Roland and the hawk

[WalterKovacs]

I'm currently reading the Gunslinger for the first time and one thing is irking me a bit. I don't understand the significance of Roland using the hawk as his weapon when he fought Cort. The way it's written, I know it's supposed to be greatly significant. But I just don't get it. Cort reacts with shock when Roland takes off the hawk's hood. What, did he not know there was a hawk under there? Roland annnounced he was going to use it as a weapon right before, so why the surprise? At first I thought maybe Roland had gouged out the hawk's eyes so it would blindly shred anything it came in contact with, that would explain Cort's shock when the hood was removed. But page after page that was never elaborated on. I feel like a dunce because such weight was given to this particular matter and it just sailed right over my head. What am I missing?

[rjt65]

Well when one says a weapon i think the point here is that the many that came before used things like clubs, etc ( standard weapons. )

I think the surprise was in choosing as a weapon the training hawk.

So imagine Cort, knowing Roland not to be the smartest potential gunslinger, coming to him early in his life--choosing a never chosen weapon-- a training hawk.... though he sees him when he chooses him as the weapon it is surprising. Formidable and a surprise.

that is what I got out of it...

Enjoy the ride of the DT series..I just finished a 5th re-read. My fav series of all time. Some find the gunslinger Book one lacking in comparison to the others--- I did not but my fave is the Wolves of Calla

cheers

[sam peebles]

I think Roland choosing the hawk is a symbol of his willingness to sacrifice everything--including his closest and most loyal friends, such as David--in order to get what he wants. In the end, David is dead, but Roland is a true gunslinger. Later in the very same book, Roland

Show Spoiler

sacrifices Jake, but he gets to palaver with the Man in Black.

Plus, like rjt said, it's a cool and intelligent choice for a weapon, shows ingenuity on Roland's part. Not sure about Cort's surprise though. It's been a while since I read it. Maybe he was just shocked at Roland's willingness to sacrifice a friend.

[Lencho_of_the_Apes]

That scene with the hawk is an important part of the symbolism of the series; Roland's actions on that day helped to shape everything that happened in his life in the future... even in ways that are far from being obvious. It wouldn't be good for me to say more than that to you until after you finish all seven books... but if the scene is written big and dramatic, that's part of the reason.

We all float down here.

[sam peebles]

Oh jeez, I shoulda put a spoiler for

Show Spoiler

Later in the very same book, Roland sacrifices Jake, but he gets to palaver with the Man in Black.

. Can you fix that Ms. Mod? I'm sorry, but that's a pretty large spoiler if WalterKovacs isn't finished with it.

[WalterKovacs]

It's all good, amigo. I'm halfway through book 2 now. That was a valid point you made there. There's definitely a parallel between Roland sacrificing David and that other incident you mentioned. Thanks to everyone for the insight!

[Hubace]

It's all good, amigo. I'm halfway through book 2 now. That was a valid point you made there. There's definitely a parallel between Roland sacrificing David and that other incident you mentioned. Thanks to everyone for the insight!

I know I'm reviving an old one here, but generally I think the main point was missed.

Keep in mind exactly who Cort is... Anything war related, he is a master and a survivor. One of the greatest living heroes in Gilead; a legend.
An earlier post correctly states he knows Roland is not 'one to work his way around corners easily'. Cort believes Roland to be a stone cold gunslinger, but not an exceptionally trig one. Cort has already said Roland is too young to fight him, and at the age of 14, was Gilead's largest loss of potential to be banished to the wastelands and exiled from Gilead. He said all this before the fight.... Had already wrote him off, and when he heard Roland chose David as his weapon, he mis-construed the choice as being one of stupid, childish, brevity and cockiness. Therefore, we have 4 accounts of Cort already underestimating Roland. 1. Roland is dumb and naive. 2. Roland is too young. 3. Roland is too weak. 4. Roland's hawk David is just a training bird that he can split apart with his bare hands.
One final point, Cort is ignorant to the desperation of Roland, and the circumstance that led to his will to succeed; evidently much greater than Cort's... and in any battle, Roland has one this psychological battle, as he understodd Cort would underestimate him and lower his defences.

To answer the question, why was Cort surprised when Roland removed David's mask and set the hawk on attack? Because Cort was shocked that David went straight for him with all the fury and desperation held in Roland's heart. Cort realized wuickly David was no training hawk, but an extension of Roland himself. He realized Roland had known Cort would not have taken him seriously. He realized the battle was already over. He realized Roland would be the youngest gunslinger ever annointed, and would become the world's greatest monster. He realized that Cort had just been schooled by a 14 year old in every sense of the word, just by looking into David's eyes. Cort forgot, and he even stated himself, that a hawk is God's gunslinger. Roland remembered.