The "Winged Wolf" A Bran Stark Re-read Project - Part II ASOS & ADWD

[MoIaF]

Welcome to the Bran Stark Re-read Project!

Before we get started with our discussion, I'd like to take a moment to thank the amazing group of posters who have agreed be part of the team analyzing Bran's chapters.

• BearQueen87
• DarkSister1001
• Illuminated by Fire
• Kyoshi
• Loic
• MoIaF
• Queen Alysanne
• Stannis’s Lawyer

Now lets get down to business:

The aim of the re-read is to gain a better understanding of Bran's chapters and thus a better understanding of the magical of ASOIAF.

Each week one of us will be analyzing a chapter for discussion. We will be summarizing / analyzing all of Bran's 21 chapters as well as the series Prologue.

We want to have a clear discussion looking objectively at the text. This isn't a appreciation thread so we ask that posters stay focus on the discussion at hand.

As with most re-reads there are a few ground rules which we would appreciate you follow:

• Discussion should focus on the chapters of the week (or previous chapters). You can reference future chapters if necessary for the discussion, but please stay on topic.
• When discussion please refrain from making unsubstantiated comments or be disrespectful towards other posters. We are aiming to do an objective analysis and it would be greatly appreciated if we stay on topic and not argue with each other about our personal feeling about the character.
• Your observations are very important to our discussion; if you find instances of foreshadowing, interesting symbolism, important parallels with other characters or other thoughts that can add to our discussion please share them with us. When ever possible quote from the text, it'll help enrich the discussion.

Below you will find the schedule for our discussion. We aim to stick to the schedule as closely as possible; however, we ask that you bear with us if there are any delays.

AGOT

Prologue November 2, 2014 Queen Alysanne

Bran I November 9, 2014 DarkSister1001

Bran II November 16, 2014 BearQueen87

Bran III November 23, 2014 Kyoshi

Bran IV November 30, 2014 MoIaF

Bran V December 7, 2014 Queen Alysanne

Bran VI December 14, 2014 BearQueen87

Bran VII January 4, 2015 MoIaF

ACOK

Bran I January 11, 2015 Queen Alysanne

Bran II January 18, 2015 MoIaF

Bran III January 25, 2015 Kyoshi

Bran IV February 1, 2015 Queen Alysanne

Bran V February 8, 2015 Illuminated by Fire

Bran VI February 15, 2015 BearQueen87

Bran VII February 22, 2015 Illuminated by Fire

ASOS

Bran I March 1, 2015 BearQueen87

Special I March 4, 2015 Illuminated by Fire

Special II March 8, 2015 Illuminated by Fire

Bran II March 15, 2015 Kyoshi

Bran III April 5, 2015 Illuminated by Fire

Sam III April 8, 2015 Queen Alysanne

Bran IV April 12, 2015 BearQueen87

ADWD

Prolog April 19, 2015 Dark Sister

Bran I May 20, 2015 Dark SIster

Bran II June 7, 2015 BearQueen87

Bran III June 14, 2015 MoIaF

[MoIaF]

IBF,

Let's do it now then. I'll move the other analysis down a week. I'm sure people won't mind having an extra week to work on their analysis. When do you want to post it?

[Illuminated by Fire]

The analysis has two parts, so I would post the first part on Wednesday next week and the second part on Sunday next week. Then we can do the analysis of ASOS Bran 1 first and I do not have to go into future chapters that way.

[MoIaF]

The analysis has two parts, so I would post the first part on Wednesday next week and the second part on Sunday next week. Then we can do the analysis of ASOS Bran 1 first and I do not have to go into future chapters that way.

Okay - sounds good. I'll make the adjustments to the schedule.

[DarkSister1001]

Nice! Shiny and new!

IBF,

Let's do it now then. I'll move the other analysis down a week. I'm sure people won't mind having an extra week to work on their analysis. When do you want to post it?

I know I don't. :)

[BearQueen87]

A Storm of Swords

Bran I

No matter where he went, to Karhold or White Harbor or Greywater Watch, he’d be a cripple when he got there. He balled his hands into fists. “I want to fly,” he told them. “Please. Take me to the crow.”

Summary

Having fled Winterfell in the previous book, Prince Brandon Stark, the stable boy Hodor, and the Stark bannermen, Meera and Jojen Reed, find themselves sequestered away at Tumbledown Tower unsure of what path they should take next. Bran is spending more and more time inside Summer’s skin and Jojen worries that Summer is the dominant half of this duo. Bran inwardly admits that he enjoys being in Summer’s skin more than his own and the chapter opens with a detailed wolf-romp around the woods, in which “Summer” names himself the Prince of the Green. When Jojen and Meera attempt to get Bran to focus on what should come next—the path that they should follow—Bran must make a decision on if he wants to fly or remain crippled. In the end, Bran decided he would rather fly and asks to be taken Beyond the Wall.

Observations

1. Much of aSoS is about the choices our characters make—for good or for ill—and the consequences it has on them and everyone around them. Back in aGoT, Osha told Bran that Robb was marching the wrong way and that everyone should be looking North. Here in this chapter, we have a similar sentiment with Bran. It should be noted that in the two chapters directly preceding Bran I, the other two major characters—Jon and Dany—have to make similar decisions about the path they should follow. Should Jon follow the Halfhand’s final order and “go wildling” or find a way back to the Wall? Should Dany turn her ships toward Slaver’s Bay or go to Pentos as Master Illyrio requested?

2. I’ve noticed that Bran has an association with broken down old towers. In aGoT, the tragic crippling event occurred at the Lightening Struck Tower, a run down old tower that no one visits. Here we have Tumbledown Tower, and the final Bran POV chapter of aSoS will find Bran at another long forgotten, woefully neglected tower.

3. Potential foreshadowing: both Bran and Meera take swords from the crypt of Winterfell. Bran takes the late Brandon Stark’s and Meera takes Lord Rickard Stark’s sword. Both Brandon and Lord Rickard died horrible deaths, but they died together. Might Meera and Bran face a similar fate?

4. I am undecided if the wolf fight is hinting at something more than just Bran’s enjoyment of being a wolf. He calls the regular wolves his little cousins and Bran does have one cousin. When the big truth is revealed, Jon Snow is Bran’s cousin, not his brother. It’s interesting that while there is a pack of wolves, the real show down is between Bran and the Alpha Male Cousin, with the she-wolf lurking just behind. Bran versus Jon? The she wolf could possibly be, if we take GRRM’s original outline into account, Arya.

Analysis

Prince of the Green

Brandon Stark really enjoys being a wolf. In fact, this is now the third chapter in a row in which a Bran centric POV opens with Bran inside Summer’s skin and the reader getting narration from Summer instead of Bran. Each passing chapter finds Bran spending more and more time inside Summer; the difference is that Bran is now doing this by will instead of slipping into Summer’s skin when he is asleep and has less control over his own conscience. Being inside Summer is still equated to freedom for Bran:

The smells were a song around him, a song that filled the good green world…He was strong and swift and fierce, and all that lived in the good green world went in fear of him.

Bran’s own human body is a cage and prison for him; he is unable to do the activities that once made up his day and defined him: run, climb, fight. But in the skin of his direwolf Summer, Bran can do all these things once more.

He could feel the high stone calling him. Up he went, loping easy at first, then faster and higher, his strong legs eating up the incline. Birds burst from the branches overhead as he raced by, clawing and flapping their way into the sky. He could hear the wind sighing up amongst the leaves, the squirrels chittering to one another, even the sound a pinecone made as it tumbled to the forest floor.

Inside Summer’s skin, Bran feels like a proper prince, not a broken boy who plays at being a prince but rarely has the opportunity to do anything more. Part of being Prince of the Green or Prince of the Wolfswood is fighting, something that Bran the Boy wanted to do as a knight. In Summer’s skin he is able to make his dreams a reality by engaging in a wolf battle.

