The Long Walk
Encyclopedia
The Long Walk is a novel
by Stephen King
published under the pseudonym
Richard Bachman
in 1979 as a paperback
original. It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover
omnibus The Bachman Books
, and has seen several reprints since, as both paperback & hardback. Set in a near future, the plot revolves around
the contestants of a gruelling walking
contest
, held annually by a somewhat despotic and totalitarian version of the United States of America
. In 2000 the American Library Association listed The Long Walk as one of the 100 best books for teenage readers published between 1966 and 2000. Stephen King has revealed that it is the first novel he ever wrote, begun eight years before Carrie
was published in 1974, when he was a freshman at the University of Maine
in 1966-67.
s along the roadside. Walkers may be shot immediately for certain serious violations, such as trying to leave the road or attacking the half-track. The soldiers use electronic equipment to precisely determine a Walker's speed.
The event is run by a character known as "The Major," who is implied to have much power, stemming from a possible military or fascist state system. The Major appears at the beginning of the Walk to encourage the boys and start them on their way, and then occasionally thereafter. While the Walkers initially greet him with awe and respect, they eventually realize their admiration is misplaced and ridicule him in later appearances.
The Walk begins at the Maine
/Canada
border and travels the east coast of the United States until the winner is determined. There are no stops, rest periods, or established finish line, and the Walk does not pause for any reason (including bad weather or darkness); it ends only when one Walker is left alive. According to the rules, the Walkers can obtain aid only from the soldiers. They may request a canteen of water at any time, and food concentrates (apparently similar to the ones developed by NASA
's space program) are distributed at 9:00 every morning. Walkers may bring anything they can carry, including food or additional footwear, but cannot receive aid from bystanders. They are allowed to have bodily contact with onlookers as long as they stay on the road. While they cannot physically interfere with one another to detrimental effect, they can help each other, provided they stay above four miles per hour.
The winner receives "The Prize": anything he wants for the rest of his life.
It is implied that many past winners have died soon after the Walk, due to its hazardous mental and physical challenges. The Long Walk is not only a physical trial, but a psychological one, as the Walkers are continually pressed against the idea of death and their mortality. Contestants have actually tried to crawl at 4 mph to survive after their legs gave out. The story has several characters who suffer mental breakdown, one of whom kills himself by tearing out his throat, and most characters experience some mental degeneration from the stress and lack of sleep.
The protagonist of the novel is Raymond Davis Garraty, a 16-year-old boy from the town of Pownal in Androscoggin County, Maine. Early on, Ray falls in with several other boys—including Peter McVries, Arthur Baker, Hank Olson, Collie Parker, Pearson, Harkness, and Abraham—who refer to themselves as "The Musketeers." Another Walker—Gary Barkovitch—quickly establishes himself as an external antagonist
, as he quickly angers his fellow walkers with multiple taunts of "dancing on their graves." This results in the death of a fellow walker, Rank, who is ticketed while trying to injure Barkovitch. Lastly, the most alluring and mysterious Walker is a boy named Stebbins. Throughout the Walk, Stebbins establishes himself as a loner, observing the ground beneath him as he listens to fellow Walkers' complaints, seemingly unaffected by the mental and physical strains. The only character Stebbins truly interacts with is Ray Garraty. In one conversation, Garraty alludes to Alice in Wonderland, likening Stebbins to the Caterpillar. Stebbins, however, corrects him: he believes himself to be more of a White Rabbit
type.
Along the road, the Walkers learn that one of their number, a kid named Scramm — who is initially the heavy odds-on favorite to win the Walk — is married. When Scramm gets pneumonia, the remaining Walkers agree that the winner will use some of the Prize to take care of his pregnant widow, Cathy.
Members of the public interfering with the Walkers can receive an "Interference" ticket. This nearly occurs when the mother of a Walker named Percy tries, on several occasions, to get onto the road and find her son (at her last attempt, he has already been killed for attempting to sneak away). Only the intervention of the local police keeps her from being executed. The second instance is when a spectator's dog runs across the road in front of the Walkers and is shot. However, one man is able to throw the Walkers watermelon slices before being hauled away by the police rather than the soldiers; several Walkers receive third warnings after taking the watermelon, but none of them are shot.
Garraty becomes closest to Peter McVries, a boy with a prominent facial scar who speculates that his own reason for joining the Walk is a subconscious death wish. When Garraty suffers a charley horse
and comes within two seconds of being killed, McVries keeps him talking and distracted long enough to drop a warning, saving his life.
After five days and hundreds of miles, the Walk eventually comes down to Garraty and Stebbins, who revealed to Garraty and McVries earlier that day, that he is the illegitimate son of the Major. Stebbins states he used to think the Major was unaware of his existence, but it turns out that the Major has numerous illegitimate children nationwide. Four years earlier, the Major took Stebbins to the finish of a Long Walk, and now Stebbins feels that the Major has set him up to be "the rabbit" in the race. That is, just as greyhounds in dog races need a rabbit to motivate them to run faster, Stebbins will spur the others to walk farther and make the race more entertaining. Stebbins's plan, upon winning the Walk, is to ask that his prize be to be "taken into [his] father's house." At the end of the book, having gone farther than any Long Walk in history - the Long Walkers reached Massachusetts for the first time in seventeen years - Garraty decides to give up after realizing that Stebbins has shown almost no weaknesses over the duration of the Walk. Garraty catches up with Stebbins to tell him this, but before he can speak, Stebbins grabs his shirt, says "Oh, Garraty!", collapses and dies; thus Garraty is declared the winner.
