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Thread: White and Crimson

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    damned and saved Letti will become famous soon enough Letti will become famous soon enough Letti's Avatar

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    Default White and Crimson

    Here I would like to talk about the meaning of the colours in the series.
    It's quite clear why White can symbolise the Good but I can't really put my finger on why Red belongs to the dark side. What's the problem with this colour? (for me it's absolutely positive)
    I know that DT is not the only book that uses the colours this way still I am interested in what you think about it.
    Why does the red colour belong to the dark side?

    Roland would have understood.

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    The Tenant Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean's Avatar

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    blood

    communism (the Red revolutionary forces versus the White tsarist forces in Russian revolution - it was quite official name for them, the Red and the White)

    the Whore of Babylon

    the House of Lancaster (versus the White Rose of the House of York to which my heart belongs)

    these are first that came to the bear's mind, I got to think more

    also, there are a lot of good things associated with red, of course - in Christian symbolism, too, - and it's my favorite color (not crimson or scarlet, but the coral-brick variety)

    Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
    When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)

    bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    damned and saved Letti will become famous soon enough Letti will become famous soon enough Letti's Avatar

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    For me red is absolutely positive. (so is blood)

    Roland would have understood.

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    Constant Reader Darkthoughts has a spectacular aura about Darkthoughts has a spectacular aura about Darkthoughts has a spectacular aura about Darkthoughts's Avatar

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    Red is used in road signs to signify a warning, it's just become associated with danger...not sure why though.
    Plus, traditionally, the devil is thought to be red.

    Red is not a calming colour and can even, under certain conditions, incite agressiveness. Thats why you'll find hospitals and similar institutions painted pale greens, blues or white.

    I expect actually, that when red occurs naturally in the plant and animal kingdom, it acts as a warning - so we've probably adapted it from there.

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    Palaver Castle Chef mia/susannah is on a distinguished road mia/susannah's Avatar

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    I think for the most part people associate red with danger, aggression, blood. I think it is just natural to use red to represent the crimson king just as it is to use white to represent gan

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    damned and saved Letti will become famous soon enough Letti will become famous soon enough Letti's Avatar

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    And is red a better colour for the evil than black?

    Roland would have understood.

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    Palaver Castle Chef mia/susannah is on a distinguished road mia/susannah's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Letti View Post
    And is red a better colour for the evil than black?
    I personally think black would represent evil better. A dark color for the dark side but both red and black are pretty symbolic of evil and the dark side of people or objects. I hope you understand what I am saying. I am putting it pretty badly

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    The Tenant Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean's Avatar

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    red can be far more aggressive than black. As I see it, black (absence of color, absence of light) leaves more to your imagination - you can fill it with whatever you consider evil or horrible... while red comes with its own content

    Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
    When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)

    bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Palaver Castle Chef mia/susannah is on a distinguished road mia/susannah's Avatar

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    Jean, that is true. Both colors do a pretty good representation though, for me anyway

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    Psychopath William50 is on a distinguished road William50's Avatar

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    My favorite color is red. I hope that doesn't mean I'm evil!!!!
    I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. - Edgar Allan Poe

    Bunch together a group of people deliberately chosen for strong religious feelings, and you have a practical guarantee of dark morbidities expressed in crime, perversion, and insanity. - H.P. Lovecraft

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    Palaver Castle Chef mia/susannah is on a distinguished road mia/susannah's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by William50 View Post
    My favorite color is red. I hope that doesn't mean I'm evil!!!!
    No, of course not. I love the color red myself. I am only talking about it represent the crimson king and other characters or objects

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    Vagrant Dead Nerak is a jewel in the rough Nerak is a jewel in the rough Nerak is a jewel in the rough Nerak is a jewel in the rough Nerak's Avatar

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    insurance industries have done studies and red cars get in to more accidents because the drivers tend to be more aggressive.

    I also associate red with anger
    Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.

