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Thread: The Long Walk - Let's Discuss! *SPOILERS*

  1. #51
    The Tenant Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean's Avatar

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    there's more to that, though. It's not that you yourself will die that is out of the question; you don't really believe those other guys will die, because you don't really know what death is. What you have in your mind before the race starts is that they will somehow be taken away, disappear, - compete with you no more. That's the most precious part of the book for me: when the deaths start, the boys start actually helping each other, against all common sense. They hadn't really known what they bought into, because of some things there is no knowing but first-hand; now they knew, and their humanity prevailed over their rationality.

    Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
    When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)

    bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  2. #52
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    Very well put Jean. I believe it's something that they can't fully imagine before hand, and it's not until they start to experience it first hand (being on that side of the race) that they really grasp what is going to happen to them.
    Only the gentle are ever really strong.

  3. #53
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    Wonderfully put, Jean

  4. #54
    Gunslinger Apprentice JQ The Gunslinger is on a distinguished road JQ The Gunslinger's Avatar

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    Exactly

  5. #55
    - razz is a jewel in the rough razz is a jewel in the rough razz is a jewel in the rough razz is a jewel in the rough

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    indeed

  6. #56
    John F. Kennedy Archangel(tjk) is on a distinguished road Archangel(tjk)'s Avatar

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    I just finished the Long Walk 2 weeks ago for the first time. I would say what happened to Garraty was what Stebbins meant when he was talking about how nobody ever really won, and the prize was a farce. I can see where the RF reference comes from, Garraty compares the monster that he dubs "crowd" as a crimson spider coming out the ground, but I think that we are seeing Garraty's death and not RF.
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  7. #57
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    i need to re read this, i loved it first time.

    before i do though a few thoughts and then i can let you know if i still think the same way after the re-read.

    now then - 2 points
    1. i beleive the dark figure is one of his friends who had died along the way (cant remember names at this moment) but the friend is beckoning him to walk on to his death. i dont think he has lost his mind, i think he is dieing and his vision is decreasing. therefore he can not say who the figure is
    2. who would sign up for this you ask> well let me tell you a story.
    ARE YOU SITTING COMFORTABLEY?
    here on the isle of man we have what is known as the parish walk, which funnily enough has been going on today. Now it may sound all cute and sunday afternoonish. But its not

    its an endurance walk all around the parishs (towns) of the island, its 85 miles long and includes 18 towns. all done in 24 hours.
    here comes the kicker, if you dont get to a specific town within time lines, the time keeper leaves. so the last ?? miles you have walked dont get counted. (nice eh?)
    its done in all weather and last year had hailstones, torrential rain fall and gale force winds.

    people still sign up for this as a sign on endurance and to say they have done it. so to me the premise of the long walk is only one step further (see what i did there) along the endurance chain.
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  8. #58
    Can Toi WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future WeDealInLead has a brilliant future

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    This is my favourite Bachman. Rage seemed a little too naive and Roadwork too bland. Decent reads but I don't see any potential re-reads in near future. Anywho... I don't think that the walk has so much to do with population control (it seems to be a totalitarian society already, people are "squaded" for speaking out and never seen again). To me the point seemed to be to further desensitize the population. To make death a national past time and have people cheer at deaths of teenagers means to take an even stronger hold of the population. If people will give up their children to this and the crowd cheeres at bloodshed, what does that tell you about the human spirit and condition of the country? If murder is legal, what else are they getting away with?

  9. #59
    Citizen of Gilead Roland of Gilead 33 will become famous soon enough Roland of Gilead 33's Avatar

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    i think i read this in 2 & a half days or so? i LOVED IT! i didn't expect to cause growing up my brother was never much of a 'Bachman" fan & always said outside of "Thinner" that was the only really good one. this is before "Blaze" came out which he loves by the way.

    so i in short kept my expecations low cause of that. & i'm glad i did cause it made me love the book even more. i think i've read it a 2nd time since. but i don't think i read it as fast as i did the 1st time. he he

  10. #60
    Soldier Boy Odetta is a jewel in the rough Odetta is a jewel in the rough Odetta is a jewel in the rough Odetta is a jewel in the rough Odetta's Avatar

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    I've read this story multiple times. I am a huge fan as well!
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  11. #61
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    i love it cause it's not like anything KING was writing at the time. or most writers since. it sounds like a weak story if you really think about it. & it also sounds like someone else has already done it, this is of course if you haven't read the book. but upon reading it it feels like an original idea. & not like nobody had written before or since.

  12. #62
    Other worlds Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick has a reputation beyond repute Patrick's Avatar

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    I just finished reading this story again for the first time in probably over 18 years. It had been so long that I couldn't even remember how it ended.

    What a freaking fantastic book! I love it as much today as I did then.



