The Long March is a book that marks, a book that hides a criticism of the social sadism offered to the public through television screens through the so-called reality shows.
The introduction of the concept of reality television in the novel is a criticism of American society and human nature. The novel takes place in a dystopian future in which the United States is an ultra-conservative and militarized society. In this context, the march is a nationally televised event used to promote patriotism and discipline.
Through the concept of reality show, the novel shows how American society has become a society obsessed with entertainment and spectacle. The march is a violent and cruel event that becomes a spectacle for the public, where march participants are treated like celebrities and their actions are avidly followed by spectators.
With a realistic and raw style that explores dark and disturbing themes, the novel is written in the third person and tells the story from the point of view of several characters, allowing the reader to know their thoughts and feelings.
The author uses simple and direct language to describe the actions and thoughts of the characters, which together with various literary techniques manages to create an atmosphere of tension and suspense, such as the description of the desolate landscapes through which the participants of the march they must go through, or the description of the violent and cruel eliminations of participants who fall below the pace of the march.
In 1979 Stephen King, under the pseudonym Richard Bachman, published The Long March as a paperback book, which was later republished several times in different formats.
The novel tells the story of a hundred teenagers who participate in an annual 5,000-mile march across the United States. The march is a nationally televised event and is led by a character known as “El Comandante.”
Exposed as a contest where participants are chosen at random from millions of people to participate in the long march, a race in which competitors will risk their lives to win the prize of fame and fortune.
Participants must maintain a speed of at least 6.5 kilometers per hour, being punished if they slow down this pace, including being executed by soldiers the moment they accumulate more than three warnings, and may be punished with the same penalty for other reasons such as trying to abandon the test.
During the march, there are no stops, rest periods or a final goal, as the march will end when there is a single winner. Walkers can ask for water and food rations are distributed at the same time every day.
The story reflects the mental problems that most of the participants experience, faced with the constant prospect of death, and lack of sleep, as well as different situations that they will overcome in some cases or cause them to perish in others.
Among the readers of this work there are those who try to see a criticism of society, in which through reality shows, citizens enjoy and have fun through the failures and problems of others, in a criticism of the media. communication and even those who expose themselves excessively on social networks, with the sole purpose of capturing an audience, likes, or followers.
However, others value the writer’s ability to convey the feelings, fears, and evolution that the young participants experience throughout the contest, in which let’s not forget, they risk their lives.
The novel has been praised for its gritty, realistic style, its exploration of dark and disturbing themes, and its critique of American society and human nature. The Long March is a disturbing and provocative novel that has received positive reviews from critics and the public. The novel explores dark and disturbing themes in a realistic and raw way, and offers a critique of society.