The prince was downwind, so they did not sense him until he leapt up upon a fallen log six strides from where they fed. The tail saw him first, gave a piteous whine, and slunk away. His pack brothers turned at the sound and bared their teeth, snarling, all but the head male and female.

The direwolf answered the snarls with a low warning growl and showed them his own teeth. He was bigger than his cousins, twice the size of the scrawny tail, half again as large as the two pack heads. He leapt down into their midst, and three of them broke, melting away into the brush. Another came at him, teeth snapping. He met the attack head on, caught the wolf's leg in his jaws when they met, and flung him aside yelping and limping.

And then there was only the head wolf to face, the great grey male with his bloody muzzle fresh from the prey's soft belly. There was white on his muzzle as well, to mark him as an old wolf, but when his mouth opened, red slaver ran from his teeth.

He has no fear, the prince thought, no more than me. It would be a good fight. They went for each other.

Long they fought, rolling together over roots and stones and fallen leaves and the scattered entrails of the prey, tearing at each other with tooth and claw, breaking apart, circling each round the other, and bolting in to fight again. The prince was larger, and much the stronger, but his cousin had a pack. The female prowled around them closely, snuffing and snarling, and would interpose herself whenever her mate broke off bloodied. From time to time the other wolves would dart in as well, to snap at a leg or an ear when the prince was turned the other way. One angered him so much that he whirled in a black fury and tore out the attacker's throat. After that the others kept their distance.

And as the last red light was filtering through green boughs and golden, the old wolf lay down weary in the dirt, and rolled over to expose his throat and belly. It was submission.

This fight is fierce and ferocious and also completely unnecessary. If Bran-in-Summer wanted to eat, there is plenty of game in the woods, as Meera points out when she, Jojen, and Bran are discussing if they should stay in Tumbledown Tower or not. Attacking the “cousin wolves” and taking the deer is not about survival; it’s about power. Bran-in-Summer knows that he is the more powerful of these two types of wolves and he wants to prove it. Bran has an almost overwhelming need to constantly prove that he can be as strong and capable as anyone, and the only way he can do that is by being inside Summer.

This need to prove himself is compounded whenever Bran is pulled out of Summer’s skin and back into his own reality where he is a crippled boy who cannot use his legs and finds that his two companions have more of a say in what they do and where they go than he does, an actual prince:

It was true. He meant to do the things that Jojen asked, but once he was a wolf they never seemed important. There were always things to see and things to smell, a whole green world to hunt. And he could run! There was nothing better than running, unless it was running after prey. "I was a prince, Jojen," he told the older boy. "I was the prince of the woods."

"You are a prince," Jojen reminded him softly. "You remember, don't you? Tell me who you are."

"You know." Jojen was his friend and his teacher, but sometimes Bran just wanted to hit him.

"I want you to say the words. Tell me who you are."

"Bran," he said sullenly. Bran the Broken. "Brandon Stark." The cripple boy. "The Prince of Winterfell." Of Winterfell burned and tumbled, its people scattered and slain. The glass gardens were smashed, and hot water gushed from the cracked walls to steam beneath the sun. How can you be the prince of someplace you might never see again?

In his own skin, Bran is faced with disappointing the people with him, like Jojen. The little grandfather constantly tells Bran to do things inside of Summer in order to gain a measure of control over his warging abilities. The tasks Jojen sets seem silly and unnecessary to Bran the Boy and thus he “forgets” to do them. There might be a question of whether or not Bran actually forgets to do these things while he is inside Summer’s skin.

While in Summer, Bran is not concerned with honing his skills as a warg ; it’s about indulgence; it’s about doing the things he can no longer do inside his own human skin. Thus, because Bran spends so much time giving into the freedom of the wolf, he begins to forget who he really is:

"And who is Summer?" Jojen prompted.

"My direwolf." He smiled. "Prince of the green."

"Bran the boy and Summer the wolf. You are two, then?"

"Two," he sighed, "and one." He hated Jojen when he got stupid like this. At Winterfell he wanted me to dream my wolf dreams, and now that I know how he's always calling me back.

"Remember that, Bran. Remember yourself, or the wolf will consume you. When you join, it is not enough to run and hunt and howl in Summer's skin."

It is for me, Bran thought. He liked Summer's skin better than his own. What good is it to be a skinchanger if you can't wear the skin you like?

"Will you remember? And next time, mark the tree. Any tree, it doesn't matter, so long as you do it."

"I will. I'll remember. I could go back and do it now, if you like. I won't forget this time." But I'll eat my deer first, and fight with those little wolves some more.

Without trying to bash Bran, but his attitude is incredibly selfish and shows the kind of dangerous path wargs are set on when they discover their unique and life altering abilities. The bolded line is foreshadowing the kind of warg Bran is likely to become if he doesn’t learn control and how to be two separate entities existing in the same body. For Bran to simply think that he can do as he pleases because he is a skinchanger and has this special ability is alarming for what it entails for those around him who could easily fall prey to Bran’s own gift. Also, note that while Bran offers to go back and do as Jojen bids him, his own internal thoughts show that his first concern are still of the selfish nature and what Bran really desires: to be a wolf, not a human-in-wolf. I should also note that there is no reason for Bran to “fight those little wolves some more.” The Alpha male has been defeated; the rest the pack has yielded to Bran’s superior fighting ability.

Where GRRM makes Bran a more nuanced and interesting character is that his selfishness is also sympathetic. We are reminded, as is Bran every time he snaps out of Summer’s skin, that the reason why being a wolf feels so good is because Bran himself is trapped in a body that cannot enjoy those activities anymore. Jojen says it best when he tells Bran that he fears for the future of the little prince Stark:

"Jojen, what did you mean about a teacher?" Bran asked. "You're my teacher. I know I never marked the tree, but I will the next time. My third eye is open like you wanted . . . "

"So wide open that I fear you may fall through it, and live all the rest of your days as a wolf of the woods."

"I won't, I promise."

"The boy promises. Will the wolf remember? You run with Summer, you hunt with him, kill with him . . . but you bend to his will more than him to yours."

There is a very real danger of Bran losing himself if he doesn’t figure out how to control what happens to him once he’s inside the skin of an animal.

…And the Children Shall Lead

When it comes to the Stark-Reed partnership, I want to first remind everyone that we are dealing with three children. All three—Bran, Jojen, and Meera—get their ages tossed out in this chapter, as if GRRM is putting a fine point on the fact that these three are alone, young, and facing decisions that most adults would never have to face.

What I find more curious than the age of each of our characters, is that for the most part, the big discussion of what to do next is had between Meera and Jojen and that Bran is a spectator who occasionally pipes up. The ultimate decision rests with Bran, but only after Meera and Jojen have had their say and weighed each option.

Jojen seems very self assured that they must travel north beyond the Wall and find the three eyed crow. For Jojen the details matter little; all he knows is that this course of action is what Bran needs to do:

"Come the morrow," Jojen announced, "we had best move on."

Bran could see Meera tense. "Have you had a green dream?"

"No," he admitted.

"Why leave, then?" his sister demanded. "Tumbledown Tower's a good place for us. No villages near, the woods are full of game, there's fish and frogs in the streams and lakes . . . and who is ever going to find us here?"

"This is not the place we are meant to be."

[snip]

"Somewhere to the north, the three-eyed crow awaits us. Bran has need of a teacher wiser than me."

"How, Jojen?" his sister asked. "How?"

"Afoot," he answered. "A step at a time."

"The road from Greywater to Winterfell went on forever, and we were mounted then. You want us to travel a longer road on foot, without even knowing where it ends. Beyond the Wall, you say. I haven't been there, no more than you, but I know that Beyond the Wall's a big place, Jojen. Are there many three-eyed crows, or only one? How do we find him?"

"Perhaps he will find us."

