Lifeblood Of Survival In The Long Walk By Stephen King

Gan Dunnington
Mr. Paterson
Honors English 10
24 May 2023
The Long Journey to Survive
Persistence is the lifeblood of survival. One must persevere through challenging situations to survive. Both discipline and motivation are substantial contributors to a person's persistence, which may help drive one's success. In the novel The Long Walk by Stephen King, the reader follows an adolescent boy , Garraty, who competes in an annual challenge, The Long Walk. The final goal of this challenge is to be the last boy walking with the incentive of receiving a life of riches. Garraty is an ambivalent boy who does not necessarily want to be in the walk, but he is driven by the motivation of the monetary prize , and also to see his girlfriend again. In contrast,

His mentality remains focused even though he faced tragic losses. Seal school, which had strengthened his determination pushes him forward. Training for an intense situation like the one he is in now is the difference between Garraty and Marcus. Carrying his fallen teammate t cover while continuing to return fire Marcus somehow remains calm and asses the situation. He concludes that they have a solid chance of taking on different terrain. “Four SEALs firing from solid cover will usually get the job done. All we needed to do was coax the Taliban down there. Although if things didn't get a whole lot better in the next few minutes, we might not make it ourselves” (Luttrell 226). Even under heavy fire, Marcus remains tranquil and utilizes adopted skills from training. The valor displayed by his injured teammates encourages Marcus to keep fighting, and his training to never leave a soldier behind is exemplified. His confidence while battling the enemy aid Marcus in remaining optimistic, and the expression of not fearing the enemy influences his friends to keep fighting. After retreating once more, the team discusses their possible options and rules out surrender immediately, but instead, Marcus enlightens the reader and his teammates by stating an expected code of chivalry. “Remember the philosophy of the U.S. Navy SEALs: ‘I will never quit… My Nation expects me to be physically

Their persistence is key to survival, and that without the motivation and discipline bestowed upon them, their challenges would be near impossible. The motivation for Garraty of seeing his girlfriend once more is the substantial pulling factor towards his success. On the other hand, the pushing motivation of Marcus’s training and nationalism leads him to commit great acts of valor in tough situations. Both men persevere through their challenge and live to share their stories. Moreover, persistence is the root of success, and both men expressed their tenacious attitude in attempts to reach their goals. Personifyng their mental stenght by surviving a challenge that most would not conquer. Further proving that persistence is necessary in achieving ones aspirations. That a person must not give up. They must not take the easy way out. They must learn to conquer thexir fears, and that a person with perseverance and determination can tackle an obstacle no matter how big or