https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rm1Te_oR0vq6qLOEAq-Mmm3vC7XNqwwPcIbAcFEaYT8/edit?tab=t.0

The Long Walk is a story set in a dystopian, totalitarian America where 100 teenage boys participate in an annual walking contest for a large cash prize and one wish. The rules are brutal: the boys must walk at a steady speed, and if they stop or slow too much for too long, they receive warnings and are eventually shot by soldiers. The competition is a televised event designed to inspire strength and resilience in a war torn, impoverished nation. The story follows Ray Garraty, a participant, as he navigates the brutal endurance test, forming friendships and witnessing the horrifying consequences of the authoritarian regime.

Plot Summary

• The Premise: In a desolate America that has endured civil war and is now under a military regime, the Long Walk is the country’s premier televised event.
• The Participants: One hundred teenage boys are selected through a lottery to compete in the contest.
• The Rules: Contestants must walk at least 3 miles per hour and cannot stop for more than 30 seconds at a time.
• The Stakes: Failure to maintain the pace leads to warnings and after a third warning, execution by soldiers. 
• The Prize: The sole survivor of the walk is granted a large sum of money and the fulfillment of one wish.
• The Motivation: The event serves to boost national morale and productivity, as it is broadcast for all to see.
• The Setting: The story is seen through the eyes of Ray Garraty, who despite the optional nature of the contest, joins due to the social pressure and bleak conditions of his world.

Key Themes

• Authoritarianism: The film explores how a totalitarian government uses public events to control and distract its population.
• Toxic Masculinity: The character’s interactions and posturing as they enter adulthood are examined in the context of this restrictive society.
• Brotherhood: Despite the deadly competition, friendships and bonds form between the walkers. 
• Capitalism’s Extreme Outcomes: The contest is presented as an outcome of American capitalism and a desperate attempt to provide an escape from poverty.
• Despair and Resilience: The film highlights the harsh reality of life in the film’s dystopian America and the boy’s desperate attempts to endure.