In volume VII of Stephen King’s Dark Tower series, “The Dark Tower” Roland finally reaches the end of his quest. But does he achieve his “ka”? If we are observant, that question is
answered at the beginning of the book, on the fly sheet:
Reproduction
Revelation
Redemption
Resumption
But we, like most people, are not usually that observant, we note the fly-sheet in passing but it is only later that its significance comes home. Often the important things pass us by, just like those four words. In them are writ the ending of the book, but we don’t notice because we are focused on “the plan” and what is going to happen next. We are looking for the big things, and we forget that the big things are often disguised. Roland forgets this too, and he is far more observant than most of us, but as we were told in the beginning, in Volume 1, Roland lacks imagination, and imagination is a crucial human trait.
Although at various points in reading this series, and indeed in reading this last volume, I had doubts and felt frustrated at the development of the book, in the end I think it is quite masterfully done. There is a sophisticated exploration of free will and destiny, of the ways humans perceive and pursue what they believe to be their “paths”. Although the book is not always consistent, for the most part I think it is a pretty brilliant conclusion to a long series. When you look at how King interweaves his own life and career with the story and the entire discussion as to whether King is writing and creating the world (does it exist outside of King’s imagination) or whether the world is expressing itself through King, or are the characters creating themselves through the writing of the novel, you get a rather interesting look at metaphysical solipsism and the many ways in which we can perceive the world, while reminding us that this world does not exist outside King himself (or does it). Philosophy hasn’t come up with an answer either.
There were a lot of diverse threads and elements, from many of King’s books, not just the Dark Tower series, that get resolved and many ideas that King explores. And yes there were parts of the story I found uninteresting, or I thought were weak, but generally I was not surprised by the ending. But then, I have never been one to think that knowing the end will ruin the appreciation of the book. The signs were all there from the beginning.
The deaths of Eddie and Jake were not pointless and were necessary, both for their own fates and for Roland. I was at first disappointed in the conclusion of Susannah’s role in this quest, but upon further reflection I realized that it was the only perfect ending. Susannah was the only one of the ka-tet who fully realized her ka, and who also realized that Roland would not achieve his, although she might not have figured out exactly why. I am not sure of this though.
The coda was the only answer. I do not find it disappointing. Anything else would have been a let-down, a pandering to popular philosophy, a lie. Roland learned a lot. He learned
to love, and because he did so he was given a key which might make a difference
in the future. Roland achieved the dark tower. What he didn’t learn is that the
dark tower, although real, is also a metaphor. He was so focused on what he perceived to be the goal that he marched right over the real goal, regardless of the cost. The cost is high.
Will Roland learn? Do any of us learn? There really are no answers no matter how badly we may want them. Stephen King has written a masterful conclusion to a rather complicated sequence of books.