Countering Jojen’s belief that things will turn out alright is Meera who is highly concerned with the details and the practical nature of this adventure. She recognizes that Bran has no legs except Hodor and that even if they manage to survive the adventure north, “Beyond the Wall” is impossibly large and they have no idea where they are going. Meera’s various proposals—like stealing or buying a horse—are met with quick answers by Jojen that leave little doubt that the hard way is the better way.

Overall, this is something Illuminated by Fire has picked up on his own analysis of Jojen and Meera---they work as a team even when they disagree. There is a level of respect for each other. Jojen cannot be a hunter the way Meera can but he does not dismiss her abilities. Meera cannot be a dreamer like Jojen can, but she respects his abilities and listens when Jojen has a green dream.

"The gods give many gifts, Bran. My sister is a hunter. It is given to her to run swiftly, and stand so still she seems to vanish. She has sharp ears, keen eyes, a steady hand with net and spear. She can breathe mud and fly through trees. I could not do these things, no more than you could. To me the gods gave the green dreams…

Standing on the outside of all this is Bran, who is largely silent while the two Reed debate the situation. Bran’s internal thoughts, though, reveal that he is growing resentful of one Reed in particular.

Before Meera could find a reply to that, they heard the sound; the distant howl of a wolf, drifting through the night. "Summer?" asked Jojen, listening.

"No." Bran knew the voice of his direwolf.

"Are you certain?" said the little grandfather.

"Certain." Summer had wandered far afield today, and would not be back till dawn. Maybe Jojen dreams green, but he can't tell a wolf from a direwolf. He wondered why they all listened to Jojen so much. He was not a prince like Bran, nor big and strong like Hodor, nor as good a hunter as Meera, yet somehow it was always Jojen telling them what to do.

I think being around Jojen makes Bran feel like a boy. Jojen tells Bran what to do, how to act when he is inside Summer and Bran is growing tired of being ordered about. Jojen isn’t doing this to be mean or because he feels superior to Bran, but rather he is trying to help the Young Stark. The problem really lies in the fact that Bran doesn’t want to listen to Jojen because the Reed boy tells Bran truths that Bran doesn’t want to hear, like that he can’t bend to Summer’s will as much as he does. Jojen’s honesty does not solely focus on his fear of what is happening to Bran the Warg, though. Jojen is also very honest about himself—he is unable to teach Bran all that Bran must learn for what is to come. The Three Eyed Crow can teach Bran properly, to be a greenseer and a warg, something Jojen cannot do.

In the end, Meera plays diplomat and lets Bran make the decision, only after Jojen and she have hashed out the pluses and minuses of both arguments.

Meera took Bran by the hand. "If we stay here, troubling no one, you'll be safe until the war ends. You will not learn, though, except what my brother can teach you, and you've heard what he says. If we leave this place to seek refuge at Last Hearth or beyond the Wall, we risk being taken. You are only a boy, I know, but you are our prince as well, our lord's son and our king's true heir. We have sworn you our faith by earth and water, bronze and iron, ice and fire. The risk is yours, Bran, as is the gift. The choice should be yours too, I think. We are your servants to command." She grinned. "At least in this."

"You mean," Bran said, "you'll do what I say? Truly?"

"Truly, my prince," the girl replied, "so consider well."

The choice Bran makes is a selfish and ultimately with all the choices laid out before him, not the safest—the safest choice being to stay at Tumbledown Tower. Bran’s reasoning for why he decides to go beyond the Wall is not for his own safety or even for the safety of those that are with him, but because Bran wants to fly. He doesn’t wan to be a cripple or Bran the Broken. It’s a sympathetic choice, but a selfish one nonetheless.

If they stayed here, hidden down beneath Tumbledown Tower, no one would find them. He would stay alive. And crippled.

Bran realized he was crying. Stupid baby, he thought at himself. No matter where he went, to Karhold or White Harbor or Greywater Watch, he'd be a cripple when he got there. He balled his hands into fists. "I want to fly," he told them. "Please. Take me to the crow."

Conclusions

I believe this is the start of a darker path for Bran. Up until now, his powers have largely been unregulated and beyond his control. Now, however, Bran is choosing to give over to the wolf and not learn how to stay in control when he slips into Summer’s skin. Being a wolf—an animal—is more rewarding and freer for Bran than being Brandon Stark. Bran has yet to realize the true dangers of giving over to his warg abilities, a theme that follows him from here on out. Ultimately Bran decides to head north and beyond the Wall, with Jojen and Meera Reed following.

[Illuminated by Fire]

A Storm of Swords

Bran I

No matter where he went, to Karhold or White Harbor or Greywater Watch, he’d be a cripple when he got there. He balled his hands into fists. “I want to fly,” he told them. “Please. Take me to the crow.”

Great analysis! It is astounding that the re-read is already four months old.

2. I’ve noticed that Bran has an association with broken down old towers. In aGoT, the tragic crippling event occurred at the Lightening Struck Tower, a run down old tower that no one visits. Here we have Tumbledown Tower, and the final Bran POV chapter of aSoS will find Bran at another long forgotten, woefully neglected tower.

That is definitely true. And it fits, Bran is disabled and his spine probably literally broke from his fall. And yet his powers enable him to influence things he would otherwise have no control over.

This fight is fierce and ferocious and also completely unnecessary. If Bran-in-Summer wanted to eat, there is plenty of game in the woods, as Meera points out when she, Jojen, and Bran are discussing if they should stay in Tumbledown Tower or not. Attacking the “cousin wolves” and taking the deer is not about survival; it’s about power. Bran-in-Summer knows that he is the more powerful of these two types of wolves and he wants to prove it. Bran has an almost overwhelming need to constantly prove that he can be as strong and capable as anyone, and the only way he can do that is by being inside Summer.

This is actually a very good point and something I never realized until now, probably because Bran himself does not realize the underlying principle behind it either. But you are right: It is about power. And in the end, Bran wants power. This is interesting because he is far from the ruthless people we usually associate with such a ambition, but it also shines a light on why people want power. For Bran it is independence and a chance to escape his crippled body, a mean to feel strong again. It is about escaping his helpless state and not being helpless anymore. Or to express it differently: Being powerful is a great feeling. And I do not think that anyone is truly immune to that temptation. But on the other hand: When does seeking power become problematic? In this case probably when he hurts someone else for this, and this is something that will indeed come up. Not to mention the danger for Bran losing himself in Sumer as you already pointed out.

When it comes to the Stark-Reed partnership, I want to first remind everyone that we are dealing with three children. All three—Bran, Jojen, and Meera—get their ages tossed out in this chapter, as if GRRM is putting a fine point on the fact that these three are alone, young, and facing decisions that most adults would never have to face.

This is indeed a very important point. And both Bran and Jojen are actually quite aware of that:

"The boy promises. Will the wolf remember? You run with Summer, you hunt with him, kill with him... but you bend to his will more than him to yours."

"I just forget," Bran complained. "I'm only nine. I'll be better when I'm older. Even Florian the Fool and Prince Aemon the Dragonknight weren't great knights when they were nine."

"That is true," said Jojen, "and a wise thing to say, if the days were still growing longer... but they aren't."

He uses his age as a defense, and to be honest, it is a very good defense, as Jojen rightfully points out. He only pushes the issue because there is not much time left. He does not like that he needs to admit it, but even if he uses it as a defense, he still admits it. Jojen on the other hand is also away of his young age:

"Then you teach me." [...] "You're a greenseer."

"No" said Jojen. "Only a boy who dreams. The greenseers were more than that. [...]"

He does acknowledge that his abilities are limited and also acknowledges that he is only a boy. Which makes me wonder when in the series there is anyone else who calls himself a boy or girl before others, without using it as a defense or ironically. I am sure he feels the burden having such responsibility at an age of thirteen years. But I can also imagine that part of him also likes it, even if that is more in the background given the issues they have.

What I find more curious than the age of each of our characters, is that for the most part, the big discussion of what to do next is had between Meera and Jojen and that Bran is a spectator who occasionally pipes up. The ultimate decision rests with Bran, but only after Meera and Jojen have had their say and weighed each option.

