Impurity, infatuation, reaction: Sketching The Periodic Table 'Zinc', by Primo Levi.

Primo and his classmate Rita conducting a zinc experiment.

Some more sketches from another chapter in The Periodic Table. In these sketches I am looking at 'Zinc'. The 3rd of the 21 chapters, set in a similar time to 'Iron', it opens with Levi talking about 5 months of intensive study in chemistry at The University of Turin, under the guidance of Professor P, receiving lectures and conducting chemistry experiments "... Packed together like sardines and full of reverence ... P's chemistry was not the motor-force of the Universe, nor the key to the truth: P. was a skeptical, ironic old man, the enemy of all forms of rhetoric, (for this reason, and only for this, was an anti-Fascist) intelligent, obstinate, and quick witted with a sad sort of wit".

A closeup of the zinc reaction.

In these sketchbook entries I have decided to focus on the final aspect of the story where he talks about his classmate Rita who he developed an infatuation for and is trying to overcome his shyness and pluck up the courage to speak to. In a similar way to the Iron story, Primo is nervous and apprehensive but eager to learn, and in this case also develop his love interest with his skillful and quietly confident class mate Rita, a character forming experience which would influence his life in the struggles of the war years.

In visualising this scene I looked at lab equipment from the 1930's some of which, as far as I can tell, haven't changed much and look similar to the bits of kit I used at school in science class, I also referenced the photographs of a young Levi which I used in Iron, old photographs from the 1930s of science students in Europe, and photos on the internet of Baroque/Neo-Classical architecture at the University of Turin, which I thought would be an interesting addition to these studies.

Primo finally approaches Rita and is happy that she is using the same chemistry dish that he was assigned to use by Professor P. conducting an experiment with pure and impure zinc. In his writing, Levi uses this element and experiment to illustrate the conformity of pure zinc and non conformity of impure zinc, within the context of Fascist Italy's racial purity laws, and also as a way to describe the budding affection that Rita and himself had for each other. " ... because I too am Jewish, and she is not: I am the impurity that makes the zinc react, I am the grain of salt or mustard ... "

Primo walking home with Rita at the end of classes at the university.

Primo and Rita complete their zinc experiments, disappointed with his zinc concentrating too much, he asks Rita if he can walk her home " ... I slipped my arm under hers. Rita did not pull away, nor did she return the pressure, but I did fall into step with her, and felt exhilarated and victorious. It seemed to me that I had won a small but decisive battle against the darkness, the emptiness, and the hostile years that lay ahead ... " Similarly to 'Iron', Levi allows himself to have formative experience with one of his Christian counterparts in spite of the tightening grip of Fascist Italy and social isolation he was subjected to.