The Dark Tower I: The Gunslinger

The gunslinger follows the Man in Black to an ancient killing ground, “golgotha, place-of-the-skull,” so that they can talk (227). The place is full of so many bones that the bones have started turning to a white powder. The Man in Black tells the gunslinger to go gather firewood; he says no, that he wants to kill the Man in Black, but the Man in Black says that he can’t kill him, but he can “gather wood to remember your Isaac” (228). However, the gunslinger doesn’t understand the Man in Black’s biblical reference. The gunslinger gathers the firewood and the Man in Black starts the fire. The Man in Black pulls a skinned rabbit from his sleeve. The gunslinger cooks it for himbut refuses to eat the enchanted meat. The gunslinger tells the Man in Black that he expected him to be older, and he responds “Why? I am nearly immortal, as you are, Roland—for now, at least. I could have taken a face with which you would have been more familiar, but I elected to show you the one I was—ah—born with” (230).