navigating adult relationships.
  • Reverend Wakely: Revealed to have a personal history with Calvin Evans. His inner conflict between faith and scientific doubt deepens. He grapples with the ethical compromises of his profession and the weight of his past failed friendship.
  • Elizabeth Zott: Appears only in the photograph, but her presence looms as the grieving mother. Madeline’s need to “watch” her hints at ongoing emotional strain.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

  • Family vs. Biology: Madeline questions the value of a family tree built on names rather than meaningful connections. The reverend agrees that “people aren’t part of the plant kingdom.” The chapter argues that family is defined by care, not lineage.
  • Secrecy and Privacy: Wakely distinguishes between secrets (shameful) and private information (protective). Both characters hold secrets, and the mutual whisper exchange symbolizes trust.
  • Faith and Evidence: Wakely’s crisis of faith stems from science’s demand for evidence—a direct parallel to Calvin Evans’s panel comment that religion is an “ineffective collision.” The chapter continues the book’s tension between rational proof and belief.
  • Saints as Caregivers: The title “Saints” refers to both the boys’ home and Wakely’s earlier remark that people who care for others’ children are saints. The irony is that the reverend knows such homes are often abusive, undercutting the ideal.

Why This Chapter Matters

Chapter 28 provides essential backstory for Calvin Evans through Wakely’s memories, filling gaps in the reader’s understanding of his character and his relationship with Elizabeth. It also marks the first time Madeline actively seeks her father’s history, setting up her later discoveries. Wakely becomes a new ally in Madeline’s life, and his own arc as a doubting minister adds a fresh perspective on the novel’s religious and scientific themes.

Study Questions & Answers

  1. Why does Wakely initially lie to Madeline about family trees being fun?
    Wakely admits he was lying to make her feel better. He later says that family trees are not an intelligent way to understand roots because ancestry doesn’t define a person. This reflects his own struggle with professional dishonesty and his belief that individuals are shaped by choices, not lineage.

  2. What does the newspaper clipping reveal about the Zott family, and why is it significant?
    The clipping shows the funeral of Calvin Evans, with Elizabeth and Six-Thirty in the frame and Madeline unborn inside Elizabeth. It is the only photograph of all four family members. This visual reinforces Madeline’s sense of loss and the unconventional nature of her family.

  3. Describe the secret exchange between Madeline and Wakely. What might it signify?
    Madeline whispers something “vigorously” in Wakely’s ear, and he returns her confidence. The content is left unknown, but Madeline reassures him with “That’s not so bad.” The act symbolizes mutual trust and the beginning of a meaningful bond between two characters who both struggle with isolation and grief.

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