Jojen seems very self assured that they must travel north beyond the Wall and find the three eyed crow. For Jojen the details matter little; all he knows is that this course of action is what Bran needs to do:

[...]

Countering Jojen’s belief that things will turn out alright is Meera who is highly concerned with the details and the practical nature of this adventure. She recognizes that Bran has no legs except Hodor and that even if they manage to survive the adventure north, “Beyond the Wall” is impossibly large and they have no idea where they are going. Meera’s various proposals—like stealing or buying a horse—are met with quick answers by Jojen that leave little doubt that the hard way is the better way.

Jojen and Meera compliment each other very well, since both are capable of assessing their situation and make good points regarding their situation. And the fact that Jojen (mostly) has the last word is not based on social grounds. Bran even wonders why Jojen tells them what to do, despite there not being an obvious reason for it. That he decides what to do is to a large part based on arguments, not inherent authority. About their different approach: I partly disagree. I do not think that Jojen is not concerned with details, but that he argues from a different perspective. In his opinion, getting to the three-eyed crow is paramount. The only question is how to get there. Meera doubts that this is the best course of action and wants to acquire horses to make their journey easier. Only then the plan is reasonable in her opinion. These are the points they take in this discussion.

Overall, this is something Illuminated by Fire has picked up on his own analysis of Jojen and Meera---they work as a team even when they disagree. There is a level of respect for each other. Jojen cannot be a hunter the way Meera can but he does not dismiss her abilities. Meera cannot be a dreamer like Jojen can, but she respects his abilities and listens when Jojen has a green dream.

Yes, they do not dismiss each other's opinion outright because they respect and love each other. But it is more than not dismissing their respective abilities. They respect and love each other as what they are and see those aspects as important part of the other one, as something to be valued, something positive. They do not have this good of a relationship despite their - gender atypcal - abilities and differences, and not even because they tolerate them, but to because they actively value them, which is quite remarkable. I think it is a very refreshing contrast to the Lannister chapters.

I think being around Jojen makes Bran feel like a boy. Jojen tells Bran what to do, how to act when he is inside Summer and Bran is growing tired of being ordered about. Jojen isn’t doing this to be mean or because he feels superior to Bran, but rather he is trying to help the Young Stark. The problem really lies in the fact that Bran doesn’t want to listen to Jojen because the Reed boy tells Bran truths that Bran doesn’t want to hear, like that he can’t bend to Summer’s will as much as he does. Jojen’s honesty does not solely focus on his fear of what is happening to Bran the Warg, though. Jojen is also very honest about himself—he is unable to teach Bran all that Bran must learn for what is to come. The Three Eyed Crow can teach Bran properly, to be a greenseer and a warg, something Jojen cannot do.

I fully agree. An important factor here is that Jojen's road was very similar to Bran's. He also had a life threatening experience which awoke his powers, a probably very scary chat with a particular crow during this and needed to learn coming to terms with his green dreams, that they come true and that they are very confusing and that they foretell often times terrifying events, not to mention his own death. He went through all this and needed to learn very unconfortable lessons to be able to deal with this instead of suppressing them or break. And he does not hold back those lessons from Bran, who obviously is not keen on that, since they are, well... unconfortable and difficult. But at the same time their roads are not the same. Jojen does not know what it is like to be a warg or a greenseer and acknowledges that fact. And that he has 'only' green dreams is part of the reason why Bran is bitter about that, thinking:

Maybe Jojen dreams green, but he can't tell a wolf from a direwolf.

which reminds me a little of Bran's impression of the Freys in the yard after the Hodor incident:

You are only a maester, who are you to reproach a Frey of the Crossing?

The choice Bran makes is a selfish and ultimately with all the choices laid out before him, not the safest—the safest choice being to stay at Tumbledown Tower. Bran’s reasoning for why he decides to go beyond the Wall is not for his own safety or even for the safety of those that are with him, but because Bran wants to fly. He doesn’t wan to be a cripple or Bran the Broken. It’s a sympathetic choice, but a selfish one nonetheless.

Yes, it is a selfish choice, but it is important that he makes this final decision, not Meera or Jojen. They do not drag him along, he actually wants to go. This last part of the chapter also shows that both Jojen and Meera still take their role as Stark bannermen seriously. In the end they are obliged to serve Bran, even if they do not follow every order of his (which is quite reasonable). The social context is still there and still strong, even with Winterfell destroyed and them being in the wilderness. I wrote a bit about the tempation of power before: For him it is a mean for acquiring new mobility and independence, but this is not necessarily a bad thing. And wanting to acquire power in general is not either. After all you can use power to influence situations, for good and bad. And it is necessary to remember that Bran is only nine years old and has gone through a lot. I think he takes it remarkably well.

I have another point to make:

"Who's hungry?" she asked, holding up her catch: two small silvery trout and six fat green frogs.

"I am," said Bran.

[...]

"We'll just have to feed you, then. Will you help me clean the catch, Bran?"

He nodded. It was hard to sulk with Meera. She was much more cheerful than her brother, and always seemed to know how to make him smile.

Jojen is important for Bran because of what he can teach him, but Meera helps Bran to not fall into a depression. He has lost a lot, his family, his friends, his home. Meera's lighthearted conversations are very important for Bran at this point to distract and to come to terms with his losses. Without her his thoughts could carry him to a very dark place, which could mentally destroy him. Jojen also fulfills this role to a degree:

Jojen was his friend and his teacher, but sometimes Bran just wanted to hit him.

He considers Jojen a friend and appreciates his help, even if he is resentful at times. But since Jojen is very introverted and is very guarded emotionally since he has his own issues to deal with, he cannot help Bran as much in emotional matters as Meera can.

And as a last side note: I really like the nickname 'little grandfather'.

[Kyoshi]

:bowdown: All hail the new thread...hail!

Late to the party again. Just wanted to contribute briefly on the subject of whether or not warging is all that cool for Summer. I remember that in one of the chapters we have already analysed Summer showed thoughts of not wanting to be caged. Bran was warging him when this happened, IIRC. I think warging is a form of caging.

We later learn that Hodor retreats into a place very deep within himself when Bran wargs him.

I'm jumping ahead here but I think in one of the future chapters:

...when the crew has already been found by Coldhands, Summer sort of expresses feelings of wanting to run free, but then remembers that he somewhat "belongs to the boy" and must thus return to him. I'll wait for the chapter to come along and we can discuss it properly.

The truth is that Summer is a predatory animal. Like a lion or a tiger, one might cage him successfully, but his nature is not something I think can be successfully tamed. Even though he has spent his life in "captivity", I think both he and Shaggy might have feelings of mild, if not extreme resentment. Ghost is another story altogether since even when being warged, he does not seem to "think" so I don't quite know how to apply this argument to him. Additionally, and I don't even know if I'll make sense, but Ghost seems to be the one to initiate his own warging, like the time he came back to the Wall and Jon didn't even know what has happening. Even Ghost's head is silent [this troubles me. Is Ghost an empty "vessel?"]. Nymeria...well, she is wild and free and quite dangerous.

What I'm trying to say is that I don't think the Bran-Summer relationship is as "cool" as is apparent. The Jon-Ghost one as well, somehow, maybe, I don't know... :dunno: End of the ramblings.

