my thoughts on the ending spoilers

[MayraMM]

***SPOILERS*****

I just finished the series (had a hell of a time findings Wolves of Calla). A kid I know asked me what I thought; did Roland make it this time around? I wanted to hope, to say yes. I always knew it would end as it started (King being King, there would be no happy ending), but I wanted there to be hope. After thinking about it, tho, I say no, he didn't. He ended up where he started, crossing that desert, only this time he had the horn. Or rather, this time we are told he had the horn. I think he had it before, too, only we didn't know about it, just like we didn't know what color underwear he had on (if any) or what was in his back left pocket. He had to have had it, because he always started back in the desert, not where he could have taken the 3 seconds to pick up the horn. King himself says he never goes back far enough to change things; never to where he could not kill his mother, not tattle on the cook, not say goodbye to his lover trusting she would be okay . . . he always starts back off at the desert, "The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed", and always will.

So, I don't know if anyone else brought up this take on the ending or not. I'm supposed to be working, so I couldn't go thru all the other posts.

[jellydonut25]

i think if you re-read The Gunslinger, you'll notice that it specifically says he lost the horn (or left it behind, i forget which)

[GNTLGNT]

Hope is the main component of that ending...IMO

[bluesology]

I don't know if I agree that the fact that he always starts in the desert inherently means that he has the horn. I don't think that the two are connected. For that matter, do we really know that he has always started over back in the desert?

There are several points throughout the saga in which he comments specifically on not having the horn. When he reaches the Tower, he has a fleeting thought that he wished he had held on the the horn because he probably needs it.

I'm a little confused by your question though. "did Roland make it this time around?" You've phrased it in the past tense but I'm guessing you mean will he make it on this new journey, now that he has the horn? If that is your question, anyone's guess would be likely and I think it was left open to the reader's interpretation. My gut feeling for some time is that Roland is being used in one way or another by a being on a higher level of the Tower, for the purposes of protection - the Tower's champion if you will. So I don't think there's any way to know if the horn proves to be the missing link or if something else suddenly becomes that essential ingredient.

[omm poppa mow mow]

Well it was a slow day, then. Check out Joe's Heart-shaped box when you get chance. Could be there's a clue there, but then again I could be mistaken...mosquito...misandry...and so on

[SharonC]

Interesting. I'm reading Heart Shaped Box at the moment. I'll have to pay very close attention. Thanks.