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    Psychopath William50 is on a distinguished road William50's Avatar

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    The Little Red Riding hood was a happy story right? No evil there.
    I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. - Edgar Allan Poe

    Bunch together a group of people deliberately chosen for strong religious feelings, and you have a practical guarantee of dark morbidities expressed in crime, perversion, and insanity. - H.P. Lovecraft

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    DT.Org's Official Sweetie Wuducynn will become famous soon enough Wuducynn's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by mia/susannah View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Letti View Post
    And is red a better colour for the evil than black?
    I personally think black would represent evil better. A dark color for the dark side but both red and black are pretty symbolic of evil and the dark side of people or objects. I hope you understand what I am saying. I am putting it pretty badly
    In the series both red and black symbolize "evil".
    "It's his eyes, Roland thought. They were wide and terrible, the eyes of a dragon in human form" - Roland seeing the Crimson King for the first time.

    "When the King comes and the Tower falls, sai, all such pretty things as yours will be broken. Then there will be darkness and nothing but the howl of Discordia and the cries of the can toi" - From Song of Susannah

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    Psychopath William50 is on a distinguished road William50's Avatar

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    I agree that black represents evil better. The Grim Reaper always is in black, and Dracula wears black (as well as most vampires).
    I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. - Edgar Allan Poe

    Bunch together a group of people deliberately chosen for strong religious feelings, and you have a practical guarantee of dark morbidities expressed in crime, perversion, and insanity. - H.P. Lovecraft

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    Palaver Castle Chef mia/susannah is on a distinguished road mia/susannah's Avatar

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    Hince, the man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed

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    Psychopath William50 is on a distinguished road William50's Avatar

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    Yeah, I forgot about him. Plus, if you look at some really old drawings of the Devil, it is usually wearing black. It seems that the movie industry has made it red.
    I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. - Edgar Allan Poe

    Bunch together a group of people deliberately chosen for strong religious feelings, and you have a practical guarantee of dark morbidities expressed in crime, perversion, and insanity. - H.P. Lovecraft

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    Psychopath William50 is on a distinguished road William50's Avatar

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    I agree, crimson is a fun word to say. It sounds kind of evil also.
    I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. - Edgar Allan Poe

    Bunch together a group of people deliberately chosen for strong religious feelings, and you have a practical guarantee of dark morbidities expressed in crime, perversion, and insanity. - H.P. Lovecraft

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    damned and saved Letti will become famous soon enough Letti will become famous soon enough Letti's Avatar

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    Black might represents evil better but I do love that in Roland's world red has such a special meaning. Somehow this colour can give me chills more easily and it makes me wonder more.

    Roland would have understood.

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    The Tenant Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Letti View Post
    Black might represents evil better but I do love that in Roland's world red has such a special meaning.
    only don't forget the red rose, ok?

    Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
    When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)

    bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Roont jayson is on a distinguished road

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jean View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Letti View Post
    Black might represents evil better but I do love that in Roland's world red has such a special meaning.
    only don't forget the red rose, ok?
    right on that one Jean. the Rose represents The White, but it is physically Red. It's one of the better representations of the Tower as World Axis between pairs of opposites.

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    Psychopath William50 is on a distinguished road William50's Avatar

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    The rose helps prove that red is not as evil as black.
    I have no faith in human perfectability. I think that human exertion will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more active - not more happy - nor more wise, than he was 6000 years ago. - Edgar Allan Poe

    Bunch together a group of people deliberately chosen for strong religious feelings, and you have a practical guarantee of dark morbidities expressed in crime, perversion, and insanity. - H.P. Lovecraft

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    Palaver Castle Chef mia/susannah is on a distinguished road mia/susannah's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jean View Post
    Quote Originally Posted by Letti View Post
    Black might represents evil better but I do love that in Roland's world red has such a special meaning.
    only don't forget the red rose, ok?
    You are right, Jean. I am ashamed of myself. I did not think about the red rose.

  24. #24
    The Tenant Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean has a brilliant future Jean's Avatar

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    can hardly see anything to be ashamed of... it's that mind-boggling concept Jayson, Ryan and self, - even if we don't count in several hundred less prominent philosophers, like Hegel, - have been trying to put into various words, and always, I'm afraid, missing something crucial (the essense of the universe is a tricky SoB).

    Ask not what bears can do for you, but what you can do for bears. (razz)
    When one is in agreement with bears one is always correct. (mae)

    bears are back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    Pirate Lover Lee is on a distinguished road Lee's Avatar

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    Maybe the "red" is the go between or the middle man between the White (Gan) and Black. Something/color that connects the two? Could be evil (CK) or salvation(Rose)?? You choose what "red" is to you. But I think the colors just give us a visionary of the "characters"...
    You're going to want it.


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