A Storm of Swords

Bran I

[snip]

Really good job! Thanks for the analysis, Bear Queen. :cheers:

Agreed, Bran can be selfish sometimes. I'm working on my analysis for Bran II and I found myself a tiny bit peeved with him at times. Like you say, it's easy to sympathise with him and his desires are understandable. But sometimes, especially with everything that has happened to him, it's difficult not to grow a tiny bit annoyed with him [i still love him and think he is very well-written]. List of bad things in his life:

-----Dead father

-----Sisters thought to be dead and brother at war

-----Youngest brother's whereabouts currently unknown

-----Exiled

-----The fall and his disability

I find his desire to be a knight/flier an understandable one, but it seems to drive everything he does at this point. I think this could prove to be dangerous later on. I can't help but wonder if he would have reacted differently if the fall had happened later on in his life--after he had been a squire and maybe been to a few particularly bloody battles. Which brings me to the point I was really trying to make:

The Westerosi culture is an incredibly flawed one. Your analysis reminded me just how naive some of these characters are and it got me thinking that Sansa and Bran are the Stark siblings most like one another. They both like songs and chivalry and such things, even though Bran seems to like his songs in the form of stories. Each child approaches the subject of these songs from the opposite end of the spectrum: one wants to be a gallant knight and save the damsel, the other wants to be a damsel so she can be saved by the gallant knight. It is these qualities that leads them to some of their more questionable decisions. You illustrate Bran's so perfectly in your analysis and we have Sansa running to Cersei to reveal her father's plans. Since's Sansa's actions have already yielded their consequences, I cannot help but wonder what Bran's will be.

I'm sorry I went off-topic, I just started think-typing.

[LongRider]

A Storm of Swords

Bran I

No matter where he went, to Karhold or White Harbor or Greywater Watch, he’d be a cripple when he got there. He balled his hands into fists. “I want to fly,” he told them. “Please. Take me to the crow.”

~~~~snip~~~

4. I am undecided if the wolf fight is hinting at something more than just Bran’s enjoyment of being a wolf. He calls the regular wolves his little cousins and Bran does have one cousin. When the big truth is revealed, Jon Snow is Bran’s cousin, not his brother. It’s interesting that while there is a pack of wolves, the real show down is between Bran and the Alpha Male Cousin, with the she-wolf lurking just behind. Bran versus Jon? The she wolf could possibly be, if we take GRRM’s original outline into account, Arya.

~~~~snap~~~

At this time Bran does have one known cousin, young Robert Arryn (Sweet Robin) of the Vale. This cousin is with his sister and has descended the Eyrie and is now in a place with a God's Wood and weirwoods, iirc. Not only that, but Sweet Robin's life is in danger. Will Bran be able to help protect his sister and cousin, 'his pack' now that they have access to weirwoods?

As for Jon being his cousin, when that is revealed, then your ideas may indeed play out.

[BearQueen87]

Great analysis! It is astounding that the re-read is already four months old.

Thanks! And yes, hard to believe

This is interesting because he is far from the ruthless people we usually associate with such a ambition, but it also shines a light on why people want power. For Bran it is independence and a chance to escape his crippled body, a mean to feel strong again. It is about escaping his helpless state and not being helpless anymore

Agreed. Many people in GRRM world want power not just for powers sake but because they are somehow damaged and had their own individual power taken away, negated, or abused.

Jojen is important for Bran because of what he can teach him, but Meera helps Bran to not fall into a depression. He has lost a lot, his family, his friends, his home. Meera's lighthearted conversations are very important for Bran at this point to distract and to come to terms with his losses. Without her his thoughts could carry him to a very dark place, which could mentally destroy him. Jojen also fulfills this role to a degree:

In a way I think losing Meera would be worse than losing Jojen for Bran.

:bowdown: All hail the new thread...hail!

Late to the party again. Just wanted to contribute briefly on the subject of whether or not warging is all that cool for Summer. I remember that in one of the chapters we have already analysed Summer showed thoughts of not wanting to be caged. Bran was warging him when this happened, IIRC. I think warging is a form of caging.

We later learn that Hodor retreats into a place very deep within himself when Bran wargs him.

I'm jumping ahead here but I think in one of the future chapters:

...when the crew has already been found by Coldhands, Summer sort of expresses feelings of wanting to run free, but then remembers that he somewhat "belongs to the boy" and must thus return to him. I'll wait for the chapter to come along and we can discuss it properly.

The truth is that Summer is a predatory animal. Like a lion or a tiger, one might cage him successfully, but his nature is not something I think can be successfully tamed. Even though he has spent his life in "captivity", I think both he and Shaggy might have feelings of mild, if not extreme resentment. Ghost is another story altogether since even when being warged, he does not seem to "think" so I don't quite know how to apply this argument to him. Additionally, and I don't even know if I'll make sense, but Ghost seems to be the one to initiate his own warging, like the time he came back to the Wall and Jon didn't even know what has happening. Even Ghost's head is silent [this troubles me. Is Ghost an empty "vessel?"]. Nymeria...well, she is wild and free and quite dangerous.

What I'm trying to say is that I don't think the Bran-Summer relationship is as "cool" as is apparent. The Jon-Ghost one as well, somehow, maybe, I don't know... :dunno: End of the ramblings.

Really good job! Thanks for the analysis, Bear Queen. :cheers:

The Westerosi culture is an incredibly flawed one. Your analysis reminded me just how naive some of these characters are and it got me thinking that Sansa and Bran are the Stark siblings most like one another. They both like songs and chivalry and such things, even though Bran seems to like his songs in the form of stories. Each child approaches the subject of these songs from the opposite end of the spectrum: one wants to be a gallant knight and save the damsel, the other wants to be a damsel so she can be saved by the gallant knight. It is these qualities that leads them to some of their more questionable decisions. You illustrate Bran's so perfectly in your analysis and we have Sansa running to Cersei to reveal her father's plans. Since's Sansa's actions have already yielded their consequences, I cannot help but wonder what Bran's will be.

Thanks! And yes good points. I think their naivete stems from being well born/high born children in a time when there is little to no external threat to their world. The are no Others (in their mind), the Wildings might annoy the NW sometimes but even the NW is becoming quite lapse in their duties and responsibilities, there are no dragons burning stuff to the ground, the realm has a neglectful king but a good hand so people prosper, they are experiencing a long summer. They were raised in a time when life was about as "song-ish" as it gets.

At this time Bran does have one known cousin, young Robert Arryn (Sweet Robin) of the Vale. This cousin is with his sister and has descended the Eyrie and is now in a place with a God's Wood and weirwoods, iirc. Not only that, but Sweet Robin's life is in danger. Will Bran be able to help protect his sister and cousin, 'his pack' now that they have access to weirwoods?

As for Jon being his cousin, when that is revealed, then your ideas may indeed play out.

Thanks for that. I totally forgot about Sweet Robin.

[Illuminated by Fire]

Jojen and Luwin

a comparison of two mentors

Introduction

In the following analysis we want to take a look at Jojen and Luwin, two important mentors for Bran during the events of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' who are crucial for Bran's development and the direction of his journey throughout the series.

In the first part we take a look at them as people, that means at their characters and their social context. This will be largely independent of their relation with Bran and is written as much to provide context for their interactions with Bran later as it is to give an impression of them as characters in their own right. In the second part however we will apply many of the insights gained in the first part to analyze their interactions with Bran, how they do it and which lessons they have to offer. It is easy to simplify their influence to a magic against secularism conflict, but we will see that they have many similarities and some more subtle differences.

I will mostly stick to the chapters we already analyzed, but will occasionally use non-Bran chapters from AGOT for some information about Maester Luwin.

Part 1: Comparison as People

Luwin is a small man with grey eyes and grey, sparse hair. He also is a maester of the Citadel and serves house Stark as maester in the household of Winterfell. As such he wears grey wool robes trimmed with white fur, which match the Stark colors. Catelyn notes him to be very observant and always having some items in the sleeves of his robe, which he pulls out when they are needed. Luwin came with Catelyn to Winterfell and helped with the birth of all her children, which combined with his grey hair makes it likely for him to be well over fourty years old. For many years he has been the maester in Winterfell and he has the trust of both Catelyn and Eddard and serves them as adviser and as a teacher for their children. When Catelyn, Eddard and Robb eventually leave Winterfell, he takes over the administration together with Rodrik Cassel.

