The Long Walk (novel)

Template:Short description Template:About Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox book The Long Walk is a dystopian horror novel by American writer Stephen King, published in 1979, under the pseudonym Richard Bachman. Set in a dystopian alternative version of the United States ruled by a totalitarian regime, the plot follows the contestants of a grueling annual walking contest. While not the first of King's novels to be published, The Long Walk was the first novel he wrote, having begun it in 1966–67 during his freshman year at the University of Maine, some eight years before his first published novel, Carrie, was released in 1974.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref>

It was collected in 1985 in the hardcover omnibus The Bachman Books, and has seen several reprints since, as both paperback and hardcover. In 2023, Centipede Press released the first stand-alone hardcover edition.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Plot

Set in an alternative, dystopian version of the United States, the plot revolves around the Long Walk, an annual contest in which 100 young men walk continuously along a pre-arranged route (presumably on Route 1). Walkers must keep a minimum pace of Template:Convert, and are issued verbal warnings by soldiers monitoring their progress if they fall below this speed for 30 seconds. A walker can lose one warning if he walks for an hour without earning another. If a walker receives three warnings and falls below the minimum speed for 30 seconds again, he is shot and killed by the soldiers. There are no breaks or rest periods of any sort, and the Walk does not have a set distance or time limit; it ends only when one walker remains alive, receiving whatever he wants for the rest of his life as his prize.

Ray Garraty, from Androscoggin County, Maine, arrives at the start of the Walk on the Canada–Maine border, where he meets the other walkers, among them the sardonic Pete McVries, the friendly Art Baker, the cocky Hank Olson and the enigmatic Stebbins. The Major, the leader of the secret police force known as the Squads, starts the Walk. Throughout the first day, Garraty befriends Baker, Olson, and several other walkers such as Abraham and Pearson, growing particularly close to McVries and becoming intrigued by Stebbins. The men speculate on who will be the first walker to be eliminated. A walker named Gary Barkovitch reveals to a reporter that he is in the Long Walk to "dance on the graves" of other participants, and later provokes another walker into attacking him, resulting in the latter's death and Barkovitch being ostracized.

Garraty succeeds in surviving the night. Scramm, the odds-on favorite in Vegas, tells Garraty that he has a pregnant wife and will have sufficient motivation to keep going. Garraty decides that his motivation is to survive until Freeport, where he hopes to see his girlfriend Jan in the crowd. The walkers begin to resent the Major, and McVries stops walking in an attempt to fight the soldiers, but is saved by Garraty. In return, McVries saves Garraty's life after Garraty experiences a panic attack. This camaraderie infuriates Olson, who is now severely fatigued. Garraty reveals to the others that the Squads took his father away, and a fight almost breaks out between McVries and another walker, Collie Parker, when Parker claims that only "damn fools" are "Squaded".

Stebbins tells Garraty that he believes he will win, but that all walkers have a death wish. McVries tells Garraty that he will sit down when he cannot walk farther. Stebbins advises Garraty to watch Olson, who has become unresponsive. After Garraty brings Olson out of this state, Olson attacks the soldiers and is executed. Scramm falls ill with pneumonia and seems likely to collapse. The other walkers agree that the winner should provide financial security for Scramm's wife. Garraty asks Barkovitch to join the agreement, and Barkovitch agrees, as he has suffered in isolation from the others. Scramm thanks the others and is killed in an act of defiance against the soldiers.

After developing a charley horse, Garraty receives three warnings, but recovers and resumes walking with less than two seconds to spare. To distract himself until he can lose a warning, he tells McVries about how he felt a compulsion to join the walk and that his mother allowed herself to be persuaded by the thought of financial security. McVries reveals that he joined the walk against his family's wishes. Abraham tells Garraty that he did not withdraw after being accepted due to the amusement it provided to his town. Garraty begins to suffer from doubts about his sexuality and masculinity due to suppressed memories re-emerging, especially after McVries hints that he is sexually attracted to Garraty. This causes Garraty to lash out at a deteriorating Barkovitch, and Barkovitch kills himself when the rest of the walkers begin taunting him. The next morning, Garraty finds that many walkers (including Pearson) have died overnight, as Barkovitch predicted.

