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shuabert
03-12-2010, 12:11 PM
Greeting! First post here.

I'm reading Dark Tower for the first time, and I'm about 2/3 through The Drawing of the Three. Throughout this novel I've been struck by something that I found confusing. Bear with me.

Early in the novel when Roland first travels through into Eddie's head, he does a test to determine whether he can carry things through the door either way. He steals a coin from Eddie and discovers that he can bring it back into HIS world. He then tries to bring the coin back through, along with one of his gun shells, to Eddie's world. He is successful in bringing the coin back but says something to the effect of "he didn't have to reach into his pocket to know the shell hadn't made the trip.
I thought that was intended to tell the reader that things objects from the other dimension could come through to Roland's dimension, but Roland could not bring anything native to his world through to the other side.

However, later in the novel Roland gives Eddie one of his guns to bring through to the faceoff with Balazar. This contradicts that earlier "rule" and I can think of two options:

1) It's a plot contradiction.
2) The rule only applies when Roland is inside another character's head, and when anyone physically and consciously travels through they can carry anything they want. The reason Roland could not bring a shell from his world through in that situation was because he was actually still inside Eddie's body.


Thoughts (without spoilers from the ending of book two or any of the subsequent books)?

Hannah
03-12-2010, 12:27 PM
I'm guessing it's option # 2, which seems more likely than the first. However, there are tons of inconsistencies in the series as a whole so I wouldn't be surprised if it was just an oversight.

Oh, and welcome to the site, shuabert! :cowboy:

pathoftheturtle
03-12-2010, 12:52 PM
Indeed, welcome; nice to meet you. :)

I agree with Hannah and all counts, and also, there may just be inconsistencies in what are presumed as rules. Who's to say whether there's an absolute science to magic doors?

Woofer
03-12-2010, 12:59 PM
I'm guessing it's option # 2, which seems more likely than the first. However, there are tons of inconsistencies in the series as a whole so I wouldn't be surprised if it was just an oversight.

Oh, and welcome to the site, shuabert! :cowboy:


Indeed, welcome; nice to meet you. :)

I agree with Hannah and all counts, and also, there may just be inconsistencies in what are presumed as rules. Who's to say whether there's an absolute science to magic doors?

My scientist friends respond to that with "Science is magic", so there you go.

pathoftheturtle
03-12-2010, 02:24 PM
My scientist friends respond to that with "Science is magic", so there you go.My magician friends respond to that with a mere wave of hands, so go you there. :lol:

shuabert
03-12-2010, 06:38 PM
Well, either way I'm enjoying the series very much so far, and I'm sure there will be a lot more I'll want to talk about. This is my first King experience, other than a half-hearted attempt to read It as a teenager which I never made it through.

DMKfromIN
09-11-2010, 04:47 PM
Yes, option #2 is correct, as far as I can figure it. I just joined tonight, this is going to be interesting! I just wonder who will play Roland in the films.................