55 pages • 1 hour read
Jodi Lynn AndersonMidnight at the Electric
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 2017A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Part 7Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Part 7: “Adri: Part 3”
Part 7, Chapter 11 Summary
Lily and Adri talk after Adri finishes reading the letters aloud. Both hope that Ellis went after Catherine. Lily is happy to hear about her mother but is sad that she is not related to the Godspeeds, meaning she will be the last in the family left on Earth when Adri leaves. Adri then says she knows what she wants to ask from Lamont—for Lamont to fund returning Galapagos to the wild. He agrees.
Adri and Lily travel with Galapagos to an island. Lily is nervous; she worries Galapagos will get sick, and she does not like the flight. The island is pristine, and Trevor, a scientist, explains that the island and the tortoises are protected. The scientists there have experience rewilding domestic tortoises, and they will be helping Galapagos with the transition.
They land and release Galapagos. Although they can’t stay long because the female tortoises are laying eggs, Lily is given time to say goodbye. On the flight back, Adri asks what Lily told Galapagos. Lily talked about freedom and pain, and she told Galapagos she loved her. They watch the island from the plane window, and Adri imagines the tortoise doing well in the wild.
During the car ride back home, Lily and Adri say they both need to know each other will be okay. Lily cooks spaghetti, and they watch television together; it’s their last night together. Before going to bed, Adri reads over the letters and falls asleep visualizing happy events, including Lily finding and drinking from the Holy Grail.
Part 7, Chapter 12 Summary
Lily and Adri do not speak on the hour long drive to the launch site. Adri is greeted by journalists, and she is taken away to get suited up. She starts worrying that something bad might happen, and she comforts Saba when she notices Saba shaking.
Adri rejoins Lily, who is waiting with the other family members. Lily tells Adri to enjoy herself, and Adri gives Lily a letter. Adri holds onto Lily’s hand as long as she can before having to board the shuttle. Later, Adri looks out the shuttle window, watching Earth shrink into the distance and thinking about her future on Mars.
Part 7, Chapter 13 Summary
Lily returns home to her quiet house. At first, she tries to put off reading Adri’s letter, but she gives in and opens it in bed.
Adri says people write because they don’t want to “disappear,” and she lists off five hopes: that Lenore is in heaven, that Ellis followed Catherine, that Lily is safe and happy, everyone is safe and happy, and that the humans on Mars restart and do things right. She tells Lily she loves her and writes that she is leaving her favorite letter from Lenore with her.
The letter is from June 24, 1920. In it, Lenore writes that she and Beth have not lost each other. She has been thinking of how innocent babies are, and she talks about the night she was with James—“It’s shocking, isn’t it, that a kiss could have led to something so big and violent and full of light as a human being?” (256).
Part 7 Analysis
The final part of Midnight at the Electric serves to bring closure to the intertwined stories of Adri, Lily, and Galapagos while simultaneously opening up new questions about their futures and the future of the world. The open-ended conclusion leaves the fate of each character uncertain, emphasizing the ongoing nature of their journeys and the larger themes explored throughout the novel.
The Interconnectedness of Human Experiences Across Time is highlighted in these chapters as Adri reads the final letters aloud to Lily, tying their personal stories to the broader historical narrative of Catherine and Lenore. This connection across generations reinforces the idea that personal histories are not isolated but are part of a larger tapestry of human experience. Adri’s decision to release Galapagos back into the wild, funded by Lamont, symbolizes a return to natural order and continuity, reflecting the enduring impact of past actions on the present and the future. The narrative structure, with its focus on letters and personal reflections, serves to bridge the temporal gaps, allowing the characters to find meaning in their connections to those who came before them.
Resilience in the Face of Adversity is a recurring theme that reaches its culmination in these chapters. Adri and Lily’s journey to release Galapagos is a testament to their resilience and determination to find closure and peace. Despite the challenges they face—Lily’s nervousness about the journey, the emotional strain of saying goodbye, and Adri’s impending departure for Mars—they persist. The act of releasing Galapagos is both a literal and metaphorical letting go, symbolizing their ability to overcome their fears and uncertainties. Adri’s calmness in the face of her space mission, despite her internal worries, further emphasizes her resilient nature.
The Quest for Belonging and Acceptance is explored through Adri and Lily’s evolving relationship. As they prepare for Adri’s departure, their bond deepens, reflecting their mutual need for reassurance and connection. The dinner they share, their last night together, and Adri’s comforting presence for Saba before the launch all demonstrate the importance of human connection. Adri’s letter to Lily, expressing her hopes and affirmations of love, encapsulates her desire for a lasting connection and acceptance, both for herself and for Lily. This quest for belonging is a thread that ties their stories to those of Catherine and Lenore, who also sought connection and understanding in their lives as depicted through the writings they left behind.
Environmental Destruction for the Sake of Progress is subtly addressed through the storyline of Galapagos. The decision to return the tortoise to its natural habitat contrasts sharply with the human endeavor to colonize Mars, raising questions about humanity’s relationship with nature. While the rewilding of Galapagos represents a restorative act, the Mars mission symbolizes human ambition and the pursuit of progress, often at the expense of the environment. This dichotomy invites readers to reflect on the impact of human actions on the natural world and the ethical considerations of technological advancement.
The open-ended conclusions of these chapters are significant as they leave the characters’ futures uncertain, allowing readers to imagine possible outcomes. Adri’s vision of Lily finding the Holy Grail and drinking from it, ensuring eternal life, serves as a metaphor for hope and the enduring human spirit. This vision encapsulates the essence of the novel’s themes, suggesting that while the future is unknown, the connections and resilience of the characters will continue to shape their destinies. The fates of Galapagos, Adri’s life on Mars, Lily’s life on Earth, and Catherine, Beezie, and Beth remain unresolved, emphasizing the continuous and unpredictable nature of life.
