Chapter 1: November 1961

Summary

• The chapter is set in November 1961 when societal norms for women were conservative, the sixties movement was not yet recognized, and the climate was one of post-war optimism mixed with covert conflicts.
• The 30-year-old mother of Madeline Zott, Elizabeth, felt her life was stagnant and over, yet she continued her daily routine, including preparing her daughter's lunch for school.
• Elizabeth Zott included notes in Madeline's lunch box with messages encouraging independence, competitiveness, and a critical view of people's nature.
• Madeline Zott, at age five, was an exceptional child, able to read advanced literature and understand complex concepts, but struggled with simpler tasks like tying shoes and playing tic-tac-toe.
• Early educational prowess, like Madeline's, wasn't celebrated, as it only indicated proficiency in skills others would also eventually acquire; this made Madeline more irritating than special to peers.
• Madeline recognized the disadvantages of not fitting in, influenced by her mother's struggles with social acceptance; thus, she kept her abilities private and acted like an average child at school.
• Every morning, Madeline concealed the notes her mother put in her lunchbox, maintaining the appearance of being illiterate and an average child.
• The chapter describes the ritual of Elizabeth Zott's careful and affectionate send-off for her daughter before she leaves for her job at a television studio.
• Elizabeth Zott, despite her personal feelings of despair, was the successful star of a television show titled "Supper at Six," which somewhat contrasted her own view of her life.