Jojen on the other hand is a boy of thirteen years at the time he comes to Winterfell. He is the only son of Howland Reed, lord of Greywater Watch, and his heir. His sister is Meera Reed, who is a bit over two years older than him and travels with him to Winterfell. Jojen's clothing is completely green and he has green eyes, 'the color of moss', as Bran observes. Both he and his sister are slender and small, only a bit taller than Bran. Jojen is also a frail boy, needing help from his sister, and is untrained in the use of weapons, whereas his sister is a huntress. Jojen however has some magical ability. A general magical affinity on the one hand, allowing him to sense Bran in Summer and his falling dream, and his green dreams on the other hand, which are visions of the future he cannot consciously control and are highly symbolic. Jojen believes that the green dreams always come true and has seen his own death in them.

The most obvious difference between Jojen and Luwin is the age difference. Jojen is a boy of thirteen years whereas Luwin served a longer time than this at Winterfell alone, not to mention his studies at the citadel, which puts him well past forty. This translates into a difference in life experience. Luwin has had much more time to gather knowledge and make his own experiences and decisions than Jojen, who needed to deal with his green dreams from an early age. He could not make his experiences at a natural pace, but had them forced on him through his visions, which does make up the difference a bit. This is even apparent in his nickname 'little grandfather'.

But they have a trait they share: They are both no warriors and unskilled at arms. Jojen even needs help from his sister on some occasions and she is his protector. This puts them both at odds with the Westerosi gender norms, at least those that are commonly accepted in Westeros at large. It could be that the gender norms in the Neck are different, but it is also possible that Howland puts the well-being of his children above the adherence to such norms.

But there also lies the difference: Luwin found a niche which is accepted in such a warlike society, the role of a maester. While some may look down on the maesters for their pursuit of knowledge instead of mastery at arms, they are widely accepted as necessary and fulfill important roles in the household of lords and the Citadel itself has political power as well. Jojen on the other hand is a frail boy, but also the heir to Greywater Watch and has magical abilities as well. Those points alone may put him at odds with the expectations of the crannogmen, but even if they do not, the fact that his death is probably in the near future means that he will never inherit. He is a boy that is intelligent but without martial prowess, the heir to Greywater Watch and the neck who will probably never inherit. This places him outside of the social structure, because he cannot fulfill the social role he should theoretically have. This does not mean that he does not take his duties seriously, as seen in the chapter of the harvest feast where they renew their oath of fealty. It only means that his vision makes him inheriting impossible.

This is also apparent in their clothing choice. Maester Luwin is dressed in the Stark colors, because being the adviser to the Starks is his primary duty. He is fully imbedded in the structure of this household. Jojen on the other hand is dressed in green, which matches his magical abilities, but could also be something traditional back in the neck. His magical abilities are his most obvious characteristic in part because his social role in much more ill-defined as outlined above and cannot serve as such. Regardless of this, both of them identify with their heritage. In case of Luwin this the order of the Maesters and in Jojen's case it is his family and his identity as a crannogmen. They do not only identify with it, but they see it as something positive and take pride in it:

“I want to be a knight.”

“There are some who call my order the knights of the mind,”

Him calling his order by this name is obviously a tool to make the option of becoming a maester appealing to Bran. But the fact that he even makes the attempt and does use this positive connotation in the first place makes it clear that he does not see his profession as just a job, but something to be proud of.

In Jojen's case there is a rare moment when he is a bit more open:

“There are no knights in the Neck,” said Jojen.

“Above the water,” his sister corrected. “The bogs are full of dead ones, though.”

“That's true,” said Jojen. “Andals and Ironmen, Freys and other fools, all these proud warriors who set out to conquer Greywater. Not one of them could find it. They ride into the Neck, but not back out. And sooner or later they blunder into the bogs and sink beneath the weight of all that steel and drown there in their armor.”

Here Jojen displays a pride in his identity as a crannogman that can be described as fierce. He normally does not talk that way about fighting or killing, but when the defence of his home is concerned, he makes an exception and gives us a rather vivid description of how the Neck defends itself.

Another point is one of the observations Catelyn makes in the introduction of Maester Luwin is the following: His eyes were grey, and quick, and saw much. This indicated the he is not only intelligent, but also very observant and a quick thinker. Jojen is also described as observant:

“The damp grass cushioned her fall but the breath went out of her in an “Oof.” The wolf crouched atop her.

Bran hooted. “You lose.”

“She wins,” her brother Jojen said. “Summer's snared.”

He was right, Bran saw.

This shows that he can assess situations very well and analyze them quickly. These are only two quotes, but it is very obvious that this is the case throughout the series, since Luwin and Jojen often times need to do exactly that.

Another aspect that is very closely related to this is that both Luwin and Jojen are at one point a leader of some sort. Maester Luwin is responsible for most matters related to Winterfell after Eddard and Catelyn leave and is with Rodrik in charge of Winterfell at that point, even if he still sends ravens to Robb for approval for certain decisions. Jojen leads the group of Bran, Hodor, Meera and himself after they leave Winterfell together. But there are some differences between the two situations. First there is the fact that Luwin is in charge of an entire castle and Jojen is only the leader of a small group, which naturally means that they have different tasks to fulfill. Luwin needs to run the administration of Winterfell and communicating with other lords whereas Jojen is responsible for them reaching the three-eyed crow.

Luwin shares his responsibilities with Ser Rodrik Cassel, who is the master at arms at Winterfell. There is no clear hierarchical order who is in charge now, but both Luwin and Rodrik already served a long time in Winterfell and are able to handle the matters in Winterfell, so it is natural that both take shared responsibility. When dealing with the lords and ladies at Winterfell, Rodrik handles the military matters, while Luwin handles the non-military needs, although that is more a tendency and not a strict division. They both lead because Bran and Rickon are too young and there is no other Stark in Winterfell, so the task of handling these matters automatically falls to them. Later as Rodrik is gone he cannot even share these responsibilities anymore and needs to handle all matters by himself.

But regarding Jojen Bran has the following thing to say:

He wondered why they all listened to Jojen so much. He was not a prince like Bran, nor big and strong as Hodor, nor as good a hunter as Meera, yet somehow it was always Jojen telling them what to do.

Jojen has no social justification for being the leader of the group in ASOS, he has neither the social rank nor is he skilled with arms what often times leads others to respect a man in Westeros, since it is such a large part of the expectations a noble man should fulfill. He is not even the oldest member of the group, but he still makes the decisions regardless. There are largely three reasons for this. One reason is that he has a special kind of charisma. Not of the sort that he is liked by many people, but a presence that makes people listen to him:

It was hard to sulk with Meera. She was much more cheerful than her brother, and always seemed to know how to make him smile. Nothing ever scared her or made her angry. Well, except Jojen sometimes … Jojen Reed could scare most anyone.

His solemn way of talking and unusual wisdom at his age lends weight to his words and makes an impression on other people. The second reason is that he is very observant and is able to think situations through and make the right the decisions, as already outlined above. In addition to this he also has his green dreams that can give him additional information to base his decisions on. The third reason however is that the reason that they even consider going north to find the three-eyed crow are his visions. He has a certain amount of information that the matter is urgent and they need to find a teacher for Bran quickly. He gained this insight probably through the green dreams and maybe some influence from Bloodraven, although that is not explicitly spelled out in the text. Bran ultimately makes the decision to go through with it, but Jojen is the one pushing for it. Notable here is that Jojen has a particular goal in mind, whereas Luwin handles the matters that come up anyways.

These were the reasons why they lead. The question that remains is how they lead.

There is a primary difference between their leadership styles. When they have the discussion with the lords and ladies at the harvest feast, the one who speaks the most of the two is Rodrik Cassel. Maester Luwin mostly – but not always – listens and makes notes and makes some inquiries now and then. This again is related to the positions they have in the household. Rodrik is master at arms, accustomed to giving orders and training others in fighting. He needs to be harsher and more demanding to do this than Luwin, who serves as adviser in to the Eddard and Catelyn, who are of a higher rank than him, and teaches their children, where he is stern, but not as harsh as Rodrik needs to be. And these traits continue in their handling of the political matters. I will refrain from quoting here, the discussions are far too long, instead I refer to the Bran chapter 2 in ACOK . But that does not mean that Rodrik can overrule Luwin when making decisions. If the bannermen of the Starks want something, they need both Maester Luwin and Ser Rodrik Cassel to agree on that matter, if they are lords or not. They are on equal standing regarding decision making.