Unaware of the celebration going on around him, Garraty gets up from Stebbins's side and walks on. He sees a jeep coming towards him, but thinks it a trespassing vehicle, and does not realize that in it is the Major coming to award him the victory. Garraty walks past the jeep towards a hallucination of a dark figure, not far ahead, beckoning Garraty to him. The figure is familiar to Garraty, but he does not recognize it. He decides to get closer to find out which of the walkers he has yet to walk down. While the crowd cheers his name, Garraty walks on unhearing, trying to identify the dark figure. When a hand, possibly the Major's, touches his shoulder, Garraty shakes it off impatiently. The figure beckons him to come and play the game, telling him to get started, that there is still far to walk. Unseeing now, Garraty walks towards the figure. When the hand reaches for his shoulder again, Garraty somehow finds the strength to run.
Or it may be indicative that Garraty, winner or no, is simply far gone, and there is no "going back" for him; whether possessed of insanity, or irrevocable grief, or impending death and release.
hitting 739 home runs, and the date of April 31.
The details of ordinary life are intentionally left vague. However, bits and pieces of information can be gleaned from the boys' conversations. Evidently there was some kind of dictatorial military takeover of the government, although it's never clear if it was internal or external, or if "The Major" was its leader, or just one of the participants. Garraty's father once referred to the Major as "a society-supported sociopath," and made other remarks critical of the government, which apparently led to his disappearance and implied death.
There is a reference to 51 states, but at other times states are referred to as "regions". The governor is referred to as a "Provo governor". References to "Squads" are made. The Squads can take people away for many offenses, including speaking out against the Walk or trying to back out of it if chosen to participate. The term "squadded" has become a slang
word for a murder
or hidden state execution. Civil rights are clearly restricted, and racism
is still rampant (at one point, one of the main characters refers to a black contestant as "nigger
"). An activity called "night riding" is prohibited.
The entire concept of the Long Walk seems to be of "bread and circuses
", a deliberate attempt by the unseen rulers to placate the masses, glorify obedience and sacrifice to the nation, while simultaneously breaking down their spirits. A comment is made that millionaires no longer exist in this society.
Each chapter of The Long Walk begins with an ironic
passage, such as the catchphrase of a prominent game show
, an expert from the Count is Sesame Street, or John F. Kennedy
's remark that walking is a good form of exercise.
Each year, thousands of teenage boys apply to take part in the Long Walk. Applicants are put through a series of tests, including an essay in which they explain why they believe themselves qualified to participate. Those who pass are entered into a lottery
drawing that is broadcast nationwide on television
, well before the Walk begins. Two hundred names are drawn, with 100 classified as "Prime Walkers" (first picks to participate) and 100 as backups; however, no announcements are made at this time as to which is which.
There are several chances to withdraw from the process, spread out between the time that applicants learn whether they have passed the tests and the start of the Walk. If someone does withdraw, the first available backup Walker (based on the order in which names were drawn) is moved up to take his place. Notifications as to Prime or backup status are not sent out until the final withdrawal deadline, which is the day before the Walk begins.
On the morning of May 1, the Walkers gather at the starting point, where soldiers check them in and give them canteens and food supplies. The Major greets them and assigns each one a number from 1 to 100 in alphabetical order by last name; each Walker is given a placard with his number, which he must wear taped to his clothes. The soldiers refer to Walkers only by their numbers throughout the course of the event. At exactly 9:00, the Major signals for the Walk to start.
has secured the rights to the film adaptation of the novel. He said that he would "get to it one day". He plans to make it low-budget, "weird, existential, and very self contained".
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
published under the pseudonym
Pseudonym
A pseudonym is a name that a person assumes for a particular purpose and that differs from his or her original orthonym...
Richard Bachman
Richard Bachman
Richard Bachman is a pseudonym used by horror fiction author Stephen King.-Origin:At the beginning of Stephen King's career, the general view among publishers was such that an author was limited to a book every year, since publishing more would not be acceptable to the public...
in 1979 as a paperback
Paperback
Paperback, softback or softcover describe and refer to a book by the nature of its binding. The covers of such books are usually made of paper or paperboard, and are usually held together with glue rather than stitches or staples...
original. It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover
Hardcover
A hardcover, hardback or hardbound is a book bound with rigid protective covers...
omnibus The Bachman Books
The Bachman Books
The Bachman Books is a collection of short novels by Stephen King published under the pseudonym Richard Bachman between 1977 and 1982.The book was released in 1985 after the publication of the first hardcover Bachman novel Thinner in order to introduce Bachman to fans who did not know about King's...
, and has seen several reprints since, as both paperback & hardback. Set in a near future, the plot revolves around
the contestants of a gruelling walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
contest
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
, held annually by a somewhat despotic and totalitarian version of the United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 2000 the American Library Association listed The Long Walk as one of the 100 best books for teenage readers published between 1966 and 2000. Stephen King has revealed that it is the first novel he ever wrote, begun eight years before Carrie
Carrie (novel)
Carrie is American author Stephen King's first published novel, released in 1974. It revolves around the eponymous Carrie, a shy high-school girl, who uses her newly discovered telekinetic powers to exact revenge on those who tease her...
was published in 1974, when he was a freshman at the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
in 1966-67.
