The Long Way Out by F. Scott Fitzgerald

Author: F. Scott Fitzgerald | Published: September 1937

The Long Way Out Synopsis

"The Long Way Out" is a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It was published in Esquire magazine on September 1937.

This is the tale of Mrs. King, a young lady who had been a patient at a hospital for ten long months. Mrs. King had been plagued by a case of schizophrenia after a long coma, but she finally regained her strength and is about to embark on a journey with her spouse. The nurses who had grown attached to her were thrilled about the news. However, on the very day of their trip, Mrs. King's husband was involved in a severe car accident, and his survival was uncertain. The hospital staff chose to keep Mrs. King unaware of her husband's condition until they were sure of his fate.

Excerpt from The Long Way Out Online Book

We were talking about some of the older castles in Touraine and we touched upon the iron cage in which Louis XI imprisoned Cardinal La Balue for six years, then upon oubliettes and such horrors. I had seen several of the latter, simply dry wells thirty or forty feet deep where a man was thrown to wait for nothing; since I have such a tendency to claustrophobia that a Pullman berth is a certain nightmare, they had made a lasting impression. So it was rather a relief when a doctor told this story—that is, it was a relief when he began it for it seemed to have nothing to do with the tortures long ago.

About F. Scott Fitzgerald

F. Scott Fitzgerald is an iconic figure in the world of literature. Born in 1896, he became one of the most influential writers of the 20th century, leaving behind a legacy that has inspired countless readers and writers alike. From his early days as a struggling writer to his rise to fame, Fitzgerald's life was full of twists and turns that left an indelible mark on his writing. Fitzgerald's work often explored themes of wealth, love, and the American Dream. Find out more about F. Scott Fitzgerald at sevenov.com.