The Midnight Train Chapter 77: The Future Isn’t Real – Summary & Analysis
⚠️ 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
The wake for Edith is held in the back room of the Queen’s Head pub. Wilbur, Maggie, Claudette, Charlie, and others gather around sandwiches and a free bar. Claudette shares traditions of Caribbean wakes in St. Vincent, where storytelling and spontaneous music celebrate a life. Charlie, a physicist‑philosopher‑accountant, describes a book by Kenyan philosopher John Mbiti that presents time as non‑linear: the future does not exist because nothing has happened there yet. Events move from sasa (present) to zamani (past), and the past—being real—is ahead of us. Charlie gently offers this as advice to Wilbur to focus on what is real rather than an abstract future. Wilbur is distracted by Mr. Parkin, Edith’s partner, who leaves early despite Maggie’s urging. The Ghost (Edith’s deceased son) follows Mr. Parkin outside and, as a silent ghost, apologizes for never making an effort with him, for not attending the wedding, and for not speaking to his mother at the end. The Ghost acknowledges that Mr. Parkin made Edith happy. Mr. Parkin drives away, having heard nothing.
Key Events
- The wake takes place in the Queen’s Head pub, with egg‑and‑cress sandwiches and a free bar.
- Claudette describes Caribbean funeral traditions: wakes before funerals, lasting all night with food, prayers, stories, and spontaneous singing.
- Charlie shares the philosophy of John Mbiti, arguing that time is made of events and the future is not real; time travels backward and the past is what we move toward.
- Wilbur is preoccupied by Mr. Parkin’s presence and avoids speaking to him.
- Maggie tries to persuade Mr. Parkin to stay, but he leaves the pub.
- The Ghost follows Mr. Parkin outside and, inaudibly, expresses remorse for his earlier rudeness, for not making an effort, and for not connecting with his mother before her death.
- Mr. Parkin wipes his eyes, gets into his car, and drives away.
Character Development
- The Ghost (deceased twin): Shows a shift from bitterness toward Mr. Parkin (whom he previously resented) to regret and empathy. His silent apology marks a move toward letting go of old grudges and accepting that his mother found happiness with Cecil.
- The Dreamer (living twin): Remains largely silent during the wake but follows the Ghost outside. His only comment is “Good” when the Ghost says he was rude to Mr. Parkin, indicating he still harbors resentment.
- Wilbur: Distracted and avoidant of Mr. Parkin, he seems unable to engage with the emotional complexity of the situation. He does not fully absorb Charlie’s advice about focusing on the real past.
- Charlie: Acts as a gentle mentor, using a philosophical framework to encourage Wilbur (and the Ghost) to value what has actually happened rather than worry about an imaginary future.
- Maggie: Takes the initiative to speak to Mr. Parkin, showing compassion and a desire to include him despite Wilbur’s reluctance.
- Mr. Parkin (Cecil): Grieving and dignified; he leaves early without bitterness, touched by Maggie’s kindness but aware of his strained relationship with the family.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs Actually Evidenced Here
- Non‑linear time versus linear time: Charlie’s account of Mbiti’s philosophy directly contrasts Western chronological time with an event‑based model where the future is unreal. Time is woven from sasa (present) and zamani (past), and the past is “ahead” of us.
- The past as the real foundation: The chapter argues that focusing on what has already happened—actual events, relationships, and experiences—provides grounding, unlike the abstract “nothing” of the future.
- Regret and apology across the divide of death: The Ghost’s unheard apology symbolizes the impossibility of repairing certain wrongs after death, yet the act itself represents personal growth.
- Grief as a communal ritual: The wake demonstrates how different cultures (Caribbean and British) process loss through food, stories, and shared memories.
- Forgiveness and letting go of hatred: The Ghost realizes that keeping Dougie’s hatred alive helped no one, and he decides to release his own resentment toward Mr. Parkin.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter deepens the novel’s philosophical exploration of time, memory, and reconciliation. Charlie’s explanation of Mbiti’s concept (that the future does not exist) directly echoes the Ghost’s journey: he can only change his relationship to the past, not to what might have been. The wake scene allows the Ghost to reflect on his own failures of connection—with Mr. Parkin and with his mother—and to offer a silent apology that, while unheard, transforms his own perspective. The chapter also contrasts the living characters’ focus on the future (Wilbur’s avoidance, Maggie’s hope for inclusion) with the Ghost’s immersion in the real, painful past. It sets up the emotional resolution that the Ghost must accept what has happened in order to move toward peace.
Study Questions and Answers
1. How does Charlie’s explanation of Mbiti’s time philosophy relate to the Ghost’s actions in this chapter?
Charlie says the future is unreal and that the past is what is ahead of us. The Ghost applies this by focusing on his past mistakes—his rudeness to Mr. Parkin and his failure to speak to his mother before she died. Because he cannot change the future, he tries to mend his relationship with the past by offering an apology, even though it cannot be heard.
2. Why does the Ghost claim that he and the Dreamer “couldn’t keep Dougie alive but we could keep his hate alive”?
Dougie (presumably a deceased relative or friend) is gone, but the twins had the choice to either let go of Dougie’s resentment toward Mr. Parkin or to perpetuate it. The Ghost realizes that clinging to that hate only harmed themselves and their mother, not Dougie. By apologizing, he chooses to break the cycle.
3. What does the chapter suggest about the value of cultural traditions in processing grief?
Claudette’s description of Caribbean wakes—with food, stories, music, and an emphasis on celebration—offers a contrast to the more subdued British wake. The chapter implies that ritual helps people “weave together” the whole life of the deceased, making grief more communal and perhaps more bearable than a purely private, linear approach.