Tiffany D. Jackson's Short Story 'The Long Walk'

Nicholas Willisch Line of Inquiry: How is the idea of complexity in romantic relationships conveyed in the short story “The Long Walk?”

In the short story “The Long Walk,” by Tiffany D. Jackson, the reader is plummeted into the world of Tammi, a young adult on a journey to deliver her paperwork to her proposed employer and hopefully get the job of her dreams. Suddenly, the tables turn substantially when she encounters her ex-boyfriend, who has the same intention of getting that job. Using this storyline Jackson leaves the reader thinking about how complex relationships are, through the use of internal dialogue, connotations, and other authorial choices.

Jackson uses internal dialogue to stress how relationships never truly conclude while

Due to Tammi’s inferred beliefs about Kareem, she decides to “Sit on one side of the entrance door while Kareem sits on the other,” (p.5). The act of creating a physical barrier separates them, possibly symbolizing their opposing perspectives. This barrier between them gradually lessens over time. The first instance of the barrier beginning to disintegrate was when they looked for each other when the blackout took place. Finally, the barrier fully collapses when they decide to walk home side by side. The author created the idea of a barrier and then dissolved it, to transmit the idea to the reader that perspectives are not fixed in place. In this case, what makes relationships complex is that barriers are constantly being made and torn

The story commences with a sense of distress in the air as it is a “heatstroke type of day,” (p.1). After this description of the atmosphere, Tammi says “On days like this you wouldn't catch me outside like this,” (p.1). The author decided to start the story in the scorching heat of the day to foreshadow the idea that something is likely to go wrong because extreme heat is often associated with distress, frustration, and complications. What keeps her motivated is that she is certain that this job will be hers until the tables turn and her ex-boyfriend appears with the same intention of getting that job. Just moments later the manager of the job states “Only one of you got the position.” This idea hints to the reader at the theme of how life is unpredictable and one must adapt to whatever situation is at hand. Furthermore, when the stakes are as high as they have ever been, the entire city goes dark. This shows rapid plot development because the storyline is constantly changing in direction. To adapt to the situation, Tammi decides to follow Kareem and stay together. In this case, what makes relationships complex is that problems can arise at any time and in any way, however, they decide to find a way to overcome these complex and unpredictable problems as a