On the other hand Jojen takes a more dominant approach. He actively speaks his mind instead of letting others speak predominantly. One of the reasons for this is that the decisions he makes affect their group directly and no one else. In contrast Luwin and Rodrik are responsible for Winterfell at large and so their 'council' where they discuss things between them is separate from the entity they are making decisions for. But regardless of this fact Jojen takes the lead in their conversations:

“We have plowed this field before,” his sister said. “You want to make for the Wall, and your three-eyed crow. That's well and good, but the Wall is a very long way and Bran has no legs but Hodor. If we were mounted...”

“If we were eagles we might fly,” said Jojen sharply, “but we have no wings, no more than we have horses.”

Here he cuts her off mid-sentence to make his reply, having little patience for what-if scenarios. This continues when he insists on making for the Wall on foot, having little regard for the difficulty that such a journey brings with it, even though he would suffer from it the most. This dominance is also seen in the last ACOK chapter:

“Will we go to your lord father?” Bran asked as they crossed the drawbridge between the walls. “To Greywater Watch?”

Meera looked to her brother for answer. “Our road is north,” Jojen announced.

Meera defers to Jojen in this matter although she is older and Jojen does announce his decision, He does not propose it as an option, it is the final word on that matter. This contrasts with the relationship between Luwin and Rodrik, where they lead together, without one having the final say in all matters. Although it should be noted here that the pivotal decision of going to the crow is indeed pushed by Jojen, but in the end it is Bran who decides.

The different styles of leadership are mirrored by their respective social standing. Jojen is the heir to Greywater Watch, even if his position is a bit odd, as outlined above. And he shows himself very capable of making final decisions on matters. I hesitate to say 'giving orders', because he cannot actually force anyone to follow his lead. Luwin on the other hand is an adviser and as such takes a more passive stance, but is aware of his responsibilities and makes the necessary decisions together with Rodrik.

But there is one major similarity between them: They discuss their approach. I refer again to ACOK chapter 2 for Luwin and ASOS chapter 1 for Jojen. Luwin and Rodrik, and Jojen and Meera discuss the matters between them, weighing the arguments and go through possible courses of action. That seems natural at first, but when you contrast this people like Tywin Lannister or Roose Bolton you see that it is a particularly open leading style instead of a very authoritative one. This particular approach helps mitigate a possible lack of experience in certain matters and helps avoiding tunnel vision on a particular issue. But it also can lead to uncertainty and a hindrance in making definitive decisions. But it shows that they both value other view points and do not think of themselves as standing above such.

This reveals humility that has to do with a certain wisdom both of them possess.

“[...] Oh, to be sure, there is much we do not understand. The years pass in their hundreds and their thousands, and what does any mean see of life, but a few summers, a few winters? We look at mountains and call them eternal, and so they seem... but in the course of time, mountains rise and fall, rivers change their courses, stars fall from the sky, and great cities sink beneath the sea. Even gods die we think. Everything changes. [...]”

Here Luwin explains that there is much people do not understand, even maesters. This is most likely a lesson he learned with the years of study at the Citadel and with the experiences he made over the times. Jojen has a very similar quote:

“The gods give many gifts, Bran. My sister is a hunter. It is given to her to run swiftly, and stand so still she seems to vanish. She has sharp ears, keen eyes, a steady hand with net and spear . She can breathe mud and fly through trees. I could not do these things, no more than you could. [...]”

This is a very similar opinion in the sense that both quotes acknowledge their respective limits, what they cannot do or do not know. They are both past the phase where they think they can do everything or that they know everything and it displays a deep understanding about how the world works. Jojen and Luwin also acknowledge the talents of others. Luwin compliments Bran on being very clever, and Jojen speaks very well about Meera's hunting abilities. Both do this despite the other one being a cripple or a woman respectively, two groups the Westerosi society is prejudiced against.

But these insights are related to a certain disillusionment both of them possess. Luwin's disillusionment is related to his experiences with magic:

“All those who study the higher mysteries try their own hands at spells, soon or late. I yielded to the temptation too, I must confess it. Well, I was a boy, and what boy does not secretly wish to find hidden powers in himself? I got no more for my efforts than a thousand boys before me, and a thousand since. Sad to say, magic does not work.”

Luwin reveals that he was once very similar to Bran, wishing to be able to cast spells and having magical powers. In contrast to Bran however he did try it and did not succeed, finding no magical powers in himself. He did make the effort and sincerely wanted to succeed, but needed to see at the end that wishing something does not make it true or even possible, which leads to him sticking to the facts as he perceives them, instead of hoping for something that is not the case. Jojen does not express his disillusionment outright, but it is easy to see if you look at a quote:

“I don't want it, I want to be a knight.”

“A knight is what you want. A warg is what you are. You can't change that, Bran, you can't deny it or push it away. [...]”

The sentiment is the same: You cannot change what is real only you wish it to be otherwise. That Bran is a warg is what is actually the case, and him being a knight is a wish that is now impossible. And in his opinion it is pointless to cling to it, instead of dealing with what is actually there. If you combine that with the fact that Jojen had his green dreams from a young age and given that the dreams we saw so far were confusing at best, terrifying at worst and came true so far. If you also take into account that he has foreseen his own death it becomes very clear. Jojen found hidden powers in himself, but they forced him to deal with issues no one at his age should have to deal with and crushed every future ambition he might have. It is very arguable if they are a blessing or a curse. He is not disillusioned by not having magical abilities, but that they are very difficult to deal with. As such Jojen's and Luwin's experiences run contrary to another in their content, but parallel each other in their structure.

And this point leads us directly to the most obvious and defining point in the comparison: their stance regarding magic. There are two quotes that directly contradict each other.

Luwin has the following opinion:

“No, my prince. Jojen Reed may have had a dream or true that he believes came true, but he does not have the greensight. No living man has that power.”

And Jojen says the following:

“It will not matter. The dream was green, Bran, and the green dreams do not lie.”

The difference is clear. Luwin rejects the possibility that Jojen has the greensight and the existence of magic in present times altogether, whereas Jojen believes that he has green dreams which foretell the future. It is to be noted that it is not a emotionally loaded conflict. Luwin is not fundamentally opposed to the possibility that magic exists, he just does not believe that it does. In fact he wanted to have magical abilities in the past. And Jojen on the other hand does not insult anyone who does not believe him, but insists that he has the greensight. It is a conflict based on their respective experiences, not on fundamental unwillingness to accept another viewpoint. As already said, Jojen is from the Neck, which still remembers many things from the past and the children of the forest, whereas those things have been forgotten mostly anywhere else. In addition to this he needed to deal with his awakening powers, making it very difficult to reject their existence altogether. On the other hand Luwin was a novice of the Citadel, a mostly secular institution (apart from some maesters like Marwyn) and he has made the personal experience that magic does not work. Their differences on this matter is not a fundamentally new point, but directly follows from their different social context and their different experiences, and both see the facts as they perceive them to be and offer this knowledge to Bran (more on this in the second part). There is nothing more to this, and not something that makes them completely different people.

In the end you can see a certain structure: Jojen and Luwin seem to be very different characters at first, regarding age, upbringing and position. And these differences influence how they see the world. But at the same time they have learned parallel lessons, have gained similar insights, have a similar way of doing things and similar character traits, which shows that they are not actually that different. If they had the same background, for example if they would have both novices at the Citadel, it would not be difficult to imagine them being friends or at least them getting along well with each other. Or if you would summarize it in one sentence:

They have different perspectives, but similar approaches.