Plot summary
One hundred teenage boys participate in an annual walking contest called "The Long Walk," which is the "national sport". Each Walker must maintain a speed of at least four miles per hour; if he drops below that speed for 30 seconds, he receives a verbal warning (which can be erased by walking for one hour without being warned). If a Walker with three warnings slows down again, he is "ticketed." The meaning of this term is intentionally kept vague at first, but it soon becomes clear that "buying a ticket" means to be shot dead by soldiers riding in half-trackHalf-track
A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling...
s along the roadside. Walkers may be shot immediately for certain serious violations, such as trying to leave the road or attacking the half-track. The soldiers use electronic equipment to precisely determine a Walker's speed.
The event is run by a character known as "The Major," who is implied to have much power, stemming from a possible military or fascist state system. The Major appears at the beginning of the Walk to encourage the boys and start them on their way, and then occasionally thereafter. While the Walkers initially greet him with awe and respect, they eventually realize their admiration is misplaced and ridicule him in later appearances.
The Walk begins at the Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
/Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
border and travels the east coast of the United States until the winner is determined. There are no stops, rest periods, or established finish line, and the Walk does not pause for any reason (including bad weather or darkness); it ends only when one Walker is left alive. According to the rules, the Walkers can obtain aid only from the soldiers. They may request a canteen of water at any time, and food concentrates (apparently similar to the ones developed by NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
's space program) are distributed at 9:00 every morning. Walkers may bring anything they can carry, including food or additional footwear, but cannot receive aid from bystanders. They are allowed to have bodily contact with onlookers as long as they stay on the road. While they cannot physically interfere with one another to detrimental effect, they can help each other, provided they stay above four miles per hour.
The winner receives "The Prize": anything he wants for the rest of his life.
It is implied that many past winners have died soon after the Walk, due to its hazardous mental and physical challenges. The Long Walk is not only a physical trial, but a psychological one, as the Walkers are continually pressed against the idea of death and their mortality. Contestants have actually tried to crawl at 4 mph to survive after their legs gave out. The story has several characters who suffer mental breakdown, one of whom kills himself by tearing out his throat, and most characters experience some mental degeneration from the stress and lack of sleep.
The protagonist of the novel is Raymond Davis Garraty, a 16-year-old boy from the town of Pownal in Androscoggin County, Maine. Early on, Ray falls in with several other boys—including Peter McVries, Arthur Baker, Hank Olson, Collie Parker, Pearson, Harkness, and Abraham—who refer to themselves as "The Musketeers." Another Walker—Gary Barkovitch—quickly establishes himself as an external antagonist
Antagonist
An antagonist is a character, group of characters, or institution, that represents the opposition against which the protagonist must contend...
, as he quickly angers his fellow walkers with multiple taunts of "dancing on their graves." This results in the death of a fellow walker, Rank, who is ticketed while trying to injure Barkovitch. Lastly, the most alluring and mysterious Walker is a boy named Stebbins. Throughout the Walk, Stebbins establishes himself as a loner, observing the ground beneath him as he listens to fellow Walkers' complaints, seemingly unaffected by the mental and physical strains. The only character Stebbins truly interacts with is Ray Garraty. In one conversation, Garraty alludes to Alice in Wonderland, likening Stebbins to the Caterpillar. Stebbins, however, corrects him: he believes himself to be more of a White Rabbit
White Rabbit
The White Rabbit works for the Red Queen, but is also a secret member of the Underland Underground Resistance, and was sent by the Hatter to search for Alice...
type.
Along the road, the Walkers learn that one of their number, a kid named Scramm — who is initially the heavy odds-on favorite to win the Walk — is married. When Scramm gets pneumonia, the remaining Walkers agree that the winner will use some of the Prize to take care of his pregnant widow, Cathy.
Members of the public interfering with the Walkers can receive an "Interference" ticket. This nearly occurs when the mother of a Walker named Percy tries, on several occasions, to get onto the road and find her son (at her last attempt, he has already been killed for attempting to sneak away). Only the intervention of the local police keeps her from being executed. The second instance is when a spectator's dog runs across the road in front of the Walkers and is shot. However, one man is able to throw the Walkers watermelon slices before being hauled away by the police rather than the soldiers; several Walkers receive third warnings after taking the watermelon, but none of them are shot.
Garraty becomes closest to Peter McVries, a boy with a prominent facial scar who speculates that his own reason for joining the Walk is a subconscious death wish. When Garraty suffers a charley horse
Charley horse
A charley horse is a popular North American colloquial term for painful spasms or cramps in the leg muscles, typically lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours. Also known as a "Tommy Horse"...
and comes within two seconds of being killed, McVries keeps him talking and distracted long enough to drop a warning, saving his life.
