is how many miles walked by the winner of The Long Walk. By the end, they can't eat, and they are emaciated. They have also probably all gone a little insane. With a story like this, I love that King leaves the ending a little ambivilent - I wont ruin it for you, because this is a story that is well worth the read. If I were in the state that Ray is in at the end of the walk, I might find it difficult to stop walking. I would be worried that I would get shot, even if I knew that I had won.
I think that this story is about the lengths that we go to, to avoid dealing with the difficult aspects of our lives. Escaping a failed relationship, a broken home, grief, happiness, life in general. One character on the walk points out that the walkers are there because they want to die. A valid point, since death is the ultimate escape. More than that, I think they want to escape the parts of their lives that don't work for them. I understand that, life is hard or better yet, life is suffering. In some way, taking this challenge on is taking control of life, by taking control of death. Perhaps that is why I am so fascinated by this story. Not all stories stick with me, but in the 20 years between reading this for the first time, and reading it this time, I had not forgotten much of the story.
Next up, The Dead Zone
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