Roland's Mother

[LadyHitchhiker]

Roland's "mother was a beloved stranger" on page 224 of my version of the Gunslinger.

I guess I started this thread because I don't understand this statement. Was she not involved in Roland's life after him being a child? If this is true, what the hell was she doing?

[LadyHitchhiker]

And what did she mean by "go and find your hand"?

[Brice]

Roland's "mother was a beloved stranger" on page 224 of my version of the Gunslinger.

I guess I started this thread because I don't understand this statement. Was she not involved in Roland's life after him being a child? If this is true, what the hell was she doing?

Because they spent little time together. Most of his days would have been involved in his gunslinger training, I think.


And what did she mean by "go and find your hand"?

Didn't Marten say that? :unsure: And if you think really hard on it you should be able to figure it out. ;)

[LadyHitchhiker]

I thought go and find your hand was more like go and face your future but maybe I misunderstood that.

Also, there is mention that Roland's mother was "locked root and rind to the holder and wielder of that power". I was wondering if SK was referring to the affair solely or solely Marten's powers. Although locked root and rind is a phrase I've never heard of before, and I thought that was interesting too.

There is also mention of Roland's father being the last Lord of light; does this mean he had powers too?

(post 2000, year I graduated from high school w00t)

[Brice]

I thought go and find your hand was more like go and face your future but maybe I misunderstood that. I think you should think harder on it...maybe a full reread even.


Also, there is mention that Roland's mother was "locked root and rind to the holder and wielder of that power". I was wondering if SK was referring to the affair solely or solely Marten's powers. Although locked root and rind is a phrase I've never heard of before, and I thought that was interesting too. I think he was just making a euphemism for how captivated she was by Marten. I don't think that would have needed (but could have) involved any glammer.


There is also mention of Roland's father being the last Lord of light; does this mean he had powers too?


I think it was just an expression to represent him being the last of Eld's line. No, I don't think Steven had any special powers.

[LadyHitchhiker]

*sighs* No special powers? But how is he supposed to be a super-hero then?

[LadyHitchhiker]

It was his mom that said the "find your hand thing" but Marten's the one who said that Roland had business on the roof.

[Brice]

It was his mom that said the "find your hand thing" but Marten's the one who said that Roland had business on the roof.

Unh-uh!





Marten stopped smiling abruptly. "You can go to the roof now, boy. I believe you have business there."
But Marten had misunderstood, underestimated. They had been speaking in the low tongue, a parody of informality. But now the boy flashed into High Speech: "My mother has not yet dismissed me bondsman!"
Marten's face twisted as if quirt-lashed. The boy heard his mother's dreadful, woeful gasp. She spoke his name.
But the painful smile remained intact on the boy's face and he stepped forward.
"Will you give me a sign of fealty, bondsman? In the name of my father whom you serve?"
Marten stared at him rankly, unbelieving.
"Go," Marten said gently. Go and find your hand."
Smiling the boy went.

[LadyHitchhiker]

well I can't be right all the time :P

So in this context, Marten was goading Roland to take his test?

[Brice]

No, he was basically saying go play with yourself. :lol:

But, yes he was also doing that.

[LadyHitchhiker]

:wtf:

*I* missed a sexual reference? How shocking!!!! :rofl:

See, me trying to read too much depth into it, and he's just making a naughty comment!!!!!

[LadyHitchhiker]

So what did Roland's ma do with her life? Anything? or just screw people?

[Brice]

I think it was both a goading and a means of Marten telling him that.

[LadyHitchhiker]

No wonder young Roland was so pissed. :lol:

[Brice]

So what did Roland's ma do with her life? Anything? or just screw people?

Well, I mean she wasn't a total fucking ho. It was just Marten so far as we know. The story really tells us very little of Gabrielle's life though...just glimpses.

[Brice]

No wonder young Roland was so pissed. :lol:

And in anticipation of your next question...the story doesn't tell us if Roland actually went and found his hand. :rofl:

[LadyHitchhiker]

No he loses it later in the next book... ;) or at least parts of it!

[ladysai]

So what did Roland's ma do with her life? Anything? or just screw people?

Well, I mean she wasn't a total fucking ho. It was just Marten so far as we know. The story really tells us very little of Gabrielle's life though...just glimpses.

I dont know that the ladies of the court would do much of anything, really. They would have servants and maids, and likely not have any official duties aside from socializing and entertaining.
~shrug~
I wish we knew more from the stories, but we havent been told much of anything about Gabrielle, like Brice said.
Maybe we'll get more from the comic book stories. I hope so.
:)

[LadyHitchhiker]

Well if that's all there was to life for Gabrielle no wonder she was running around with Marten. She probably didn't want anything but just a little loving, and with Stephen running around patrolling and defending Gilead.... Not to say that's something I would do, be unfaithful, but who knows how deep their love did not run.