After five days and hundreds of miles, the Walk eventually comes down to Garraty and Stebbins, who revealed to Garraty and McVries earlier that day, that he is the illegitimate son of the Major. Stebbins states he used to think the Major was unaware of his existence, but it turns out that the Major has numerous illegitimate children nationwide. Four years earlier, the Major took Stebbins to the finish of a Long Walk, and now Stebbins feels that the Major has set him up to be "the rabbit" in the race. That is, just as greyhounds in dog races need a rabbit to motivate them to run faster, Stebbins will spur the others to walk farther and make the race more entertaining. Stebbins's plan, upon winning the Walk, is to ask that his prize be to be "taken into [his] father's house." At the end of the book, having gone farther than any Long Walk in history - the Long Walkers reached Massachusetts for the first time in seventeen years - Garraty decides to give up after realizing that Stebbins has shown almost no weaknesses over the duration of the Walk. Garraty catches up with Stebbins to tell him this, but before he can speak, Stebbins grabs his shirt, says "Oh, Garraty!", collapses and dies; thus Garraty is declared the winner.
Unaware of the celebration going on around him, Garraty gets up from Stebbins's side and walks on. He sees a jeep coming towards him, but thinks it a trespassing vehicle, and does not realize that in it is the Major coming to award him the victory. Garraty walks past the jeep towards a hallucination of a dark figure, not far ahead, beckoning Garraty to him. The figure is familiar to Garraty, but he does not recognize it. He decides to get closer to find out which of the walkers he has yet to walk down. While the crowd cheers his name, Garraty walks on unhearing, trying to identify the dark figure. When a hand, possibly the Major's, touches his shoulder, Garraty shakes it off impatiently. The figure beckons him to come and play the game, telling him to get started, that there is still far to walk. Unseeing now, Garraty walks towards the figure. When the hand reaches for his shoulder again, Garraty somehow finds the strength to run.
The Dark Figure
The dark figure Garraty sees beckoning him onward at the end of the Long Walk is never identified. Plausible explanations (implied from passages in the book) include :- Jesus Christ(god), per Olson's valediction in extremis earlier in the Walk, which was taken as revelational by Garraty himself -- the consequent implication being that Garraty, too, is being ushered into the afterlife, and the real journey has only begun, as previously suggested by Scramm
- Garraty's missing father
- Souls of the dead Walkers
- DeathDeath (personification)The concept of death as a sentient entity has existed in many societies since the beginning of history. In English, Death is often given the name Grim Reaper and, from the 15th century onwards, came to be shown as a skeletal figure carrying a large scythe and clothed in a black cloak with a hood...
- McVries
Or it may be indicative that Garraty, winner or no, is simply far gone, and there is no "going back" for him; whether possessed of insanity, or irrevocable grief, or impending death and release.
Backdrop
The Walk takes place in a contemporary alternate history United States, as can be deduced from several references; "the German air-blitz of the American East Coast during the last days of World War II," a quote about the "New Hampshire Provo Governor, a man known for having stormed the German nuclear base in Santiago nearly single handed back in 1953.", Henry AaronHenry Aaron
Henry Louis "Hank" Aaron , nicknamed "Hammer," "Hammerin' Hank," and "Bad Henry," is a retired American baseball player whose Major League Baseball career spanned the years 1954 through 1976. Aaron is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time...
hitting 739 home runs, and the date of April 31.
The details of ordinary life are intentionally left vague. However, bits and pieces of information can be gleaned from the boys' conversations. Evidently there was some kind of dictatorial military takeover of the government, although it's never clear if it was internal or external, or if "The Major" was its leader, or just one of the participants. Garraty's father once referred to the Major as "a society-supported sociopath," and made other remarks critical of the government, which apparently led to his disappearance and implied death.
There is a reference to 51 states, but at other times states are referred to as "regions". The governor is referred to as a "Provo governor". References to "Squads" are made. The Squads can take people away for many offenses, including speaking out against the Walk or trying to back out of it if chosen to participate. The term "squadded" has become a slang
Slang
Slang is the use of informal words and expressions that are not considered standard in the speaker's language or dialect but are considered more acceptable when used socially. Slang is often to be found in areas of the lexicon that refer to things considered taboo...
word for a murder
Murder
Murder is the unlawful killing, with malice aforethought, of another human being, and generally this state of mind distinguishes murder from other forms of unlawful homicide...
or hidden state execution. Civil rights are clearly restricted, and racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
is still rampant (at one point, one of the main characters refers to a black contestant as "nigger
Nigger
Nigger is a noun in the English language, most notable for its usage in a pejorative context to refer to black people , and also as an informal slang term, among other contexts. It is a common ethnic slur...
"). An activity called "night riding" is prohibited.
The entire concept of the Long Walk seems to be of "bread and circuses
Bread and circuses
"Bread and Circuses" is a metaphor for a superficial means of appeasement...
", a deliberate attempt by the unseen rulers to placate the masses, glorify obedience and sacrifice to the nation, while simultaneously breaking down their spirits. A comment is made that millionaires no longer exist in this society.
Each chapter of The Long Walk begins with an ironic
Irony
Irony is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or situation in which there is a sharp incongruity or discordance that goes beyond the simple and evident intention of words or actions...
passage, such as the catchphrase of a prominent game show
Game show
A game show is a type of radio or television program in which members of the public, television personalities or celebrities, sometimes as part of a team, play a game which involves answering questions or solving puzzles usually for money and/or prizes...