When the walkers arrive in Freeport, Garraty attempts to die in Jan's arms but is saved by McVries. As a response, Abraham convinces the walkers to make a promise to stop helping each other, which Garraty does reluctantly. This has disastrous consequences: Parker starts a revolution against the soldiers but is killed when nobody joins in; Abraham removes his shirt and catches a cold overnight because nobody can offer him a replacement, resulting in his death; Baker falls over and gains a severe nosebleed, and is given three warnings as nobody helps him up. On the morning of the 5th day, Stebbins reveals to Garraty and McVries that he is the Major's son, and his prize would be acceptance into the Major's household. However, Stebbins has become aware that the Major is using him as a "rabbit" to cause the walk to last longer, which has worked, as seven walkers make it into Massachusetts. Baker, now delirious, tells Garraty that he cannot walk any farther and thanks Garraty for being his friend. Garraty unsuccessfully tries to talk him out of suicide.

With Baker dead, the only remaining walkers are Garraty, Stebbins, and McVries. As Garraty tells him a fairy tale, McVries falls asleep and walks towards the crowd. Garraty breaks his promise and saves him; however, McVries chooses to sit down and die peacefully. A distraught Garraty is beckoned by a dark figure further ahead and decides to give up because Stebbins cannot be beaten. When he tries to tell Stebbins, Stebbins clutches at him in horror and falls over dead.

This leaves Garraty the uncomprehending winner. He ignores the Major and keeps following the dark figure (whom he believes to be another walker), declaring that there is "still so far to walk" and, hoping to catch up, even finds the strength to run.

Characters

Raymond Davis "Ray" Garraty (#47)

The novel's main character and point-of-view character, a 160-lb. 16-year-old boy from Pownal. Garraty's father was Squaded for his outspoken political opinion when Garraty himself was very young, shaping his identity over time and leaving his mother - and himself - alone and with very little money. Garraty is a natural leader, demonstrating sincerity, benevolence, and a considerable measure of discipline. He also tends to be sensitive and somewhat naïve, as well as insecure in his masculinity. Garraty is more familiar with the Long Walk area, and the boys find themselves consulting and relying on him throughout their struggles; he is also one of the few Walkers who has seen a previous Walk in person. He felt a compulsion to join the Walk that he struggles to understand, but exhibits a tenacious will to live. He is played by Cooper Hoffman in the film adaptation.

Peter "Pete" McVries (#61)

Garraty's closest companion and staunch ally; one of the original "Musketeers", a 167-lb. 16-year-old boy from Passaic, New Jersey, where he lived with his mother, father, and his four-year-old sister, Katrina. He is described as very fit, with black hair and a bad scar along one cheek that stands out when he is nervous, frightened, or angry. A natural leader in his own right, McVries demonstrates wit, charisma, and compassion; he is also very bitter, and despises himself after a recent traumatic breakup. McVries struggles to reconcile his own altruistic nature with the brutally competitive reality of the Walk. He encourages and often saves his companions through his actions, advice, and quick thinking; conversely, in several instances, he intentionally goads them into pushing him away. McVries is Barkovitch's foil and openly detests the other boy for his deliberate cruelty. He is played by David Jonsson in the film adaptation.

Stebbins (#88)

A loner who walks at the rear of the group, Stebbins is described as "skinny and blond, wearing purple pants and a blue chambray shirt under an old green zip sweater." Stebbins is enigmatic, sardonic, and self-assured. He is also intelligent and very insightful, with an uncanny ability to predict others' thoughts, feelings, and reactions, which he uses to rattle the other boys. He later reveals himself to be one of the Major's many illegitimate children and presumes that he was chosen for the Walk as a tool to galvanize the other Walkers and prolong the competition. He is played by Garrett Wareing in the film adaptation.

Arthur "Art" Baker (#3)

One of the original Musketeers, a 17-year-old former Night Rider from a large impoverished family in Louisiana; before the Long Walk, he was considering a career as a mortician. He is described as "young and beautiful," walks with "deceptive leisure," and speaks "with a very slight Southern accent" that he consciously suppresses. Baker is gentle, thoughtful, and soft-spoken, but he is also elusive, acquisitive, and somewhat morbid: death intrigues him, and he dwells on it constantly. He is played by Tut Nyuot in the film adaptation.

Henry "Hank" Olson (#70)

One of the original Musketeers, Olson is a boy of unknown background who is full of bluster and bravado. His audacity quickly fades, however: he becomes panicky, helpless, withdrawn, and—eventually—nearly unresponsive, though he persists with the help of McVries and Garraty. He considers himself a man of simple needs and doesn't believe in love as an earthly concept. Olson is deeply religious; his profound devotion to the Catholic faith shines through in moments of desperation and despair. He is played by Ben Wang in the film adaptation.