[ladysai]

And in anticipation of your next question...the story doesn't tell us if Roland actually went and found his hand. :rofl:

:lol:
the combination of my aging eyes and my dirty mind read this as
'found his hard'
:lol:

I need to leave the conversation, methinks.
:rolleyes:

[LadyHitchhiker]

:rofl: No no, feel free.. I still can't believe I missed a double entendre!

[Brice]

And in anticipation of your next question...the story doesn't tell us if Roland actually went and found his hand. :rofl:

:lol:
the combination of my aging eyes and my dirty mind read this as
'found his hard'
:lol:

I need to leave the conversation, methinks.
:rolleyes:

Well, that combined with it being pretty close to it's seeming intent (to me) equates basically to the same. :lol:

[LadyHitchhiker]

I bet if I told my husband to "go find his hand" he wouldn't know what I was talking about though :P

[Brice]

I'm sure he'd work it out eventually. :lol:

[LadyHitchhiker]

:wtf: Now THAT's just a dirty double entendre right there... :nope:

[Brice]

;)

[LadyHitchhiker]

Well at least I'm not completely losing my edge.

[ladysai]

Well at least I'm not completely losing my edge.

Nope. You still got it, Lady. :D

[LadyHitchhiker]

I can't believe how many times I've read that book and I couldn't get that on my own!!! :facepalm:

[Brice]

It's the interpretation I got the first time I read it as a teenager. I'm sure others got different meanings from it too.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I'm sure you're right though. Sai King's not beyond putting a masturbatory reference in a book.

[Letti]

I don't think I got that meaning, either when I first read it. I was around the age of 13. :D


Roland's "mother was a beloved stranger" on page 224 of my version of the Gunslinger.

It's a really sad sentence. I agree with Brice. It must mean that Roland and his mom didn't know each other. They loved each other they lived next to each other but they never knew each other. I guess it happens to people quite often.
Anyway I imagine Gabrielle as a very closed woman who spent a lot of time alone in her room with her feelings hidden behind her beautiful face.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I feel rather sad for Gabrielle. What a lonely life she must have led.

[wiccangdess13]

Roland's "mother was a beloved stranger" on page 224 of my version of the Gunslinger.

I guess I started this thread because I don't understand this statement. Was she not involved in Roland's life after him being a child? If this is true, what the hell was she doing?

I thought he meant she was a stranger because of her betrayal and how he didn't really know the mother he had loved. As for finding his hand, it was mentioned prior to him running into Marten that he was going to the roof for "alone time" (not in those words but inferred) so Marten was just letting Roland know he knew.

[LadyHitchhiker]

Marten.. what a snarky man.... :nope:

I have a beloved stranger in my life. She is my oldest sister. We don't see eye to eye on anything, but I couldn't imagine offing her like Roland did with his mom!

[Letti]

Roland was very young at that time. I know he should have forgiven his mom easier but he was a kid and he had no time to process his feelings and to heal his wounds.

[LadyHitchhiker]

I think, one of Roland's strengths and weaknesses is not processing his emotions until later... I think we see that in all the books.

[Brainslinger]

Roland's "mother was a beloved stranger" on page 224 of my version of the Gunslinger.

I guess I started this thread because I don't understand this statement. Was she not involved in Roland's life after him being a child? If this is true, what the hell was she doing?

I thought he meant she was a stranger because of her betrayal and how he didn't really know the mother he had loved. As for finding his hand, it was mentioned prior to him running into Marten that he was going to the roof for "alone time" (not in those words but inferred) so Marten was just letting Roland know he knew.

They were strangers before Roland found out about his mother's affair.

This is an aristocratic household remember. Quite often the raising of kids in such households was left to tutors and servants. This has been a common practice in the past. Not just in stories, in real life.

As for the hand reference, I got it straight away, but I guess I have a dirty mind. (This thread made me laugh though thank you Ladyhitchhiker.)

Walter's comment reminds me of something that happened in an episode of Red Dwarf I saw where the Cat complained that he'd have to send a Valentine's card to his hand again.

[LadyHitchhiker]

Well what do aristocratic household members do besides attend charity functions, have tea parties and watch horses race and play polo, and watch cricket, (excuse my blatantly generalizing based on what little info I have from watching the telly)?

[Brainslinger]

Well what do aristocratic household members do besides attend charity functions, have tea parties and watch horses race and play polo, and watch cricket, (excuse my blatantly generalizing based on what little info I have from watching the telly)?

Ah, but you're thinking of nowadays! In the old days, the aristocracy (Lord, Ladies etc, under the King) were the government! That's essentially how it was in Roland's world, although the title of king was no longer used, but it appears Roland's father Steven was the equivalent. Hence Farson using the promise of democracy to attempt power for himself.

True, I doubt Gabrielle did much in way of political governing. Her duties would mainly be the ordering of the household. The actual hands-on work (including brigning up Roland) would be the work of others though.

That's not to say that it was right that their children were brought up by other people, or that they never, ever, took some role.