    Quote Originally Posted by Jean View Post
    ... That's the most precious part of the book for me: when the deaths start, the boys start actually helping each other, against all common sense. They hadn't really known what they bought into, because of some things there is no knowing but first-hand; now they knew, and their humanity prevailed over their rationality.
    Perfect.


    In regards to the discussion about the dark figure (an imaginary walker) that Garraty sees at the end of the story:

    Obviously Ray is delirious to the point that he doesn't realize that the Walk is complete and that he has won. What is unclear is whether his delirium is a permanent or a temporary effect. I don't think death nor madness for him is a given. I think King intentionally left it for each Reader to decide for themselves whether he dies, goes permanently insane, or eventually regains his senses.
    Last edited by Patrick; 02-01-2011 at 10:09 PM. Reason: added stuff
    "...that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little." ~ Ray Bradbury

  13. #63
    Citizen of Gilead Roland of Gilead 33 will become famous soon enough Roland of Gilead 33's Avatar

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    that's something i'd be curious to know about that character. even if it's just mentioned in one of his books briefly. to my best of knowledge it hasn't been. unless i'm of course wrong?

  14. #64
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    I don't recall anything mentioned... I always thought the walk drove him mad permanently.
    Buddy, you think you look strong? You’re wearing a cape.

  15. #65
    Citizen of Gilead Roland of Gilead 33 will become famous soon enough Roland of Gilead 33's Avatar

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    i got that impression as well. but than one thing i think is funny is "Kevin Smith" saying "The Lord of the rings' is really a story about people walking, he's right actually. so is the "DT" series essentially as well. & so is 'The Long Walk" all good stories. & i'm actually surprised no one has done a film of this great book yet. as for "Rage" i thought they would have done one years ago. i don't expect anyone to do one of that one though. cause

    on how he's since pulled it out of print. it's also kinda surprising that his "Bachman" stuff hasn't really been made into films. yes we have 2 of them as films. but only 2. & two of my favorite films. 'Thinner" i actually prefer the film over the book which is actually a RARITY! & i love the film 'The Running Man' the thing he Arnie S. rides in at the start of the film or whatever it's called always reminds me of

    the ride at "walt disney world'; "Space Mountain" i think is the name? the ONLY difference is of course it's safer & you don't go upside down in it.

  16. #66
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    I wonder if SK was basing this story on the death walks the Nazis forced the Jews to take at the end of WW2
    Buddy, you think you look strong? You’re wearing a cape.

  17. #67
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    ya know it really wouldn't surprise me. isn't he a history buff? trying to write that bio on i forget who in the 70's but being unable to do so cause it was just to damn hard. plus i believe he's taken that them & used it to a LOT of his books.


    the theme being shit that's happened in society & so on. the good & the bad. & how people respond to it. "George A. Romero" does that with his films. in various ways.

  18. #68
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    I just finished this for the first time and came in here to see what everybody thought about the ending. I read the last few paragraphs paragraphs a couple times before I came to the conclusion that either: the dark figure at the end was Garraty's father (the thought came to me that the Major might be his father as well. Stebbins made a comment like, and I'm paraphrasing here, I heard he's got dozens of 'em [refferring to other children] or, the other thought I came up with was that the figure didn't exist, simply a figment of his deteriorating mind. You could even go as far as to say that Garraty died near or at the end of the Walk and is doomed to walk forever in his own personal hell.
    A NEW GAME BEGINS

  19. #69
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    I always assumed Garraty was insane at the end and would never be able to stop walking for fear of being Ticketed.
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  20. #70
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    I've thought for years that this would be a great character-based movie, it may not be the most action packed, but I loved the characters so much. Given the awful stories that have been translated to video, I'm really surprised that they haven't done this one.

  21. #71
    The Tenant Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean's Avatar

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    Given the awful stories that have been translated to video, I am not in the least surprised.

    Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
    When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)

    bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  22. #72
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    lol, very true.

  23. #73
    Gunslinger Apprentice mtdman has a spectacular aura about mtdman has a spectacular aura about mtdman's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by bethany View Post
    I always assumed Garraty was insane at the end and would never be able to stop walking for fear of being Ticketed.
    I'm down with this. The figure he sees is in his mind.

  24. #74
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    I think the figure he sees represents "Death" and the strength that he found to run was him passing over, as it were. He walked himself to death and his last living thoughts were tinged with insanity. No white light, no peaceful "clearing at the end of the path," just a dark, insane death. Grim, I know, but very effective! (I really like this story)

  25. #75
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    I listened to the entire audiobook on a long road trip yesterday. I went into this with no knowledge of the plot or premise of the book. Although I should have seen it coming, I was shocked when the first walker "bought his ticket". I didn't quite understand the ending, but after reading through these posts I think that was kind of the point. It seems that Bachman/King wants you to interpret as the reader. I would rather be told, but that's just me.

    Still, I really enjoyed the book.

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