MovieChat Forums > The Dark Tower (2017) Discussion > Roland has never been white?

Roland has never been white?

posted 8 years ago by brett_md
21 replies | jump to latest

SherlockedAndLoaded started a thread that got me thinking. Thankee Sai.

Can anyone point out a specific description of Roland Deschain that SAYS he is white?

The only things I can find are,
1. The description of his "blue eyes". Everyone, even black men, can have blue eyes.
2. Him being referred to as "honky". Detta is out of her mind racist and filled with hate toward the white men that made her so. I'd argue that she is so insane, that she can't even see Roland's black skin, only his blue eyes, which she associates with honky mahfahs!
3. Artist perceptions/renderings of him being a white man.

It really comes down to this. A white man wrote the story. White artists drew the images of the character. White people read the books and then argue about Roland being white or not.

If anyone can find me a description IN THE STORY that says Roland is white, I'll cry your pardon. If not, I'm claiming that Roland Deschain of Gilead has always been a black man, and us white folk have forgotten the face of our fathers!

"Mother Father, Chinese Dentist!"

[–] Sawyer_Lost 8 years ago

I'm reading "The Drawing of the Three" right now, partly with Elba in mind, and it was stated at least once beyond a doubt that he's white. Something like "Roland looked from Odettas black hands down to his own white hands" or something like that. I leafed back to find the passage but of course I couldnt find it. Will post if theres another one, for now you'll have to take my word for it. Having said that, re-reading DT and knowing who will portray Roland: great great fit.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence - Carl Sagan

[–] soulpatrol76 8 years ago

His skin is described as Quaker and Cherokee combo. So has color on it which you would expect from walking in the damn desert.

[–] rapadake 8 years ago

human beings all have white hands underneath.

I'll take your word for it that you've nnot noticed this so far.

[–] sommdude 8 years ago

There is a scene, I believe is in DotT, where Roland sees a movie poster of Clint Eastwood and at first he thinks its a picture of himself

I'm a Gunslinger. I deal in hard calibers.

[–] joannatn 8 years ago

I also remember when Dark Tower Stephen King meets Roland he's struck by the resemblance. Something like while they're not identical, they could easily be related. Now, I know stranger things have happened with our country being the racial melting pot it is (I being a byproduct of it myself), but the whole familial resemblance thing kind of suggests, at least to me, that Mr. King is seeing a white dude.

Now, that being said, very cool call on your part! It is, unfortunately, debunked by far more solid arguments than mine, but the descriptions of Roland's skin color are easily overlooked because it's hardly a key plot point.

I'm also glad to see that some of us (Sawyer, for instance) are reading it with the Idris image in place and seeing that it works. I'm just getting more and more excited!

[–] rapadake 8 years ago

may be a good point.

though up to date theres probably been several million adults who identify with eastwood after watching a Fistful of Dollars.

[–] Odin_Cat_of_Norway 8 years ago

Beware, Spider is about to call you a hypocritical, cuck SJW. Fair warning.

The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.

[–] brett_md 8 years ago

That's ok. I ignored his ignorance long ago.

[–] tylerrepotter 8 years ago

Sounds like a cuck/SJW argument to me.

[–] Spider198 8 years ago

This is the most ridiculous thread on this entire board. You are wrong. That is all.

[–] Odin_Cat_of_Norway 8 years ago

I wasn't wrong. You called it a cuck/sjw argument.

The man in black fled across the desert and the gunslinger followed.

[–] Spider198 8 years ago

What are you on about? You're a sad strange little troll. Let me guess you'll be going back to being my pathetic little shadow around the boards again soon as well.

[–] soulpatrol76 8 years ago

I'm all for idris he is going to kill as roland...but Yeah it's certainly stated he is white in the book.

[–] Spider198 8 years ago

He's definitely going to kill the Dark Tower as a potential film series yes, probably kill all chances of there ever being another adaption as well.

[–] ailiaq 8 years ago

Stephen King himself, in an interview years ago, that he imagined Roland to look like Clint Eastwood.

That said, I am ALL FOR Idris being cast as Roland. He has the gravitas to pull it of - and well. There have been many works of fiction where characters of color have been portrayed by white actors.

Roland is most certainly described as white: pale, blue eyes, etc. Then there is Detta Walker's "colorful" language regarding his race. I'm not sure how they will pull that off, given that her insanity and hatred is race-based.

Oddly enough, I don't see a character listing for Odetta/Detta Walker. I'll have to go back and look.

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Her presence in this film is a non-issue, as she won't be appearing in it...officially, anyhow. For all we know, there could be a teaser showing her and/or Mr. Dean himself.

---
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] DarklordRB 8 years ago

King described Roland as Clint Eastwood's "The Man with No Name" character. Does this character look black to you? http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/p__/images/6/6b/The-man-with-no-name.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20140103110240&path-prefix=protagonist

That's how Roland should be like. Someone like Hugh Jackman should've played Roland.

[–] Captain_Wesker 8 years ago

Absolutely not.

---
It is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, signifying nothing .

[–] 8 years ago

[deleted]

[–] brett_md 8 years ago

LOL.

[–] rapadake 8 years ago

"G'day maninblack. Nother shrimp on the Barbie for ya?"

lol hugh jackman.

I'd think a younger Russell Crowe had that visage, the Cort from Quick and the Dead.
Though there are so many interpretations of "gunslinger" you could throw in. A tanned Kirk Douglas strikes me as a pivotal image of 60s gunslingers.