Can someone please explain the ending to Stephen King's "The Long Walk"?

Question

I love this book and have it rear it many times but am not sure what the ending means. I am refering to the last paragraph.

Answer 1

After many days and hundreds of miles of walking, the Walk eventually comes down to Garraty and Stebbins - who reveals himself to be the illegitimate son of the Major and the "rabbit" set up in the race to make the others walk further. At the end of the book, Garraty decides to give up after realizing that Stebbins has shown almost no weaknesses over the duration of the walk. Garraty catches up with Stebbins to tell him this, but before he can speak, Stebbins grabs his shirt, says "Oh, Garraty!" and collapses in a dead faint; thus Garraty is declared the winner.



At this point, in a severely degenerated mental state, Garraty sees a "dark figure" beckoning to him. Some readers have interpreted this dark figure to be recurring Stephen King villain Randall Flagg, who is often referred to as "The Walkin' Dude" or "The Dark Man" (this is notably mentioned in the book The Stephen King Universe by Wiater, Golden & Wagner). Ignoring (or most likely unaware of) the celebration going on around him, Garraty gets up from Stebbins' side and walks after the dark figure; when someone - possibly the Major himself - tries to grab him, he begins to run.

Answer 2

Stephen King The Long Walk

Answer 3

The Long Walk Stephen King

Answer 4

This is my firm opinion and I know it is supported by any intelligent reader of Meyer and Rowling: JK Rowling is in a class of her own. She had a fantastic story to tell - an incredibly real world that pulled every reader of her books into this new world. She was also a talented writer - gripping, appealing to both adults and children and adding just the right amount of all the elements needed for a great story - mystery, personality, humour, warmth, darkness, triumph, defeat - everything is there. Meyer is utterly lame - beyond lame if you like. She writes in a juvenile undeveloped way and is writing the most incredible tosh - unbelievable characters, absolutely plotless and it is simply rubbish. You make very valid points about her, it does indeed seem as if she is addicted to a thesaurus, even when the overabundance of descriptive rubbish adds nothing to the story. Stephen King's judgement is absolutely correct, he is a very respected and established author and he can clearly see the difference between good writing and pure tripe. I would fully support and respect his statement. For any student of English it seems painful to even compare the two writers - JK Rowling is an established classic - Meyer is a disgraceful blot on the history of English literature who happened to appeal to a gaggle of naive 12 year olds who have suddenly developed a crush for vampires. Honestly! Your friends who really think she writes well could do well to read some real romantic writers going back to the classics of Jane Austen and the Brontes. These were writers who really could write - probably better than JK Rowling. Just a thought! Good luck!

Answer 5

Ray had just walked from around Hamlin, Maine to Danvers, Massachusetts. A little over 400 miles. A few things push me to believe, unfortunately,that he dies. When Scramm dies, the giant who was married, he says something along the lines of "the real walk may still be ahead". Right before he dies Ray thinks "The dark figured beckoned, beckoned him in the rain, beckoned for him to come and walk. And it is time to get started. There is still so far to walk". Also Before Baker dies it hints that he sees the walker or other walkers.

Answer 6

Garraty is walking towards his death, I believe the Dark man he saw, was his dad pulling him somehow into the other side.Garraty dies and never get's to claim his price. What a deranged ending. Reading "It" next.

Answer 7

At the end, because of all the stress and exhaustion, Garraty nearly dies and has a near death experience. Tthe dark figure he saw was actually him, or rather his body, still walking, while the soul left the body... The touch he felt was the grasp of death, and had he let himself be pulled back that would be it, but he ran so probably made it..

Answer 8

I completely agree with Anonymous. I believe that he saw himself beckoning to come and claim his soul that hady left him (hopefully he made it).