Chapter 5 'Second' – Summary, Themes, and Key Takeaways

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Chapter 5, “Second,” opens with Gary reflecting on his second-grade year and the slow unraveling of his friendship with Wally Mitler. By this point, Wally has shifted from a best friend to an antagonist. He is older, allowed to watch adult content, and delights in terrifying Gary with graphic retellings of horror films like The Exorcist and the Holocaust miniseries Holocaust. Wally’s recap of the Holocaust is especially damaging: he describes Jews being burned, starved, and gassed, and when Gary asks why, Wally offers an antisemitic explanation—that Jews were “rich snobs” who deserved their fate. Gary is horrified and internalizes blame, feeling like a coward for not defending his people. He also notes the near-identical spelling of “Mitler” and “Hitler,” suggesting the poison may have come from an adult in Wally’s life.

Meanwhile, Gary’s mother takes a part-time job at Murray’s, a stationery and gift shop in the Northshore Shopping Center. Gary begins spending afternoons there, clinging to his mother due to separation anxiety and a recurring dream of a nuclear bomb. The mall becomes a refuge where he feels confident and outgoing, unlike at school. He befriends mall employees, including Hercules Metatakis, a teenager who runs an iron-on T-shirt kiosk, and the staff at Orange Julius, who give him free food. One afternoon, he stages a balloon heist, using a masking-tape contraption to pull down fourteen helium balloons from the ceiling, earning admiration from onlookers.

The friendship with Wally deteriorates further when, during a TV movie night, Wally spells “sissy” in his new carpet. Gary is devastated and cries into his blanket. He finds solace in school writing projects: a whale report, a humorous turkey story that his teacher harshly criticizes, and a Christmas book titled The Lonely Tree, about an overlooked tree that becomes the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree. The book is well received, even by his stern teacher, and his father tries to get it published.

Toward the end of second grade, Gary’s mother notices a lump on Wally’s neck. Wally is diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease, undergoes radiation, and recovers. The diagnosis transforms Wally into a neighborhood celebrity, and kids who previously avoided him now clamor for his attention. Gary feels left out and jealous, and the friendship fades completely when a new, tougher kid moves in down the street. Gary’s trips to the mall become less frequent, and he acknowledges that the mall was a substitute for real friendship.

The chapter jumps to July 2017, when Gary, now forty-seven, visits Joanie Noyes, a longtime family friend. He is deeply depressed and unable to find comfort in their usual routines. As he leaves, he breaks down in tears, and Joanie offers a quiet acknowledgment of his pain.

Key Events

Wally shares disturbing details from horror films and the Holocaust miniseries, including an antisemitic explanation for the Holocaust.
Gary’s mother starts working at Murray’s in the Northshore Shopping Center; Gary spends afternoons there, becoming a familiar face among mall employees.
Gary stages a balloon heist, retrieving fourteen balloons from the ceiling with a masking-tape device.
Wally spells “sissy” in his carpet during a TV movie, deeply hurting Gary.
Gary writes a whale report, a turkey story that his teacher criticizes, and The Lonely Tree, a Christmas book that earns praise.
Gary’s mother notices a lump on Wally’s neck; Wally is diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease and undergoes successful radiation treatment.
Wally becomes popular after his diagnosis, and his friendship with Gary fades as he bonds with a new neighbor.
In July 2017, Gary visits Joanie, feels overwhelming depression, and breaks down in tears.

Character Development

Gary Gulman: Gary becomes more aware of antisemitism and internalizes self-blame after Wally’s remarks. He finds temporary confidence at the mall, where he is outgoing and admired, contrasting with his anxiety at school. His creative writing, especially The Lonely Tree, reveals his deep loneliness and desire for acceptance. The chapter also shows his later struggle with depression, as seen in the 2017 scene.
Wally Mitler: Wally evolves from a best friend to an antagonist, then to a cancer survivor who gains popularity. His diagnosis and recovery change his social standing, but his friendship with Gary does not survive.
Barbara Gulman: Gary’s mother is a source of comfort and stability. Her job at Murray’s provides Gary with a refuge, and her vigilance in noticing Wally’s lump leads to his diagnosis.
Joanie Noyes: A constant, warm presence in Gary’s life, Joanie represents unconditional care. In the 2017 scene, she is unable to lift Gary’s gloom, highlighting the severity of his depression.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Antisemitism and Jewish identity: Wally’s Holocaust recap and his “snobs” explanation expose Gary to virulent antisemitism, forcing him to confront his identity and feel powerless.
Childhood fear and anxiety: Gary’s terror of the devil, his nightmares about nuclear bombs, and his fear of separation from his mother shape his emotional world.
Maternal attachment and separation anxiety: Gary’s clinginess to his mother is a central motif, driving his time at the mall and his distress when apart from her.
The mall as refuge: The Northshore Shopping Center symbolizes a place where Gary feels special and accepted, contrasting with his isolation at school.
Loneliness and outsider status: Gary’s sense of being an outsider—as a Jew, a sensitive child, and a former grade repeater—pervades the chapter.
Creative writing as coping: Gary’s writing projects, especially The Lonely Tree, serve as an outlet for his melancholy and a way to seek validation.
Cancer and mortality: Wally’s diagnosis introduces the reality of illness and death, altering the dynamics of their friendship.
Social popularity and fickleness: Wally’s sudden popularity after his diagnosis highlights the superficiality of social status.
Self-blame and guilt: Gary blames himself for not confronting Wally and for crying in front of him, reflecting his tendency to internalize negative experiences.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is pivotal in Misfit because it establishes several formative experiences that shape Gary’s identity and emotional struggles. The encounter with antisemitism through Wally’s words plants seeds of self-doubt and guilt that echo into adulthood. The mall serves as a temporary escape, but it also underscores Gary’s deep loneliness and his longing for genuine connection. His creative writing, particularly The Lonely Tree, reveals his inner world and foreshadows his later career as a comedian and storyteller. The loss of his friendship with Wally, compounded by Wally’s cancer and subsequent popularity, teaches Gary about the fragility of relationships and the pain of being left behind. The 2017 scene with Joanie brings the chapter’s themes into sharp focus, showing how childhood wounds and persistent depression can resurface decades later.

Study Questions and Answers

How does Wally’s antisemitic explanation affect Gary’s sense of self?

Gary is horrified and immediately internalizes blame. He feels like a coward for not defending his people and questions his own worth, thinking he should have fought Wally. This moment deepens his awareness of antisemitism and contributes to his lifelong tendency toward self-criticism.

What role does the mall play in Gary’s life during second grade?

The mall is a refuge where Gary feels confident, outgoing, and admired—qualities he lacks at school. He forms friendships with employees, enjoys free treats, and stages a successful balloon heist that earns him respect. However, the mall is ultimately a substitute for real friendship, and its appeal wanes as he realizes he still longs for genuine connection.

How does Wally’s cancer diagnosis change the dynamic between Gary and Wally?

The diagnosis makes Wally a neighborhood celebrity, attracting kids who previously ignored or mocked him. Gary feels jealous and left out, and the friendship, already strained, fades completely when Wally bonds with a new, tougher neighbor. Gary’s visit to the hospital is a rare moment of loyalty, but it cannot save the relationship.