Chapter 20: Life Story

Summary

• Mad, almost four years old, is physically big and intellectually advanced for her age, but like her parents, she has few friends.
• Mad's mother, Elizabeth, worries that both she and Mad's father, Calvin, carried genes that led to their daughter's antisocial behavior.
• Harriet had long stated that Mad needed to socialize with other kids. Despite Mad's advanced cognitive skills, she wasn't adept in normal childhood activities, like playing with dolls or making mud pies.
• Elizabeth enrolled Mad in kindergarten, altering her birth certificate to bypass age restrictions because they could not afford not to.
• The character Six-Thirty is concerned about Mad going to school as this affects his job and ability to protect her.
• Elizabeth had previously taken out a reverse mortgage on the family home because they were in financial trouble; Mad's enrollment in school was part of an effort to address their situation.
• Elizabeth visits her previous workplace, a research institution named Hastings, to find a job, despite feeling physically repulsed and anxious.
• Mad shows Elizabeth a chalk drawing that she refers to as her "life story," which includes some foreboding elements like a "pit of death" and "tears."
• Mad perceives her mother's sadness and seems to have a strong understanding of the emotions of the adults around her.
• Harriet is discomforted by the idea of Mad going to school as it will take away her purpose, and she criticizes Elizabeth's decision to possibly pursue a job at Hastings.
• Dr. Donatti of Hastings, who is dismissive of his scientific work, feels compelled to rehire Elizabeth to satisfy an investor's demands regarding a project associated with her late husband's research.
• Harriet openly disagrees with Elizabeth about taking a job at Hastings, but Elizabeth believes her return might be different this time, while Six-Thirty has doubts.