Universal Themes of "The Dark Tower" 1-5 Quiz

Answer: Clint Eastwood

Though this is Roland's story, from his time and place, we encounter familiar themes repeated throughout the volumes, like the wicked witch, "The Wizard of Oz", John Wayne, "The Wastelands" of T.S. Eliot, songs we know, and even the name Stephen King.

It is as if our world and that of Roland entwine together. Clint Eastwood's gunman, famous for saying, "Go ahead, make my day" is a ringer for the gunslinger Roland.

Answer: Burned at the stake

"Roland I love thee!" were Susan's last words as she burned at the stake. Her aunt and the ancient witch Rhea set her up. Roland helplessly watched her burn from the pink flush of a glass globe, called the Wizard's Glass.

Answer: His mother

It happened when Roland, seeing a threatening shadow approach, drew and fired. His mother fell dead, still smiling and carrying the belt she brought him as a gift. The witch Rhea had tricked Roland to punish him for shooting the head off her friend and pet snake, Ermot. Don't stand on Superman's cape, don't spit into the wind, and you don't mess around with Rhea.

Answer: Blaine the Mono train

All these answers exist in "The Dark Tower", and they all cause pain. But only Blaine the train is a pain. The boy Jake heard the rhyme over and over in his head. When they boarded Blaine, he turned out to be a super-sonic and deadly pain. However, he did take them much further along their way. That's how it goes. For every step forward, Roland (or someone he loves) must sacrifice and suffer.

Answer: The boy Jake

Jake is able to get back to New York City by eating muffin-balls, and via the when and where transport called Todash. Jake had seen 19 books, 19 letters in names and authors, 19 clouds, 19 branches on a tree, 19 sticks he was taking to the fire. Hmmm. What could it mean? Careful...asking was the end of Allie.

Answer: The Path of the Beam

The Path of the Beam. Blaine the Monorail followed the Beam. Highway I-70 followed the Beam. At the point where six original beams met, stands the dark tower! Roland sought the Dark Tower for thousands of years, tracking the Man in Black, until he discovered the Portal of the Bear Shardik, and the existence of the Beam. Thereafter, the ka-tet of gunslingers faithfully followed it.

Answer: Catches and eats frogs and leeches

Roland woke every night and followed Mia, to protect her. He watched her become the sleek night being Mia, who fed on swamp frogs and leeches. She was feeding her "chap", the baby she carried, but Roland suspected that chap wasn't human. Oh my gosh! (Note: Stephen King calls her split mind schizophrenia, but it's rightly Dissociative Identity Disorder, DID.

The theme of multiple selves in one person is ancient).

Answer: A loyal animal

A billy-bumbler like Jake's friend Oy is a combination raccoon, badger and dog. Oy had had not gone wild and silent like most of his kind. He befriended the boy Jake and would give his life--maybe he did in fact--to protect his human pals. Not unlike many a fable dog, raccoon and badger we know.

Answer: He asks Blaine silly riddles

Jake, Susannah and Roland exhausted themselves trying to find a riddle that Blaine the Monorail could not answer, for if they found none, Blaine will kill them all. Eddie realizes Blaine's highly intelligent central computers cannot comprehend silliness. So he kills Blaine by overloading his circuits with nonsense riddles. Blaine might remind you of HAL, from "2001: A Space Odyssey", or perhaps a lunatic Sphinx?

Answer: A rose

In a vacant lot identified as Block #19, grew a rose. The gunslingers had to find a way to protect this rose from the forces of darkness who sought to take possession of it. But first, the gunslinger ka-tet must face the coming of the Wolves of the Calla.

They came on gray horses, with terrible weapons, to steal the children. Ask Andy the robot. He'll tell you all about it. IF you know the password.