The Talisman: A Novel
Chapter 22: Taken by the Law
by King, StephenAfter traveling a hundred miles west, Jack Sawyer and Wolf arrive in Daleville, exhausted and hungry. While Wolf waits outside, Jack enters a Burger King to clean up and order food. His disheveled appearance draws stares from the counter girl, but he is too famished to care. As he devours his Whopper, he notices Wolf has attracted a crowd of curious children outside. The children gawk at Wolf, who becomes increasingly uncomfortable, hunching down like a turtle. Jack tries to defuse the situation, but the children’s relentless staring pushes Wolf to his limit.
Wolf’s patience snaps, and he erupts in a furious outburst, scaring the children away. Embarrassed, Wolf apologizes for yelling at them, but Jack reassures him. A young man named Buck Thompson, who witnessed the scene, approaches and offers them a ride west. Jack is intrigued, but Wolf is hesitant. Buck explains he’s heading near the Illinois border and can take them partway to Springfield. Despite Wolf’s reluctance, Jack agrees, seeing this as an opportunity to cover more ground quickly. Buck returns with more food, tossing a Whopper to Wolf, who catches it eagerly.
They set off in Buck’s pickup, with Wolf riding in the open back, exhilarated by the wind and scents rushing past him. Jack sits in the cab, squeezed next to mysterious plastic bags filled with what appears to be marijuana. Buck chats amiably about his life as a farmer, avoiding personal questions. The journey is fast and smooth, with Wolf reveling in the sensory overload of the ride. Buck’s easygoing demeanor puts Jack at ease, though the presence of the drugs hints at a riskier side to their benefactor.
After a swift drive, Buck pulls over near Cayuga and rolls a handmade cigarette, suggesting he’s about to indulge in his own stash. The chapter ends with an air of tension, as Jack and Wolf’s journey takes an unexpected turn with this stranger’s help. The encounter highlights their vulnerability and reliance on the kindness—or recklessness—of others, while Wolf’s childlike innocence contrasts sharply with the darker undertones of their situation. The chapter leaves their immediate future uncertain, poised between opportunity and potential danger.
FAQs
1. How does the author use sensory details to convey Jack’s extreme hunger in this chapter?
Answer:
The author employs vivid sensory descriptions to emphasize Jack’s starvation. When Jack enters the Burger King, the “maddening smell of grilling meat” causes saliva to involuntarily fill his mouth, illustrating his physiological desperation. His rushed eating—juice running down his chin, barely chewing, and taking “three enormous bites” of the Whopper—further highlights his ravenous state. The moment the food “congeals” in his mouth when he sees Wolf surrounded by children also shows how anxiety can override even primal hunger, demonstrating the layered portrayal of Jack’s physical and emotional state.
2. Analyze Wolf’s reaction to the staring children. What does this reveal about his character and his relationship with Jack?
Answer:
Wolf’s response to the gawking children—hunching like a turtle, flattening his ears, and eventually erupting in a shouted plea—reveals his deep discomfort with attention and otherness. His later remorse (“Wolf shouldn’t have yelled”) shows his gentle nature and self-awareness, contrasting his intimidating appearance. Jack’s protective lie (“he’s just my cousin”) and attempt to shield Wolf (“you might make him mad”) demonstrate their bond: Jack acts as Wolf’s social interpreter, while Wolf trusts Jack enough to follow his lead. Their dynamic balances Wolf’s raw emotionality with Jack’s strategic thinking.
3. What thematic role does Buck Thompson play in this chapter, and how does his dialogue contribute to the narrative?
Answer:
Buck serves as both a plot device (providing transportation) and a thematic counterpoint to Wolf and Jack’s vulnerability. His nonstop, question-free monologue (“I’m going just this side of Cayuga…”) contrasts with Wolf’s silence and Jack’s wariness, subtly emphasizing their isolation. His casual offer of a ride and food (“I reckoned you still looked hungry”) introduces tension—readers may question his motives, given the mysterious plastic bags (later implied to contain drugs). His lack of curiosity about Wolf (“no reflection on your cousin”) hints at either kindness or ulterior motives, adding ambiguity to the boys’ journey.
4. How does the chapter’s setting—particularly the Burger King and the pickup truck—reflect the story’s blend of realism and fantasy?
Answer:
The Burger King anchors the scene in mundanity (a fast-food chain, a staring waitress, curious kids), making Wolf’s otherness more jarring. The pickup truck, a symbol of rural Americana, becomes a liminal space where realism (the wind, the plastic bags) meets the fantastical: Wolf’s euphoric sensory experience (“delirious with joy… nose catching odors in flight”). This juxtaposition mirrors the novel’s overarching theme of dual worlds—ordinary Daleville contrasts with Wolf’s supernatural presence and the hinted-at strangeness of Buck’s cargo, blending the familiar and the uncanny.
5. Evaluate Jack’s decision to accept Buck’s ride. What risks and benefits does this choice present?
Answer:
Jack’s choice prioritizes immediate survival (food, speed toward Springfield) over potential danger, reflecting his resourcefulness but also his desperation. Benefits include escaping Daleville’s scrutiny and covering “a hundred miles west” quickly—critical given their urgency. However, risks abound: Buck’s hidden cargo (likely drugs) suggests criminal ties, and Wolf’s discomfort (“Can’t, Jacky”) hints at unspoken instincts. Jack’s trust in Buck’s affability (“no probleema, seenyor”) may be naive, yet his calculation—keeping Wolf visible in the truck bed—shows strategic thinking. This decision underscores the tension between pragmatism and peril in their journey.
Quotes
1. “Wolf had hunched down on the curb as far as he was able, bowing his back and pulling in his neck like a turtle. His ears seemed flattened against his head.”
This vivid description captures Wolf’s extreme discomfort and vulnerability when confronted by the staring children, highlighting his outsider status and the tension between his gentle nature and intimidating appearance.
2. “GOD POUND YOU, DON’T LOOK AT ME! DON’T MAKE ME FEEL FUNNY! EVERYBODY MAKES ME FEEL FUNNY!”
Wolf’s explosive outburst represents a pivotal moment where his frustration with being treated as a spectacle boils over, revealing his deep sensitivity beneath his monstrous exterior.
3. “Wolf was now licking his fingers. ‘If you keep on gawping at him like that, you might make him mad. I don’t know what he’d do if he got mad.’”
Jack’s warning to the children shows his protective instinct toward Wolf while also playing into society’s tendency to fear what it doesn’t understand, creating suspense about Wolf’s potential for violence.
4. “Eyes blazing and glowing, registering every nuance of the wind, Wolf twitched from side to side behind the cab, shoving his nose into the speeding air.”
This beautiful contrast to earlier scenes shows Wolf in his element - joyful and free when experiencing nature’s sensations, emphasizing his pure, almost childlike connection to the physical world.
5. “He talked nonstop during the seventy-five minutes he kept his foot near the floor, and never once asked Jack any questions.”
Buck Thompson’s behavior reveals both his generosity and his suspicious nature, hinting at the duality of human interactions that Jack and Wolf encounter throughout their journey.