[LadyHitchhiker]

So she basically was in management?

[Wuducynn]

I think, one of Roland's strengths and weaknesses is not processing his emotions until later... I think we see that in all the books.

*pukes at the use of psycho-babble terms*

[shaunster]

'I thought go and find your hand was more like go and face your future but maybe I misunderstood that.'

Actually after reading this it took me back to the cards shown to Roland by the man in black in the first book. Possibly the saying 'go and find your hand', was in direct relation to the cards that shown to him.

Not sure whether people will have the same interpretation- just the first thing that srung into my mind!

[Brainslinger]

So she basically was in management?

I think so, yes.

I think you're right that she had a lot of time on her hands though. Once everyone knows what they're doing there was probably little managing required. Couple that with Steven's duties taking him elsewhere, it is kind of understandable (if still wrong) why she turned to Marten.

She certainly should have taken more of a role in Roland's life, but this society was very much bound by tradition.

[Jean]

I think, one of Roland's strengths and weaknesses is not processing his emotions until later... I think we see that in all the books.

*pukes at the use of psycho-babble terms*
puking seconded

[LadyHitchhiker]

:P Oh like you two are above psycho-babble!!!!!!!!!!!

And the idea of that meaning of go find your hand amuses me and makes my mind spin... :D

[Jean]

:P Oh like you two are above psycho-babble!!!!!!!!!!!
we're far below...

[LadyHitchhiker]

You're not below me in any way, Jean :wub:

[Sam]

Makes me wonder what Marten would have said if Roland had been female.

'Go find your fingers" just doesn't have the same ring to me, and "go find your Hitachi Magic Wand" just wouldn't have fit, wrong timeline and all that.

[LadyHitchhiker]

"Go find your cat"? or "Go stuff your box"?

[Brainslinger]

Go play the pink piano?

[Brainslinger]

... and I didn't get the Hitachi Magic wa..

Oh wait. Penny just dropped just as I wrote that. Heh, heh. (I find it strange how typing something will somehow unlock my mind somehow. This isn't the first time this has happened.)

[BillyxRansom]

I thought go and find your hand was more like go and face your future but maybe I misunderstood that. I think you should think harder on it...maybe a full reread even.

Brice with the harsh truth once again. Haha. I bet it has something to do with being a gunslinger.... the phrase "I do not shoot with my hand..." comes to mind..


Also, there is mention that Roland's mother was "locked root and rind to the holder and wielder of that power". I was wondering if SK was referring to the affair solely or solely Marten's powers. Although locked root and rind is a phrase I've never heard of before, and I thought that was interesting too. I think he was just making a euphemism for how captivated she was by Marten. I don't think that would have needed (but could have) involved any glammer.[/QUOTE]

Didn't Marten have the glammer, though? I don't understand why else she would have been captivated by him.


There is also mention of Roland's father being the last Lord of light; does this mean he had powers too?


I think it was just an expression to represent him being the last of Eld's line. No, I don't think Steven had any special powers.[/QUOTE]

I agree, I think he just had influence because of his status. Although, if Roland has powers of his own, why would Stephen not have powers?



Also, on an unrelated note: Why did that only do what I wanted it to do the first time, but not the others?

[LadyHitchhiker]

Perhaps Marten's really good with other charms... like how Family Guy portrays Bill Clinton...
Some men only have one "charm".

But I believe that Walter spoke of using Marten's body and his glammer.

And why couldn't Stephen have powers? Roland gained the power to call the doors in the second and third book. Walter said that he would gain this power. Or perhaps Stephen had the capacity to gain powers but wasn't in the right place at the right time or the right time at the right place, seeing how convoluted the worlds have become since the beams have begun to fall. If this is true that Stephen had powers and Roland had powers then I could only imagine if Roland had a son/daughter how strong their powers would be if it was passed down genetically.

[Whitey Appleseed]

I'm sure you're right though. Sai King's not beyond putting a masturbatory reference in a book.

Read this thread earlier, before starting Book II, The Drawing of the Three...(there's something in Book II about privies, as well, while in the steel privy on the plane...another thread I read)...but Roland's on the beach, and he thinks, I jerk off left-handed...at least that's something. (p30 in mine).

[LadyHitchhiker]

I never could forget that reference!!!!!!! And I was young enough that I was blown away that someone would put that in the book. And that it was true for me too!!!

[Whitey Appleseed]

There's more in The Dark Tower II, LadyHitchhiker, and I'm trying to get a handle on it, along with a nice double entendre that I think went completely over my head the first time or two through, like the graffiti in the bathroom, if you can hit this spot, me, drunk, shoot man! I can pee right over that! O! they call me the fireman! That's my name! Don't know if something can be made of it, on my to-do list for The Dark Tower II, but maybe...be brave enough to start a thread...nothing about it currently, unless someone posted after I logged off yesterday.

[LadyHitchhiker]

Did you post a new thread and I missed it?