, an expert from the Count is Sesame Street, or John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's remark that walking is a good form of exercise.
Characters
- Pete McVries - Peter McVries is a well-muscled and athletically fit young man with a sardonic sense of humor and a cynical attitude. He creates the idea for the Musketeer group and bonds with Garraty, even saving his life several times throughout the Walk. Continually providing advice for Ray, he admits early that he will probably lose this game, and is waiting to die. He reveals that he was once in love with a girl, but the relationship fell apart due to financial differences, leaving him with a prominent scar on his cheek and a suicidal depression. This masochistic streak manifests several times by incurring the anger of the other Walkers with his "musketeer" attitude, his random attitude shifts between confiding in others and pushing them away, and an antagonistic relationship to Barkovitch. Pearson remarks that the Walk is a form of self-punishment for McVries and that he should have a "Beat Me Hard" sign around his neck. During one speculative moment, he tells Ray that at some point in the game when he can no longer go on, he may simply sit down and wait to die. When the Walk comes down to the final three - himself, Garraty, and Stebbins - he keeps his word and sits cross-legged in the street. Garraty attempts to save him but McVries is resigned to his fate. He opens his eyes and smiles at Garraty one last time before being killed by the soldiers.
- Stebbins - Stebbins is the most mysterious of the original named group, and is the last Walker to die. Though he takes the first warning of the Walk, Olson comments that this is a "smart move," since he takes a warning while he's fresh and has now established the lower end of the pace. Quietly, he establishes himself as a loner and walks separately from the group, at the rear, talking to no one and conserving energy. Garraty is strangely drawn to Stebbins: at first he is sure Stebbins will be the first Walker to be ticketed, but soon he becomes convinced that Stebbins will win. Stebbins has many strange mannerisms, often talking in riddles to Garraty to teach him a vital lesson—and then later recanting them as lies. After Scramm's death, Stebbins becomes the odds-on favorite, having shown no sign of fatigue and being described as "like diamonds" and impossible to wear down. He receives only four warnings throughout the Walk prior to his breakdown at the end. However, he breaks down near the end of the book and reveals to Garraty his goal all along —he is the Major's illegitimate child. His Prize for winning the Walk is to be for the Major to publicly acknowledge him; to "[b]e taken into my father's house," as he puts it. Unfortunately, the Major apparently knew all along that Stebbins was his bastard son, and does not care, except as a means to manipulate Stebbins into making the race better by making him into a "rabbit"—referencing the mechanical lure used in a greyhound race to keep the dogs running—so that he will provoke the other Walkers into pushing longer and harder trying to "catch" him. Stebbins eventually succumbs and falls dead after desperately clawing at Garraty.
- Art Baker - Art Baker is one of the first Walkers to befriend Garraty during the Long Walk and is also one of the Musketeers. Friendly and sincere, he is the most honest character during the Walk, and is the least prone to speaking either cryptically or in metaphors. He is also one of the last Musketeers (aside from Garraty and McVries) to die. After a short bout of delirium, he stumbles to the ground, cutting his forehead and rupturing something internally so that he develops a severe nosebleed. Right before he is killed, he asks Garraty for a final favor if Garraty wins the Long Walk. He wants a "lead-lined" casket—a reference to an earlier conversation about Baker's late uncle, an undertaker. Garraty is sobbing and asking him to "walk a little further" but Baker can't. He asks Garraty not to watch the soldiers shoot him, then shakes Garraty's hand, turns around, and is killed. Garraty reacts so strongly to his death that he can barely keep walking.
- Hank Olson - From early on, Hank Olson cracks jokes and insults the other competitors. He believes he has an edge over the other walkers, having been told by the Major to "Give 'em hell." However, Olson tires very early in the game, becoming a "hollow shell." Despite his exhaustion, he continues to walk, seemingly oblivious to the world. Garraty compares Olson's demeanor to that of the Flying Dutchman as he is manned even when "the entire crew is dead." Stebbins refers to Olson as a demonstration of the power of the mind to control the body, because although he has physically succumbed to fatigue, Olson can still walk. His fellow Walkers can only watch in pity and foreboding. Surprisingly, Olson outlasts the majority of the Walkers, finally making a broken admission to Garraty: "I don't. Want. To die." A haggard mess, he at last climbs upon the halftrack, takes a rifle from a soldier and throws it over the side, and afterwards is repeatedly shot in the abdomen by the soldiers so as to inflict maximum suffering and discourage others from storming the halftrack. To the shock and awe of his fellow Walkers, he manages to stand and walk again. Eventually, his intestines begin to spill out of his stomach, and he dies after lifting his hands to the sky and shouting "I DID IT WRONG!"
- Gary Barkovitch - Barkovitch cements himself as a loud-mouth Walker whom everyone hopes to outlast. He first provokes another boy named Rank, leading to an altercation resulting in Rank's death. Because of this, the other Walkers turn against Barkovitch and refer to him as "killer". McVries states several times that his only goal in life is to outlast Barkovitch. However, in a touching moment with Garraty, Barkovitch admits that he wishes he had friends, and that he just doesn't know how to act any other way. Then he agrees to help donate some of the winning proceeds to Scramm's young wife. Later, he reverts to his previous demeanor and hassles the other Walkers. The others realize that Barkovitch has finally lost his mind, the intensity of the Walk too much for him. At some point during the night, several shots are heard and Garraty asks if it is Barkovitch who has been killed. Barkovitch, however, yells from the back of the crowd he's not finished yet. He then screams in agony and tears out his own throat, thereby denying the soldiers their chance to kill him, even though they shoot him anyway in what can be little more than a symbolic gesture.
