Would anyone like to talk to me about The Stand by Stephen King? (spoilers alert)

[Aworryingtrend]

Saw this mentionned on another thread but didn't want to hijack. I've just finished reading this and loved it but I think some of the themes may have gone over my head. My interpretation was that 'God' was working through Mother Abigail, Tom Cullen, etc, and RF was the devil- but was it really as simple as all that?

Also SPOILERS BELOW
At the end, when Stu and Tom Cullen make it back to Boulder, at the end when the baby is ok and they are all celebrating 4 July and Stu and Frannie plan to move away from Boulder- there is no mention anywhere of Tom. Do we know what happened to him? They make it back and then there's no mention of him, unless I've missed something?

Would love to hear others' thoughts on this.

More or less as simple as that, yes.

When they are having the 4th of July party Tom is playing with the children.

This is my favourite book and I have read it many many times. Can't say I've thought too much about themes while reading tho I always expect it to end differently...

Yep, Tom is the maypole!

I think it is that simple, though like tallulah I haven't thought too much about it. Probably should've done since I've been reading it since I was about 14

If you're interested, RF does make appearances in other books as well

And in the Dark Tower series Randal Flagg is a minion to someone worse who turns out to be... well ... it's not in me to give out that much of a spoiler.

Oh thank you. It really upset me to think Tom might have died, I cried when he was wandering through the desert and nearly got seen by RF's henchmen.

Thanks Mark, I will have a look at the Dark Tower series.