Chapter 27 Summary

Plugged into the Sens-O-Tape record, Arthur turns invisible to himself and is suspended in mid-air above the historical action as though it is happening now and he is there. He sees a crowd gathered waiting to hear the enlightening Answer from Deep Thought. Two men sit in front of the computer. After a long, expectant pause, and an exchange between the computer and the waiting men that lasts far longer than a simple answer should require, the computer tells them the Answer to the Great Question of Life, the Universe and Everything. It is Forty-two.

Chapter 27 Analysis

The absurd simplicity of the answer is appropriate – any attempt at a real answer would have been too serious to be entertaining.