Allie - "The First Sacrificial Lamb"

[Erin]

I know we've discussed her a bit in other threads, but I feel that this tragic character deserves her own thread.

Allie is one of the characters in the series who frequently comes to my mind, sometimes more often than members of the ka-tet. When we first meet her in The Gunslinger, she's just so pitiful, with her safety pin dress and scar on her forehead. I feel for her, I think she's could have really been somebody if she wasn't trapped, wasting away in Tull.

Anyways, let's start discussing Allie...Roland's "first sacrificial lamb" in the Dark Tower series as Bev Vincent calls her in his book The Road To The Dark Tower.

[Letti]

I liked her a lot too. I loved the way she spoke, it could touch.
How can she come to your mind so often?

[Storyslinger]

She was definitly key to the series. Mainly in the revised version. It's really to bad, but like Letti said, "Why so often?"

[mia/susannah]

I felt bad for Allie as well. I felt really bad when Roland had to shoot her when he was leaving.

[Erin]

I'm not really sure why I think of her often....i just pity her in a way. As I mentioned earlier, I think she's one of the most tragic characters, next to Roland, in the series.

[obscurejude]

Erin, I feel the same way. She made an indelible impression upon me as well. And its not like she isn't mentioned several times throughout the series she doesn't seem to be far from Roland's thoughts either.

[Mark]

And its not like she isn't mentioned several times throughout the series she doesn't seem to be far from Roland's thoughts either.

WHen? Could i have an example please?

[Letti]

I liked Allie because she wanted to trust Roland so so much. That Roland was a very lonely and hard man/monster still Allie was able to love him.

[MonteGss]

You think Allie loved Roland? Is this just a feeling you have Letti? I don't recall that feeling from her at all, nor from Roland...

[Wuducynn]

Yeah, I don't see Allie as loving Roland. She was facinated with him, and lusted after him and was VERY lonely.

[Letti]

It depends on that you mean by love. I don't say she was in love with him I don't say she would have been able to die for him. There are so many types of love and yes I feel in some weird way she loved him because she wanted to love and feel again.

[Wuducynn]

I know there are many kinds of love, but I don't see her having love for Roland. She needed him in different ways because of her loneliness and her horniness but she didn't know him long enough to love him

[obscurejude]

And its not like she isn't mentioned several times throughout the series she doesn't seem to be far from Roland's thoughts either.

WHen? Could i have an example please?

There are a lot of random passages, "and Allie the woman from Tull." I don't have a concordance and no time to hunt them down. She's mentioned at least twice in DT 2 and DT 3. Roland briefly thinks of her in DT 4 before he tales his tale. Somebody help me out?

[obscurejude]

I just remembered doesn't the grapefruit show Roland a vision of Allie, just for a second- I know Sheb's there but wasn't Allie too? I just woke up.

[sarah]

I don't see Allie loving Roland. Maybe she saw him as a way out but I don't know if I believe that either. I do think Allie was lonely and sad and was comforted by Roland. I don't think she was waiting around to be saved or anything. I think she was just another player put in front of Roland to try and stop him from going to The Tower.

[Letti]

I can't say I am sure Allie loved Roland but I think it was absolutely possible.

[Brice]

I know there are many kinds of love, but I don't see her having love for Roland. She needed him in different ways because of her loneliness and her horniness but she didn't know him long enough to love him

How long do you have to know someone to love them?

[obscurejude]

Brice, six to ten days.

[Mordred Deschain]

[Wuducynn]

How long do you have to know someone to love them?

Well that depends, if its you, hmmmmmmmmm if you bathed recently....I'd give 'em a couple of years...

[Brice]

Brice, six to ten days.

And how did you come up with that number.

[Wuducynn]

Seriously though, you can fall in love with someone quickly of course. But with Alice I don't see it as the case. I actually went back last night and re-read the parts with her in it and it just backed it up. She was awfully lonely and wanted a companion and lusted after him a lot but love? No.

[jayson]

Seriously though, you can fall in love with someone quickly of course. But with Alice I don't see it as the case. I actually went back last night and re-read the parts with her in it and it just backed it up. She was awfully lonely and wanted a companion and lusted after him a lot but love? No.

i agree with you matthew. allie's feelings for roland were born of desperation, loneliness and lust, not love.

[Letti]

Seriously though, you can fall in love with someone quickly of course. But with Alice I don't see it as the case. I actually went back last night and re-read the parts with her in it and it just backed it up. She was awfully lonely and wanted a companion and lusted after him a lot but love? No.

i agree with you matthew. allie's feelings for roland were born of desperation, loneliness and lust, not love.

It happens that love is born from desperation, lonelinnes and lust. Love has so many faces.
Still I don't I can't claim Allie loved Roland but that's how I feel so.

[Darkthoughts]

To put it another way perhaps, would you want someone to love you only because they were lonely - not because of who you are?