- Collie Parker - The roughneck of the Walkers, Parker repeatedly voices his disgust towards the soldiers, the game, and the crowds. He continually makes remarks on the "damn Maine weather," ribs Garraty about coming from "the most fucked-up state in the fifty-one," and uses excessive profanity. A gunshot awakens Garraty from his doze, and to his surprise, he sees Parker standing atop the halftrack, having taken a rifle from a soldier during a shift change and killed him. As he yells for the other boys to join the fight, another soldier shoots him in the back, splattering his internal organs all over his clothes. Parker fires two shots as he falls to the ground, the bullets ricocheting into the crowd, then tries and fails to say "bastard" before dying.
- Scramm - A likable young man, depicted as a simple soul who dropped out of school and married early, Scramm is the "Vegas favorite", with 9 to 1 odds. Despite being the predicted winner of this year's Long Walk, having been described as "moose-like" and able to walk long distances with little difficulty, Scramm succumbs to pneumonia. Realizing his time is almost up, he thanks his fellow Walkers for agreeing to help his wife with their financial problems and informs them that he is ready to die. He then catches up to Mike and Joe, two Walkers who are brothers and Hopi Indians. Mike has developed stomach cramps. Scramm, Mike and Joe walk and talk before deciding on a course of action. Scramm and Mike head to the side of the road towards the crowd. They then flip off the crowd, yell insults, and sit in conversation before being killed by the soldiers; Joe is shot sometime later.
- Jan - Ray Garraty's girlfriend from home, with whom he has a steady relationship. He establishes Jan early on as a symbol of his life, and as encouragement to keep walking. When the news that Garraty has been picked as a Walker is revealed, Jan is extremely distraught and fights with Garraty in an unsuccessful attempt to have him back out of the event. In the first half of the book he determines to keep walking until he reaches his hometown, so he can see her. When the Walkers finally reach the town, Garraty can only grasp her hand briefly before being ripped away by McVries to save him from being shot by the soldiers.
- The Major - Little to no biographical information is presented about the Major within the book, but due to Stebbins' testimony, it is inferred that he is at the very least in his mid-to-late thirties and has been running the Long Walk for at least 13 years, but likely much longer. A pristine, methodical man known for his punctuality and decorum, he is depicted as never appearing in public without wearing reflective sunglasses (it is speculated that a possible reason for this is that his eyes are "extremely light-sensitive"). According to Garraty's father, he is "a society-supported sociopath," and he bears a strong physical resemblance to depictions of Big Brother from George OrwellGeorge OrwellEric Arthur Blair , better known by his pen name George Orwell, was an English author and journalist...
's Nineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-FourNineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell is a dystopian novel about Oceania, a society ruled by the oligarchical dictatorship of the Party...
. The Major's first appearance is at the starting line, meeting each Walker, passing out their respective numbers, and starting the race quietly with his signature phrase: "Luck to all." He strategically reappears whenever the walkers break a major record and at predetermined sections of the track, and while the Walkers continue to build animosity for the Major, calling him a murderer and sadist, they often cannot help but cheer him during each appearance. He appears at the end of the race, ready to offer Garraty the Prize, but is mostly unrecognizable to Garraty, who initially mistakes him for a "damn fool" who should not commit a capital crime by driving on the road. This is the only time that anyone in the book overlooks the Major.
- The Crowd - The Long Walk bystanders play an increasingly significant role as the Walk progresses. While no one is allowed to witness the beginning of the race (it is rumored to ruin the Walkers' concentration), they are allowed to appear with more frequency by the Squads as the race progresses. Bystanders come from all over the nation to cheer Walkers with signs, and frequently yell slogans to encourage them. Garraty sees several calling him "Maine's own" and several stating "Go Go Garraty," which he initially takes as strong encouragement. As the race progresses, the crowd influence becomes more intrusive, with several bystanders trying to give aid to the Walkers by selling cokes, giving away watermelon, or in one case, a Walker's mother attempts to pull her son from the race. The Walkers alternately embrace the crowd and members of it, notably Garraty taking a warning to neck with a girl and Gribble making sexual advances that lead to his demise. As the volume, sheer numbers, and intensity of the crowds build, the Walkers become more hostile and paranoid. One Walker, seeing the crowd ahead swelling and threatening to close up the road entirely, goes insane, claiming that they will "eatusup" over and over again until he is shot by the soldiers. Finally, as Stebbins predicted, the Walkers begin to ignore the crowds almost completely, as the finalists are focused only on the road and each other. The Crowd cheers wildly whenever a Walker is "ticketed", and eagerly collect any souvenirs they can find from the Walkers, including their excrement. Billions of dollars are wagered on the Long Walk.
