Thanks for clearing up the movie title! I thought of it today myself. I'm not sure what Roddy Piper calls himself now-a-days, but he was just "Rowdy" when I used to watch wrestling!

MORE MUSINGS WITH SPOILERS!!*******










1) It seems to me that the women with the dogs are somehow connected to the Earth, whether they are an embodiment of Earth itself, or of the Earth and it's biosphere, I don't know. They have power now, and can heal, one can infer that they have other powers as well, but they are being injured by Rasalom and his Opus Omega as well as by the other things he does. Such as causing pain and anguish.

2) The thing that is perhaps the most troubling is "why do they have a dog with them"? Is it because the dog represents "man's best friend", and is a "protector"? That seems likely to me. Any thoughts?

3) The sticks and cans remind me of a motif used by Joe R. Lansdale in a couple of his books. Like cans and/or bottles used in a spiritual way. I can't remember the exact set-up. I think they are symbols, a token, but as for meaning???

Thanks for clearing up the movie title! I thought of it today myself. I'm not sure what Roddy Piper calls himself now-a-days, but he was just "Rowdy" when I used to watch wrestling!

MORE MUSINGS WITH SPOILERS!!*******










1) It seems to me that the women with the dogs are somehow connected to the Earth, whether they are an embodiment of Earth itself, or of the Earth and it's biosphere, I don't know. They have power now, and can heal, one can infer that they have other powers as well, but they are being injured by Rasalom and his Opus Omega as well as by the other things he does. Such as causing pain and anguish.

2) The thing that is perhaps the most troubling is "why do they have a dog with them"? Is it because the dog represents "man's best friend", and is a "protector"? That seems likely to me. Any thoughts?

3) The sticks and cans remind me of a motif used by Joe R. Lansdale in a couple of his books. Like cans and/or bottles used in a spiritual way. I can't remember the exact set-up. I think they are symbols, a token, but as for meaning???

I think most of us are in agreement that we believe the women with dogs are manifestations of Mother Earth. There is another thread that goes into that quite a bit here.

As for the dogs, I'll quote myself from the thread mentioned above...

My best friend and I were discussing this not long ago and we came up with the idea that the women have been around since, well, forever. We thought that at certain times in history, they may have been seen with cats more often than dogs and inadvertantly inspired stories of "witches". So maybe now they keep dogs as "familiars" instead of cats to distance themselves from that misconception. Anyay, that's our crazy theory

And I do not think that theory is so crazy anymore since hearing that the YA Jack series will have a character who is a woman who lives alone except for her dog and people (the kids at least) think she is a witch!

I personally haven't developed a theory about the sticks and cans though. Nothing that is very well formed, anyway.

I think most of us are in agreement that we believe the women with dogs are manifestations of Mother Earth. There is another thread that goes into that quite a bit here.

As for the dogs, I'll quote myself from the thread mentioned above...

o not think that theory is so crazy anymore since hearing that the YA Jack series will have a character who is a woman who lives alone except for her dog and people (the kids at least) think she is a witch!

I personally haven't developed a theory about the sticks and cans though. Nothing that is very well formed, anyway.

A little before you joined us, Webby. In CRISSCROSS there's a Lady named "Herta." A brilliant genius among the gang pointed out "Herta" is an anagram for "Earth." Forget who he was, but seem to recall he loved the blues...

A little before you joined us, Webby. In CRISSCROSS there's a Lady named "Herta." A brilliant genius among the gang pointed out "Herta" is an anagram for "Earth." Forget who he was, but seem to recall he loved the blues...

Well I think that is a good point, but is it just the spirit of the Earth, or is it like Gaea (the Earth AND all of its life forms as an entity in itself)? That's the thing I'm trying to grasp. It seems to me that if these "women" are at least in part connected to humanity in a more intimate way, rather than being just an elemental representation of the ball we live on, it could have a larger bearing on the story....or not!

Well I think that is a good point, but is it just the spirit of the Earth, or is it like Gaea (the Earth AND all of its life forms as an entity in itself)? That's the thing I'm trying to grasp. It seems to me that if these "women" are at least in part connected to humanity in a more intimate way, rather than being just an elemental representation of the ball we live on, it could have a larger bearing on the story....or not!

I think you'd have to ask Paul about that. And he might say, "Hmmmm...that's up to you."

I think you'd have to ask Paul about that. And he might say, "Hmmmm...that's up to you."

Of course, of course. It is just my way to obssess about something! I really like to get a handle on it so that the full ramifications of the story can be understood. I don't really expect an answer just some opinions from the gifted here on the forum I do this sort of thing all the time, because I just HATE to have read a story and talk to someone about it and they point out something that I MISSED! UURRGGHH!

Of course, of course. It is just my way to obssess about something! I really like to get a handle on it so that the full ramifications of the story can be understood. I don't really expect an answer just some opinions from the gifted here on the forum I do this sort of thing all the time, because I just HATE to have read a story and talk to someone about it and they point out something that I MISSED! UURRGGHH!

I think you were closest when you said "like Gaea (the Earth AND all of its life forms as an entity in itself)". That's just my opinion because of the way the women seem to actually care about what happens to people and other living things. None of us really knows yet - except Paul and he ain't talkin'.

BTW with all the connections between so many different FPW books and short stories, we all miss something once in a while.

Of course, of course. It is just my way to obssess about something! I really like to get a handle on it so that the full ramifications of the story can be understood. I don't really expect an answer just some opinions from the gifted here on the forum I do this sort of thing all the time, because I just HATE to have read a story and talk to someone about it and they point out something that I MISSED! UURRGGHH!

Obssess away.... When someone gets the connection or doesn't....asking or exploring an idea just gets us all in the process. Thoughts are posted and shared, we all learn. There's things we pick up and post....and when you think again about them, they =click=. Okay I'm tired and rammbling away again...

By the by, neat avitar....who's the fuzz critter?

I think you were closest when you said "like Gaea (the Earth AND all of its life forms as an entity in itself)". That's just my opinion because of the way the women seem to actually care about what happens to people and other living things. None of us really knows yet - except Paul and he ain't talkin'.

BTW with all the connections between so many different FPW books and short stories, we all miss something once in a while.

Yes, of course. Thanks for your added insight! I know there has been some discussion of Stephen King here and there. He's another author with so many connections and hidden themes that it really is nearly impossible to catch them all! As far as his writing goes. Someone mentioned "The Stand", which I thought was excellent, it was one of the first I read by him. His writing really went downhill IMO after "Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass". I always was more partial to his short stories, but his earlier novels are almost all very good, and even some of his later stuff.
Thank God I have a plateful of authors I enjoy that are still churning out good work. FPW is one of them! I am eager to get anything that he puts out because I KNOW without any pretense that it will be good! King used to be that way for me, but not anymore.

Yes, of course. Thanks for your added insight! I know there has been some discussion of Stephen King here and there. He's another author with so many connections and hidden themes that it really is nearly impossible to catch them all! As far as his writing goes. Someone mentioned "The Stand", which I thought was excellent, it was one of the first I read by him. His writing really went downhill IMO after "Dark Tower: Wizard and Glass". I always was more partial to his short stories, but his earlier novels are almost all very good, and even some of his later stuff.
Thank God I have a plateful of authors I enjoy that are still churning out good work. FPW is one of them! I am eager to get anything that he puts out because I KNOW without any pretense that it will be good! King used to be that way for me, but not anymore.

I'm the same about Stephen King, expect I liked Wolves of the Calla in the DT series too. After that, it went too far off the track for me (pun intended).