Middlesex Summary

In the bustling heart of Berlin resides an intersex individual named Cal Stephanides, who embarks on a journey of self-exploration by penning down his life story. His tale commences with his grandparents, Lefty and Desdemona, who, in love and orphaned, emigrate from their small hamlet on Mount Olympus to the industrial city of Detroit. They manage to escape a horrific fire in Smyrna and journey to America with the pretense of being strangers, only to marry on their arrival. Settling with their cousin Sourmelina and her husband, Jimmy Zizmo, they face challenges and suspicions, especially when Lefty is dragged into Zizmo’s illicit liquor trade.

Lefty and Desdemona’s progeny, Milton, harbors a deep affection for Tessie, Zizmo and Sourmelina’s daughter, ultimately leading to their marriage and the birth of their first child, Chapter Eleven. Yearning for a daughter, they conceive Calliope, who eventually grows up to become Cal. Post his Navy retirement, Milton inherits Lefty's bar and converts it into a diner, which is unfortunately destroyed during the Twelfth Street Riot of 1967. Nevertheless, the three insurance policies on the establishment provide them with enough finances to relocate to the well-to-do suburb of Grosse Pointe.

As a young girl, Callie is characterized by striking beauty and a yearning to fit in with her new neighbors. However, she grapples with issues relating to her physical development during her adolescence, further complicated by an intimate relationship with a classmate. After an altercation and a subsequent accident, it is revealed at the hospital that Callie is biologically male. This revelation leads her to a specialist in New York, Dr. Luce, who argues that gender is a societal construct. Upon discovering that a proposed surgery could rob her of sexual sensation, Callie identifies herself as Cal and flees to San Francisco. Here, he meets Zora, another intersex person, who reassures him of his uniqueness. An unfortunate incident leading to Milton’s death compels Cal to return home. He learns of his family's incestuous past and resolves to lead a fulfilling life in spite of the complexities of his existence. In his later years, Cal finds love with a woman named Julie Kikuchi in Berlin.