Death list
The asterisk (*) indicates that the Walkers were mentioned dead at the same time, meaning that there is no way to determine exact order. (Note: Most "Reasons of Death" indicated with a "?" resulted from a Walker dropping below 4 mph too often.)| Order | Name | Number | Reason for Death |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Curley, ? | No. 7 | Charley horse Charley horse A charley horse is a popular North American colloquial term for painful spasms or cramps in the leg muscles, typically lasting anywhere from a few seconds to a few hours. Also known as a "Tommy Horse"... |
| 2. | Ewing, ? | No. 9 | Blisters |
| 3. | Unknown boy | No. ? | Slowed down too often |
| 4. | Zuck, ? | No. 100 | Excessive bleeding from scraped knee |
| 5. | Travin, ? | No. ? | Slowed by diarrhoea, shot when sitting down to empty bowels |
| 6. | Fenter, ? | No. 12 | Foot cramp |
| 7. | Larson, ? | No. 60 | Fatigue - sat down and couldn't get back up |
| 8. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 9. | Toland, ? | No. ? | Fainted |
| 10. | Quincy/Quinten | No. ? | ? |
| 11. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 12. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 13. | Baker, James | No. 4 | ? |
| 14. | Rank, ? | No. ? | Fighting with Barkovitch, fell down and got up dazed |
| 15. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 16. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 17. | Unknown boy | No. 45 | Fell down |
| *18. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *19. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *20. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *21. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *22. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *23. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *24. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *25. | Davidson, ? | No. 8 | ? |
| 26. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 27. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 28. | Yannick, ? | No. 98 | ? |
| 29. | Unknown boy | No. ? | Convulsions |
| 30. | Gribble, ? | No. 48 | Blue balls Blue balls Blue balls is a slang term for the condition of temporary fluid congestion in the testicles and prostate region, accompanied by acute testicular pain, caused by prolonged and unsatisfied sexual arousal in the human male. The term is thought to have originated in the United States, first appearing... |
| 31. | Harkness, ? | No. 49 | Fatigue- "Burnt out" |
| 32. | ?, Percy | No. 31 | Tried to escape into the woods |
| 33. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 34. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *35. | Wayne, ? | No. 94 | ? |
| *36. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 37. | Morgan, Frank | No. 64 | ? |
| 38. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 39. | Unknown boy | No. 38 | Feet run over by escorting half-track Half-track A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling... . |
| 40. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *41. | Tressler, ? | No. 92 | Sunstroke |
| *42. | Unknown boy | No. ? | Convulsion |
| *43. | Aaronson, ? | No. 1 | Cramps in both feet |
| *44. | Wallace | No. ? | Sunstroke |
| 45. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 46. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 47. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 48. | Jensen, ? | No. ? | Panic & blundered off the road due to hailstorm |
| 49. | Unknown boy | No. ? | Fainted |
| 50. | Fenum, Roger | No. 13 | Fainted |
| 51. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 52. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 53. | Olson, Hank | No. 70 | Shot while attempting to hijack escorting half-track Half-track A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling... |
| 54. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 55. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 56. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 57. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 58. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *59. | Scramm, ? | No. 85 | Pneumonia Pneumonia Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes... /sat down |
| *60. | ?, Mike | No. ? | Stomach cramps/sat down |
| 61. | ?, Joe | No. ? | ? |
| 62. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 63. | Gallant, ? | No. ? | ? |
| 64. | Milligan, ? | No. ? | Severe headache from cheering |
| 65. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 66. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 67. | Quince, Harold | No. ? | ? |
| 68. | Barkovitch, Gary | No. 5 | Ripped out his own throat |
| *69. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *70. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *71. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *72. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *73. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *74. | Pearson, ? | No. ? | Vomiting; shot that night |
| 75. | Field, Charlie | No. ? | ? |
| 76. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *77. | Klingerman, ? | No. 59 | Appendicitis Appendicitis Appendicitis is a condition characterized by inflammation of the appendix. It is classified as a medical emergency and many cases require removal of the inflamed appendix, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy. Untreated, mortality is high, mainly because of the risk of rupture leading to... |
| *78. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *79. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 80. | Tubbins, ? | No. ? | Insanity Insanity Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity... |
| 81. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 82. | Parker, Collie | No. ? | Shot after attempting to hijack escorting half-track Half-track A half-track is a civilian or military vehicle with regular wheels on the front for steering, and caterpillar tracks on the back to propel the vehicle and carry most of the load. The purpose of this combination is to produce a vehicle with the cross-country capabilities of a tank and the handling... |
| 83. | Wyman, Marty | No. 97 | Lay down |
| 84. | Sledge, Bobby | No. ? | Tried to escape into the crowd |
| 85. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 86. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *87. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *88. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *89. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| *90. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 91. | Abraham, ? | No. 2 | Fever-induced fatigue |
| 92. | Pastor, Bruce | No. ? | ? |
| 93. | Unknown boy | No. ? | ? |
| 94. | Fielder, George | No. ? | Insanity Insanity Insanity, craziness or madness is a spectrum of behaviors characterized by certain abnormal mental or behavioral patterns. Insanity may manifest as violations of societal norms, including becoming a danger to themselves and others, though not all such acts are considered insanity... |
| 95. | Hough, Bill | No. ? | ? |
| 96. | Rattigan, ? | No. ? | ? |
| 97. | Baker, Art | No. 3 | Hemorrhage |
| 98. | McVries, Peter | No. 61 | Sat down |
| 99. | Stebbins, ? | No. 88 | Sudden death due to fatigue |
| 100. | Garraty, Ray | No. 47 | Winner; possible insanity or death |
Hints and Procedures
All Walkers receive a handbook of sorts that included "hints" and "rules", and several are featured prominently in the novel:- Hint 3: Do not, repeat, do not wear sneakers. Nothing will give you blisters faster than sneakers on a Long Walk.
