Wednesday 27 February 2019

'The Long Walk' and 'Roadwork'

'The Long Walk', published in 1979

A dark vision of the future of the USA. The most popular reality show nationwide is The Long Walk. A hundred boys are selected to participate, who are supposed to walk non-stop from the moment the walk begins. The finishing line is where the last boy falls. There is no sportsmanship, emotions or fair play rules in this game.  Each slowdown below 6 km/h ends with a reproach, and after three reproaches the perpetrator is shot by soldiers. The main character is Ray Garraty, from whose perspective we watch successive stages of the murderous competition. 




'The Long Walk' comprises everything that later became the hallmark of Stephen King. A single-story plot, short sentences, lack of excessive description, vivid dialogues and constant feeling of terrifying dread. 



'Radworok', published in 1981

Bart Dawes thinks he has lost his life. He reaches the conclusion that his faith has always been dependent on a series of unfortunate coincidence and bad choices. Day by day he has to put up with stupidity and hypocrisy of his boss, each new day proves that he also failed in marriage. That is why when, upon the decision of the officials, the last things he'd lived for - a small laundry and a house - have been taken from him, he decides not to give up. He buys a gun and starts fighting for what is most important in life. 
Incredible descriptions and events make us get to know Bart's psyche and we try to understand his madness and reasons for behaving in such an illogical manner. 




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