The Rose (Dark Tower)
Encyclopedia
In the Dark Tower series
of novels by Stephen King
, the Rose
takes on many different levels of symbolism.
The rose central to the series is a wild rose that grows in a vacant lot in New York City
. This rose, although seeming like an ordinary rose that has grown, despite all odds, in the middle of midtown Manhattan
, is unique because it is actually the manifestation of the Dark Tower itself on our plane of existence. Further revelations in the plot of the later novels, particularly Wolves of the Calla and Song of Susannah, seem to indicate that this rose is not merely a representation of the Dark Tower (for such representations must exist on all planes and universes that the Dark Tower touches), but in fact actually a key, door or portal to the actual Dark Tower itself.
In the novels, the hero, Roland Deschain
, and his ka-tet, must save the rose from the destructive machinations of the Sombra Corporation
, which is by extent the influence of the Crimson King
in our plane.
, one of the central characters of the Dark Tower series, discovers the rose while playing hookey from his school shortly before being drawn into Roland's world. He discloses knowledge of the rose, and his belief that it may in fact be an incarnation of the Tower, to his ka-tet later in the novel The Waste Lands. Roland and the rest of the group later realize the importance of the rose, for if it is destroyed, the Dark Tower itself may be destroyed as well. They embark on a quest to save it as part of their greater quest to locate the Dark Tower and save it from the insidious plots of the Crimson King and his minions, who seek to destroy the Tower and rule over the chaos that will exist when it is gone.
In the novels, Roland and his ka-tet save the Rose by using Susannah's inheritance from her alternate personality, Odetta Holmes, to found a new company known as the Tet Corporation which purchases the vacant lot and saves the rose from Sombra Corporation's evil intents.
The Dark Tower (series)
The Dark Tower is a series of books written by American author Stephen King, which incorporates themes from multiple genres, including fantasy, science fantasy, horror and western. It describes a "Gunslinger" and his quest toward a tower, the nature of which is both physical and metaphorical. King...
of novels by Stephen King
Stephen King
Stephen Edwin King is an American author of contemporary horror, suspense, science fiction and fantasy fiction. His books have sold more than 350 million copies and have been adapted into a number of feature films, television movies and comic books...
, the Rose
Rose
A rose is a woody perennial of the genus Rosa, within the family Rosaceae. There are over 100 species. They form a group of erect shrubs, and climbing or trailing plants, with stems that are often armed with sharp prickles. Flowers are large and showy, in colours ranging from white through yellows...
takes on many different levels of symbolism.
The rose central to the series is a wild rose that grows in a vacant lot in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. This rose, although seeming like an ordinary rose that has grown, despite all odds, in the middle of midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan
Midtown Manhattan, or simply Midtown, is an area of Manhattan, New York City home to world-famous commercial zones such as Rockefeller Center, Broadway, and Times Square...
, is unique because it is actually the manifestation of the Dark Tower itself on our plane of existence. Further revelations in the plot of the later novels, particularly Wolves of the Calla and Song of Susannah, seem to indicate that this rose is not merely a representation of the Dark Tower (for such representations must exist on all planes and universes that the Dark Tower touches), but in fact actually a key, door or portal to the actual Dark Tower itself.
In the novels, the hero, Roland Deschain
Roland Deschain
Roland Deschain of Gilead is a fictional character, the protagonist and antihero of Stephen King's The Dark Tower series. He is the son of Steven and Gabrielle Deschain and is descended from a long line of "gunslingers", peacekeepers and diplomats of Roland's society...
, and his ka-tet, must save the rose from the destructive machinations of the Sombra Corporation
Sombra Corporation
Sombra Corporation is a fictional megacorporation in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King.-Fictional history:Sombra corporation is controlled by the Crimson King. Sombra Corporation rose to power in the late 80s and fully monopolized high-tech R&D and manufacturing for an unknown, but certainly...
, which is by extent the influence of the Crimson King
Crimson King
The Crimson King, also commonly known as Los', is a fictional character created by Stephen King. He is the antagonist in the novel Insomnia the main villain due to a plot twist in Black House and one of the main villains in the latter half of Stephen King's Dark Tower series.-Fictional...
in our plane.
Plot summary
Jake ChambersJake Chambers
John "Jake" Chambers is a fictional character in Stephen King's The Dark Tower series of novels. He first appeared in the short story "The Way Station" in The Magazine of Fantasy and Science Fiction in April 1980, which was later compiled as one of the chapters of the first Dark Tower book, The...
, one of the central characters of the Dark Tower series, discovers the rose while playing hookey from his school shortly before being drawn into Roland's world. He discloses knowledge of the rose, and his belief that it may in fact be an incarnation of the Tower, to his ka-tet later in the novel The Waste Lands. Roland and the rest of the group later realize the importance of the rose, for if it is destroyed, the Dark Tower itself may be destroyed as well. They embark on a quest to save it as part of their greater quest to locate the Dark Tower and save it from the insidious plots of the Crimson King and his minions, who seek to destroy the Tower and rule over the chaos that will exist when it is gone.
In the novels, Roland and his ka-tet save the Rose by using Susannah's inheritance from her alternate personality, Odetta Holmes, to found a new company known as the Tet Corporation which purchases the vacant lot and saves the rose from Sombra Corporation's evil intents.