Gary Barkovitch (#5)

A boy from Washington, DC, described as a "dark, intense-looking boy" with olive skin, a rather sharp nose, and hooded dark brown eyes. Barkovitch is sadistic and provocative, with narcissistic tendencies. He demonstrates a craving for attention, but due to his personality, he tends to be either ignored or ridiculed, which agitates him; he is ostracized after goading a boy to his death. Scramm speculates that Barkovitch willingly joined the Walk in order to watch others suffer and die. He is loathed by most, if not all, of the other Walkers, but particularly by McVries. He is played by Charlie Plummer in the film adaptation.

Scramm (#85)

The predicted winner of the current Long Walk, he's from Arizona, where he lives with his pregnant 17-year-old wife, Cathy. He is described as a "big bull of a fellow" with a moon face, a crew cut, a "mooselike" build, and few remaining teeth. Though he is considered dim-witted, Scramm is friendly and remarkably dignified. He appears to have a great deal of respect for the Hopi. He does not appear in the film adaptation.

Abraham "Abe" (#2)

One of Garraty's companions, a 17-year-old described as "a tall boy with reddish hair in jeans and a T-shirt" as well as Oxford shoes. Abraham is droll, somber, and irritable; he applied to the Walk on an impulse, then followed through out of spite after his acceptance—an achievement he was proud of—was treated as a joke by his loved ones. He is understandably bitter about his resulting participation. He does not appear in the film adaptation.

Collie Parker

One of Garraty's companions, a boy from Joliet, Illinois, described as "a big-muscled blond in a polo shirt." Parker is naturally cocky, rowdy, and abrasive; Garraty initially dislikes Parker, believing him to be a bully. Parker mellows over time, however, and they earn each other's respect. Parker demonstrates an astonishing capacity for camaraderie and fortitude; he is the only Walker known to have successfully killed a half-track soldier. He is played by Joshua Odjick in the film adaptation.

Pearson

One of Garraty's companions. He is described as a tall young man with glasses and pants that are too big for him. Pearson is morose and enjoys poetry, game theory, and chess, and views the Walk as a competition that can be solved logically. For luck, Pearson keeps 99 pennies in one pocket and moves a penny to his other pocket whenever another Walker dies. He is played by Thamela Mpumlwana in the film adaptation.

Harkness (#49)

One of Garraty's companions, a boy described as wearing "glasses and a crewcut," with a naturally florid face. He carries a notebook to record the other Walkers' names and numbers and aspires to write a book about the Long Walk from an insider's perspective. He is played by Jordan Gonzalez in the film adaptation.

Curley (#7)

The first walker to die. After he gets a charley horse in his leg, he is unable to maintain the limit despite encouragement from Garraty, and is promptly executed. He is played by Roman Griffin Davis in the film adaptation.

The Major

The Major is described as "a tall, straight man with a deep desert tan" and a salt-and-pepper mustache wearing khakis, reflective sunglasses, and a pistol strapped to a Sam Browne belt. He appears intermittently throughout the novel, riding a "dun-colored jeep" and speaking seldomly through a battery-powered loudhailer. He is an authoritative, almost mythical figure who awes and haunts the boys in turn throughout the Walk; he is compared to both God and Mammon. He is played by Mark Hamill in the film adaptation.

