The Stranger Part 2, Chapter 5 Summary

Here's chapter 5 of part 2!!! The rest is in the comments.
Part 2, Chapter 5
Meursault has refused the chaplain three times. He was moved to a new cell, one where he can see the sky and he spends nights watching the stars. He keeps thinking about escaping the machinery of it all. He wishes he read more about it, that there was at least one instance of escape so he could have some hope, some chance of escape. But in the end, the machinery would always get you.
He tries to understand it, but he can’t accept the certainty. From verdict to the end it’s a straight line of things. It didn’t matter what time the verdict was read or what reason or for what people. If anything, those things took away from how serious the sentence was.
He remembers a story of his father who he never met. He went one day to see an execution, but even thinking of it made him sick. When he got back he spent half a day throwing up. Meursault realizes it’s important to see those things because of how serious they are. He even promises to see every execution he can if he can get out. But the thought of being on the outside is like poison and makes him feel cold to the point where his teeth chatter.
He would also spend his time changing the law in his head. The most important thing was to give a condemned man a chance. For example, making a chemical that kills 9 times out of 10. The problem with the guillotine was that it always works. Even if it doesn’t work the first time they would just do it again. This makes the prisoner want the machine to work the first time; as if the prisoner is even hoping he gets executed.
He also realizes that you don’t have to climb stairs for the guillotine. That in the modern era you just walk right up at street level and lay down. It was very simple. The two things he thinks about is the dawn and his appeal. He would try not to by listening to his heart beat and trying to imagine the moment his heart would no longer be heard inside his head.
The guards always came at dawn. So Meursault would sleep a little during the day, stay up most the night, in order to listen and wait. If they didn’t get him at a certain time, he had gained another 24 hours. He remembers Maman saying that a person can find happiness anywhere; and he found happiness in the sky shifting to a new day.
All day long he would think of his appeal. He had to first convince himself that his appeal was rejected. He would reason that life isn’t worth living anyway and that it didn’t matter if you died at 30 or 70 because you’re still the one dying; everyone else just goes on living. He would sometimes jump at the thought of living another 20 years. But Meursault has to actively convince himself that, since everyone dies, it doesn’t matter when. Only now, at this point in his thoughts, would he start to think about if he was pardoned. Immediately he could feel is heart jump and his blood rush. Then he would have to calm himself down by thinking of the rejection again.
At one of these moments after he just refused the chaplain and when he rejects his own appeal, he starts thinking about Marie. He hasn’t thought of her in a while. He starts thinking about what if she found someone else, or got sick or died. It has been a while since she wrote, and since they aren’t together, there’s nothing really keeping her around. He wasn’t interested in her dead. At that moment, the chaplain came in.
At first Meursault shudders because it’s not the chaplain’s usual time. The chaplain tells him not to worry and that he knows nothing about his appeal. The chaplain sits and asks Meursault to join him, which Meursault refuses. He sits there a while in silence.
The chaplain asks why Meursault has refused to see him. Meursault tells him it’s because he doesn’t believe in God. The chaplain asks if he’s sure and if it’s just not desperation talking. Meursault responds that he’s not desperate, just afraid.
The chaplain says that every criminal in Meursault’s shoes before have turn to God and Meursault says that that was their right. Meursault doesn’t have time for it, and any way he doesn’t need anyone’s help. The chaplain gets annoyed then calms down. Then he says how everyone dies, and that when that moment comes, how will he be able to face it. Meursault says exactly how he’s facing it now. The chaplain stands up and looks Meursault straight in the eye and says: “Have you no hope at all? And do you really think that when you die, you die, and nothing remains?” Meursault says yes.

Видео The Stranger Part 2, Chapter 5 Summary канала Brandon Ecks