Ka (Dark Tower)

"Ka" is a plot element in Stephen King's "Dark Tower" series.

Overview

In the books, it is a mysterious force that leads all living (and unliving) creatures. It is the will of Gan, the approximate equivalent of destiny or fate, in King's fictional language of High Speech. "Ka" can be considered to be a guide, a destination, but is certainly not a plan - at least, not one that is known to mortals. Ka is not necessarily a force of good or evil; it manipulates both sides, and seems to have no definite morality of its own.

The official "Dark Tower" site (see below) describes "ka" as the following:"Ka... signifies life-force, consciousness, duty and destiny. In the vulgate, or low speech, it also means a place to which an individual must go."

Concepts involving "ka"

Because of the importance of "ka" to the world of King's "Dark Tower", many phrases in the High Speech use the word ka, such as:

*ka-babbies: young ka-tet members.
*ka-tel: a class of apprentice gunslingers.
*ka-mai: ka's fool.
*ka-me: ka's wiseman; the opposite of ka-mai.
*kas-ka: a prophet
*ka-shume: a unique feeling that a ka-tet is destined to break soon.
*te-ka: ka's friend.
*Can'-Ka No Rey: the red fields of none, where the Dark Tower lies.
*tet-ka can Gan: the navel (specifically, the navel of Gan).
*kas-ka Gan: singer of Gan's song/ prophet of Gan.
*ves-ka Gan: Song of the Turtle

"Ka-tet"

A "ka-tet" is a group of beings brought together by "ka". "We are "ka-tet". We are one from many," says Roland Deschain on the day before the Battle of Algul Siento. ["The Dark Tower VII".] "Ka-tet" is the belief that a group of people can be tied together by fate, or "ka". It is said that a group has shared "khef" or the water of life. Sometimes the symbol of water is used literally, as in a ritual Roland and his "ka-tet" performs the night before the battle of Algul Siento. In the seventh novel, Susannah Dean, who ends up understanding ka maybe more than Roland himself, comes to the understanding that in simple terms, "ka-tet" means family.

Roland's "ka-tet" includes himself, Eddie Dean, Susannah Dean, Oy, and Jake Chambers, Donald "Pere" Callahan. Roland's previous "ka-tet" included himself, Cuthbert Allgood, Jamie De Curry, and Alain Johns.

This a concept frequently used by King, even in books that do not use the terms "ka" or "ka-tet", such as "It", "The Stand", "Desperation", "Insomnia", and "Dreamcatcher". This may be compared to Kurt Vonnegut's "karass".

References in other works by King

"Ka" is mentioned in some of King's other books, including "Hearts in Atlantis" and "Desperation". The characters James Eric Gardener in "The Tommyknockers" and Rosie McClendon in "Rose Madder" also ponder about "ka". It is mentioned in "The Stand" by Judge Farris when he observes a crow outside his window that he believes is Randall Flagg shortly before he is killed by Flagg's men. However, in this context it appears that "ka" refers to the Egyptian word for life force.

References

External links

* [http://www.stephenking.com/DarkTower The Dark Tower Official Site]
* [http://www.thedarktower.net Main Dark Tower Fansite]