The Long Walk

The Long Walk is the seventh book published by Stephen King; it is his sixth novel, and the second written under the pseudonym of Richard Bachman. The book was published by Signet in 1979; much like the Bachman novel The Running Man, The Long Walk deals with a contest in which the losers die, although The Long Walk is not shown to be biased or rigged in any way.

Plot Summary

In a future United States, albeit one stemming from a different history (references to "April 31st" and "The German air blitz on the east coast" are made) there has been an apparent military takeover of the country, and a man only known as "The Major" seems to be the leading figure of the country. Every year on May 1st, a competition called the Long Walk starts. During this contest, one hundred teenage boys, picked at random from a large pool of applicants, walk as far as possible without stopping. The walk never stops for any reason, including bad weather (although it is commented by Stebbins "It stops every year. Once.").The walkers are allowed to bring anything with them, including food, although food concentrates are handed out once a day. Once the walk starts, no outside help from the crowd is allowed, although walkers may help each other provided they stay above four miles per hour. The route starts at the border of Canada and Maine and ends where the last walker remains standing.

Each walker must maintain a constant speed of at least four miles per hour. The speed of the walkers is measured to the fourth decimal point by soldiers riding halftracks by the side of the road. If the walker drops below this speed for thirty seconds, at once or spread out, he receives a warning. Warnings can also be given to walkers who try to impede the progress of other walkers. If a walker receives four of these warnings, he is "ticketed." Although the direct meaning of being ticketed is not given at the beginning of the book, it is soon made clear after the walk begins that "buying a ticket" means being shot by the soldiers on the halftracks. Certain serious violations, such as leaving the road for any reason or attacking a halftrack, result in immediate ticketing. The winner of the walk is the last competitor remaining alive, and he receives "The Prize," whatever he wants for the rest of his life.

The general public can also be warned or receive an interference ticket for disrupting the walk or trying to help the walkers. One of the mothers of the walkers tries to take her son out of the walk multiple time, and would have been shot by the soldiers if local police hadn't intervened. Another man manages to throw watermelon to the walkers, and is arrested. Although his fate is unknown after he was arrested, his execution or imprisonment would be a plausible theory. 

The Long Walk is shown to be a mental and physical trial, as contestants are faced with the ideas of their own death. Being ticketed is often result of insanity and complete mental breakdowns; one walker eventually tears his own throat out due to emotional stress from the surrounding situation.

The main character of this novel is Ray Garraty, a sixteen-year-old boy from Maine. He represents the state of Maine as its only competitor in the Long Walk, and often sees signs held by the crowd saing "Maine's Own" and "Go-Go Garraty". He falls in with several boys during the course of the walk, including Peter McVries, who he becomes closest to, Art Baker, Hank Olson, Collie Parker, Pearson, Harkness, and Abraham. Gary Barkovich, another walker, establishes himself as a main antagonist, taunting the other walkers with threats of "dancing on their graves." Stebbins, another walker, establishes himself as the loner of the group, often walking towards the back of the group and only speaking to Garraty in short, cryptic phrases. 

Along the road, the Walkers learn that one of their number, an older kid named Scramm — who is initially the heavy odds-on favorite to win the Walk — is married. When Scramm gets pneumonia, and realizes that he will soon die, the remaining Walkers agree that the winner will use some of the Prize to take care of his pregnant widow, Cathy.

After five days, the walk comes down to Garraty and Stebbins, who has just admitted to being the bastard son of the major. After walking for almost an entire day more, Garraty walks up to Stebins and is about to tell him that he is about to give up, when Stebbins claws desperately at Garraty's shirt and screams "Oh! Garraty!" before dying. Unaware of the celebration going on all around him, Garraty walks towards a dark figure in front of him, trying to identify it. When the major puts his hand on Garraty's shoulder to congratulate him, Garraty "somehow finds the strength to run."

Major Characters

• Raymond Garraty- The protagonist of the novel, a sixteen-year-old boy from Maine. He is the only competitor from the state of Maine, where the long walk is held, and is shown huge amounts of support from the crowd. During the walk, Garraty makes many revelations about mortality, and the imminent possibility of his own death. 
• Peter McVries, a young man who has taken the challenge as a means of suicide
• Hank Olson, a competitor who cuts himself off from all other walkers
• Art Baker, a close friend of Garraty and McVries
• Gary Barkovitch, an unpleasant walker who forces himself to keep walking to watch his competition die
• Stebbins, the son of the Major