Chapter Eight Summary

Cincinnatus has been imprisoned for eight days, and he continues writing his thoughts. He anticipates his death, still uncertain of its hour, and he feels a soul within himself. He still has trouble expressing his thoughts, and he is haunted by fear. He dreams of a world that is real and vibrant. He can vaguely sense how to combine words into real, meaningful thoughts, but he fails to achieve the true communication he desires.

Cincinnatus compares his feeling to lying on the ground with eyes closed and detecting the sun coming out and warming the world. He imagines a world where people understand deeper meanings, where "freaks" are not tortured, where time is unending, where his beloved gardens appear in their true form, and where the soul is fulfilled. He sees only a dim reflection of this vision in the world...