Order of character eliminations

Elimination of characters

Order	Last name	First name	Number	Reason for elimination
1	Curley	Unknown	7	Charley horse in his leg
2	Ewing		9	Blisters
3	Unknown			Slowed down too much
4	Zuck	Unknown	100	Bleeding from a cut on the knee
5	Travin	Unknown		Had diarrhea
6	Fenter	Unknown	12	Had cramps
7	Larson		60	Sat down
8	Unknown
9	Toland	Unknown		Fainted
10	Quincy/Quentin(?)	Unknown
11–12Template:Efn	Unknown
13	Baker	James	4	Unknown
14	Rank	Unknown		Fight with Barkovitch
15	Unknown
16	Unknown			Attempt to flee
17	Unknown		45	Fall
18–24Template:Efn	Unknown
25	Davidson	Unknown	8	Unknown
26	Unknown
27Template:Efn
28	Yannick	Unknown	98	Unknown
29	Unknown			Convulsions
30	Gribble	Unknown	48	Stopped due to cramps
31	Harkness		49	Fatigue
32	Unknown	Percy	31	Attempt to flee
33	Unknown
34
35Template:Efn	Wayne	Unknown	94	Unknown
36Template:Efn	Unknown
37	Morgan	Frank	64	Unknown
38	Unknown
39	Unknown		38	Foot run over by half-track
40	Unknown
41	Tressler	Unknown	92	Sun stroke
42	Unknown			Convulsions
43	Aaronson	Unknown	1	Had cramps
44	Unknown			Sun stroke
45	Unknown
46
47
48	Jensen	Unknown		Panicked during thunderstorm
49	Unknown			Fainted
50	Fenum	Roger	13
51	Unknown
52
53	Olson	Hank	70	Attacked soldiers
54	Unknown
55
56Template:Efn
57Template:Efn
58
59Template:Efn	Scramm	Unknown	85	Sat down
60Template:Efn	Unknown	Mike	Unknown
61		Joe	Unknown
62	Unknown
63	Gallant	Unknown
64	Milligan	Unknown		Overstimulated; stopped
65Template:Efn	Unknown
66
67	Quince	Harold	Unknown
68	Barkovitch	Gary	5	Tore out own throat
69–73Template:Efn	Unknown
74Template:Efn	Pearson	Unknown
75	Field	Charlie	Unknown
76Template:Efn	Unknown
77Template:Efn
78Template:Efn
79Template:Efn	Klingerman	Unknown	59	Appendicitis
80	Tubbins		93	Insanity
81Template:Efn	Unknown
82	Parker	Collie	Unknown	Attacked soldiers
83	Wyman	Marty	97	Exhaustion
84	Sledge	Bobby	Unknown	Attempt to flee
85	Unknown
86	Unknown			Exhaustion
87–89Template:Efn	Unknown
90	Unknown	Abraham	2	Exhaustion
91Template:Efn	Unknown
92Template:Efn
93Template:Efn	Pastor	Bruce	Unknown
94	Fielder	George	Unknown	Insanity
95	Hough	Bill	Unknown
96	Rattigan	Unknown
97	Baker	Art	3	Internal hemorrhage
98	McVries	Pete	61	Sat down
99	Stebbins	Unknown	88	Exhaustion
100	Garraty	Ray	47	Winner

NotesTemplate:Notelist

Analysis

Heidi Strengell describes the book as a naturalistic novel, noting King's representation of human nature through the characters. She called it one of King's "most pessimistic novels".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Critic Douglas Winter similarly viewed the novel as King's most despairing work, calling it a "bleak science-fictional mirror of contemporary America".<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Reviewers have also categorized the novel as a metaphor for the Vietnam War. James Smythe of The Guardian connects several elements of the novel to the conflict: "the televised draft, the horror of seeing new friends die, the seeming lack of reason for it occurring in the first place".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Film adaptation

In 1988, George A. Romero was approached to direct the film adaptation, but it never happened.<ref>Lilja's Library – The World of Stephen King – Unproduced Screenplays</ref> By 2007, Frank Darabont had secured the rights to the film adaptation of the novel.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Darabont said that he would "get to it one day" and planned to make it low-budget, "weird, existential, and very contained".<ref>Frank Darabont Interview Template:Webarchive</ref> In April 2018, it was announced that New Line Cinema would develop a film adaptation of the novel. Darabont's rights to the film had lapsed, and filmmaker James Vanderbilt stepped in to write and produce the film with Bradley Fischer and William Sherak of the Mythology Entertainment production company.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On May 21, 2019, New Line announced that André Øvredal would direct the adaptation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and on November 28, 2023, Øvredal was no longer attached to direct and Francis Lawrence was announced to direct the adaptation and the rights were moved to Lionsgate after it lapsed from New Line.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On June 10, 2024, Cooper Hoffman and David Jonsson were announced to be in talks to star.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In July, Hoffman and Jonsson were confirmed to star as Ray Garraty and Pete McVries respectively, along with Garrett Wareing, Tut Nyuot, Charlie Plummer, Ben Wang, Jordan Gonzalez, Joshua Odjick, and Roman Griffin Davis.<ref name="DL">Template:Cite web</ref>

The film is largely accurate but several important details were changed. King himself asked the filmmakers to reduce the walking pace from 4 miles per hour to 3 miles per hour (the average walking pace), as he felt the original speed was unrealistic for the duration of the marathon. The number of initial walkers is reduced to 50 with one contestant from every state, Scramm and Abraham are not present, Stebbins dies third-to-last instead of being the runner-up, and Garraty sacrifices himself for McVries. In the film, Garraty plans to kill the Major if he wins, and after McVries wins instead, he uses his wish to ask for a rifle and kills the Major with it, fulfilling Garraty's wish.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

See also

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• Delta Force selection process
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External links

• The Long Walk at Stephen King's official site