- Hint 6: Slow and easy does it.
- Rule 8 : No interference with your fellow Walkers.
- Hint 10: Save your wind. If you smoke ordinarily, try not to smoke on the Long Walk.
- Hint 12: (not stated specifically, but recommends wearing white athletic socks)
- Hint 13: Conserve energy whenever possible.
- rule ?: bodily contact with anyone you wish, as long as you don't leave the road.
Each year, thousands of teenage boys apply to take part in the Long Walk. Applicants are put through a series of tests, including an essay in which they explain why they believe themselves qualified to participate. Those who pass are entered into a lottery
Lottery
A lottery is a form of gambling which involves the drawing of lots for a prize.Lottery is outlawed by some governments, while others endorse it to the extent of organizing a national or state lottery. It is common to find some degree of regulation of lottery by governments...
drawing that is broadcast nationwide on television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
, well before the Walk begins. Two hundred names are drawn, with 100 classified as "Prime Walkers" (first picks to participate) and 100 as backups; however, no announcements are made at this time as to which is which.
There are several chances to withdraw from the process, spread out between the time that applicants learn whether they have passed the tests and the start of the Walk. If someone does withdraw, the first available backup Walker (based on the order in which names were drawn) is moved up to take his place. Notifications as to Prime or backup status are not sent out until the final withdrawal deadline, which is the day before the Walk begins.
On the morning of May 1, the Walkers gather at the starting point, where soldiers check them in and give them canteens and food supplies. The Major greets them and assigns each one a number from 1 to 100 in alphabetical order by last name; each Walker is given a placard with his number, which he must wear taped to his clothes. The soldiers refer to Walkers only by their numbers throughout the course of the event. At exactly 9:00, the Major signals for the Walk to start.
The route
- Based on details in the book, the most likely starting point for the Long Walk is Van Buren, Maine.
- In the novel, the Walk travels mainly along U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1U.S. Route 1 is a major north–south U.S. Highway that serves the East Coast of the United States. It runs 2,377 miles from Fort Kent, Maine at the Canadian border south to Key West, Florida. U.S. 1 generally parallels Interstate 95, though it is significantly farther west between...
through LimestoneLimestone, MaineLimestone is a town in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,314 at the 2010 census. The town is best known for being the home of the Loring Commerce Center...
, CaribouCaribou, MaineCaribou is the second largest city in Aroostook County, Maine, United States. Its population was 8,189 at the 2010 census.-History:Between 1838 and 1839, the undeclared Aroostook War flared between the United States and Canada, and the Battle of Caribou occurred in December 1838...
, the apparently fictional Jefferson Plantation marking the 100 mile point, Old TownOld Town, MaineOld Town is a city in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. The population was 7,840 at the 2010 census. The city's developed area is chiefly located on a relatively large island, though its boundaries extend beyond that...
, AugustaAugusta, MaineAugusta is the capital of the US state of Maine, county seat of Kennebec County, and center of population for Maine. The city's population was 19,136 at the 2010 census, making it the third-smallest state capital after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota...
, LewistonLewiston, MaineLewiston is a city in Androscoggin County in Maine, and the second-largest city in the state. The population was 41,592 at the 2010 census. It is one of two principal cities of and included within the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine metropolitan New England city and town area and the Lewiston-Auburn, Maine...
, the completely fictional Porterville, Freeport (the closest city to Garraty's hometown of Pownal), PortlandPortland, MainePortland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
and South PortlandSouth Portland, MaineSouth Portland is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, and is the fourth-largest city in the state. Founded in 1895, as of the 2010 census, the city population was 25,002. Known for its working waterfront, South Portland is situated on Portland Harbor and overlooks the skyline of...
, KitteryKittery, MaineKittery is a town in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 9,543 at the 2000 census. Home to the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard on Seavey's Island, Kittery includes Badger's Island, the seaside district of Kittery Point, and part of the Isles of Shoals...
, across New HampshireNew HampshireNew Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
, and ending in Danvers, MassachusettsDanvers, MassachusettsDanvers is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. Located on the Danvers River near the northeastern coast of Massachusetts, Danvers is most widely known for its association with the 1692 Salem witch trials, and for its famous asylum, the Danvers State Hospital.-17th century:The land...
.
Film, TV or theatrical adaptations
Frank DarabontFrank Darabont
Frank Darabont is a Hungarian-American film director, screenwriter and producer who has been nominated for three Academy Awards and a Golden Globe. He has directed the films The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, all based on stories by Stephen King...
has secured the rights to the film adaptation of the novel. He said that he would "get to it one day". He plans to make it low-budget, "weird, existential, and very self contained".
Editions
- ISBN 0-606-16924-5 (prebound, 1999)
- ISBN 0-451-19671-6 (mass market paperback, 1999)