logo

54 pages 1 hour read

The Running Man

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1982

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Essay Topics

1.

When the novel begins, Sheila is alarmed that Ben is watching the Free-Vee. Why does he begin studying the programs, and why does he finally enter the Games? How is he portrayed as different from other would-be contestants?

2.

How is Ben a throwback or a relic of a former time? For example, why does Ben’s dossier refer to his marriage as an “[o]ld-style lifetime contract” (64)? Why would this sort of marriage fall out of favor in the novel’s dystopian society?

3.

What is the significance of the name Co-Op City? How does King use the name to convey a sense of grim irony that underlies the reality of the lower class?

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
Unlock IconUnlock all 54 pages of this Study Guide

Plus, gain access to 8,650+ more expert-written Study Guides.

Including features:

+ Mobile App
+ Printable PDF
+ Literary AI Tools