Stephen King

Stephen King

Long Walk / Thinner

The Long Walk: In the near future, where America has become a police state, one hundred boys are selected to enter an annual contest where the winner will be awarded whatever he wants for the rest of his life. The game is simple - maintain a steady pace of four miles per hour without stopping. Three warnings, and you're shot to death.
Thinner: Billy Halleck commits vehicular homicide when his lack of attention to driving results in the death of an old lady on the street. Overweigh Halleck is a lawyer with connections, though, and gets off with a slap on the wrist. After his trial, a gypsy curses him with a single word, "Thinner." Halleck begins to lose weight uncontrollably and must pursue the band of gypsies who are responsible for his dwindling condition.


Friday, December 26, 2014

Chapter 5

I think its weird that Garraty dosen't like when people cheer for him in the Long Walk. On page 103, the narrator says, "He wondered if the sign was for Go-Go Garraty, "Maine's Own." Somehow he hoped not. Somehow the idea was a little repulsive." Then again, on page 116, it states, "Garraty was alarmed to hear his own name called out." I would think that the cheering would give him motivation to keep walking, so I'm not really sure why he's so disgusted by it. It also says on page 116, that "The thought of a million people from all over the state rooting for him and laying bets on him . . . was a little scary." I can understand why he wouldn't want people betting on him, but I'd think that having people on the side of the road cheering for you is a big advantage. I think it would push him to walk as long as he can so he could impress all the people he knew wanted him to win. Why do you think Garraty hates people supporting him and rooting for him to win the walk so much?

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3 comments:

  1. KindelDecember 28, 2014 at 6:17 AM

    Just curious. How are the people chosen for the walk? Is there a set purpose for it?

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    1. UnknownDecember 28, 2014 at 10:23 AM

      All the contestants sign up to be in the walk themselves.The purpose is to win some great prize by being the last one standing, but the author hasn't explicitly stated what the prize is yet. So far, not much has been said about how the walk started or the society that they live in.

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  2. AnonymousDecember 28, 2014 at 12:40 PM

    Honestly, it wasn't terribly clear as to how they applied or how they were chosen. But from what you can infer from the beginning of the book, all of these boys are there willingly. The purpous isn't all that clear, either. It is power or money i guess. One boy said that the winner of the walk would get a "wish" but it isn't clear exactly what that means.

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