[Kyoshi]

I was eagerly awaiting this. Thanks for the solid work, Illuminated by Fire. :cheers: I unfortunately don't have much to add.

This was an incredibly insightful read. The parallels, more than the differences, between these characters are so subtle yet profound; you did such a wonderful job at presenting them. In terms of Jojen's observation skills, I'm working on my chapter analysis and I think that to a very significant degree, he saves their lives when they travel north. He is clearly the thinker of the group. I don't recall if we are ever given his age in the books and I find it very interesting that this is the case.

I really wish we knew more about Luwin's family, his years of training at the citadel and other such things.

I'm eagerly awaiting the next one.

[BearQueen87]

That was superb Illuminated By Fire!

One of the things I find most curious about Luwin is his stance on magic and its existence. As you point out: "Luwin is not fundamentally opposed to the possibility that magic exists, he just does not believe that it does." I find this a curious belief given that at the Citadel, the Maesters would study history and know, then, that *something* exists on Plaentos. Dragons might have died out but they existed up to 150 years ago (in Westeros no less), which is not the ancient past, as the Others are. Magic assuredly exists in this world, but there is a staunch "nope" coming from Luwin in these regards. It makes me wonder if this isn't necessarily Luwin's own opinion but something that was indoctrinated into him at the Citadel. The learning community in Oldtown seems to be quite anti-magic and I wonder if that anti-magic attitude extends to enforcing a set of beliefs that actually contradict the reality of the world. In other words, the higer-ups teach the young students that magic does not exist and is nothing more than show not because magic does not exist, full stop, but because they fear it to that extent. They are going out of their way to "prove" that magic does not exist because they see it as a force for bad. If that is true, then Luwin isn't so much opposed to magic as he is a product of the environment that raised him and brought him into manhood and his career.

With that in mind, I think Jojen (and Bran to an extent) tests Luwin's beliefs that have been engrained in him. Jojen embodies that other-magical world. He doesn't just have green dreams, but everything about him seem other worldly, from his manner of speech to his eyes to the way he interacts with others. Luwin sees Jojen as a contradiction to what he has been taught all those years ago in Oldtown. At his advanced age, to come up against someone who might alter his beliefs that he's held since he was roughly Jojen's age (if Luwin went to the Citadel as a boy, as is most likely) would be quite scary. We hold our opinions as part of our beings; humans across the board--not just fictional ones--to think that their beliefs and opinions are part of their identity instead of what they should be, objects that can be thrown out in the fact of other evidence as easily as we might toss out a paper towel. This is why we have ideological "wars" in government; people cling stubbornly to their opinions and beliefs, no matter what evidence is presented. So, internally, I think Jojen causes Luwin to question his own identity and that must be deeply uncomfortable.

I really wish we knew more about Luwin's family, his years of training at the citadel and other such things.

Yes I wish so as well. I get the feeling we'll learn more about Luwin's time through Marywn. It won't be Luwin specifically but more generally about the Maester training and what is really going on in Oldtown.

[Kyoshi]

That was superb Illuminated By Fire!

One of the things I find most curious about Luwin is his stance on magic and its existence. As you point out: "Luwin is not fundamentally opposed to the possibility that magic exists, he just does not believe that it does." I find this a curious belief given that at the Citadel, the Maesters would study history and know, then, that *something* exists on Plaentos. Dragons might have died out but they existed up to 150 years ago (in Westeros no less), which is not the ancient past, as the Others are. Magic assuredly exists in this world, but there is a staunch "nope" coming from Luwin in these regards. It makes me wonder if this isn't necessarily Luwin's own opinion but something that was indoctrinated into him at the Citadel. The learning community in Oldtown seems to be quite anti-magic and I wonder if that anti-magic attitude extends to enforcing a set of beliefs that actually contradict the reality of the world. In other words, the higer-ups teach the young students that magic does not exist and is nothing more than show not because magic does not exist, full stop, but because they fear it to that extent. They are going out of their way to "prove" that magic does not exist because they see it as a force for bad. If that is true, then Luwin isn't so much opposed to magic as he is a product of the environment that raised him and brought him into manhood and his career.

It makes me wonder why they keep the Higher Teachings in their syllabus. Is it just for show or did the guy in the admin building forget to take it off everyone's schedule.

[BearQueen87]

It makes me wonder why they keep the Higher Teachings in their syllabus. Is it just for show or did the guy in the admin building forget to take it off everyone's schedule.

LOL

Joking aside, though, I think it makes sense that they keep having their student learn "higher teachings." The Maesters control the curriculum. They dictate what you learn and when you learn it. If they are teaching the higher stuff, are they really teaching it? Or are they enforcing their view that magic does not exist by "teaching" that magic does not exist.

[LongRider]

It makes me wonder why they keep the Higher Teachings in their syllabus. Is it just for show or did the guy in the admin building forget to take it off everyone's schedule.

I think keeping the Higher Teachings makes sense. The maesters may not believe in magic, but many in Westeros do. It would be important I think to understand that magic is believed and how to possibly counteract that way of thinking. Until, like Maester Luwin, you're proved wrong of course.

[LongRider]

Jojen and Luwin

a comparison of two mentors

Introduction

In the following analysis we want to take a look at Jojen and Luwin, two important mentors for Bran during the events of 'A Song of Ice and Fire' who are crucial for Bran's development and the direction of his journey throughout the series.

~~~snip~~~

Well done. You bring Jojen and Meera alive. They are such great characters. Your study on M. Luwin is worthwhile as well. He provides background on the Tully's, Stark's and the Citadel and as such deserves our attention. Thanks for fleshing him out.

[Illuminated by Fire]

I will not be able to finish the analysis today, but I hope that I can post it until Monday or Tuesday.

[Illuminated by Fire]

I apologize for posting so late and the fact that the analysis is a bit shorter than I intended it to be, but it should contain some interesting points nonetheless.

Part 2: Comparison as Mentors

In the first part we have many similarities and differences between Jojen and Luwin which have influence on their interactions with Bran. But there is one similarity that is easy to overlook but nonetheless of major importance: Jojen and Luwin care about Bran as a person. I will not give a quote for Luwin since you can look at almost any exchange between Bran and Luwin to see this. For Jojen we have this situation when he tells Bran about his vision about him in the crypts:

“I have guards too,” Bran reminded them. “Alebelly and Poxy Tym and Hayhead and all the rest.”

Jojen's mossy eyes were full of pity. “They won't be able to stop him, Bran. [...]”

It would not make sense for Jojen to have pity if he saw Bran just as a means to an end. This is much more ambiguous in the case of the three-eyed crow so it is something to keep in mind.

One major difference of the first part was the social standing of Jojen and Luwin respectively. This has a direct influence on their relationship with Bran. Luwin acts as a teacher for Bran and Rickon throughout the series, which is part of his duties as maester in Winterfell. As such he has a position of authority over Bran and is able to tell him what to do or how to act in social situations like the harvest feast. Although Bran is a prince after Robb has been declared King in the North, but due to the trust the Stark family places in him and Bran's young age Luwin's authority is never disputed. There is a situation which shows this very well:

“You were right to defend Hodor, but you should never have been there. Ser Rodrik and Lord Wyman have broken their fast already while they waited for you. Must I come to fetch you, as if you were a little child?”

“No,” Bran said, ashamed. “I'm sorry. I only wanted...”

“I know what you wanted,” Maester Luwin said, more gently. “Would that it could be, Bran. [...]”

Here he admonishes Bran for going to the yard, being stern with him. But he is also understanding of his motivations and does not just dismiss him, showing sympathy instead of anger. This quote is representative of their interactions throughout the series and as such their relationship is similar to one between father and son, especially after AGOT when Catelyn, Eddard and Robb have left Winterfell and Bran has no one else to fill that role. Notable is that Luwin mostly refers to Bran as 'Bran' or 'child' throughout the series, which reinforces the nature of their relationship. Luwin makes it clear that he is responsible for Bran and acts as a guardian.But he does listen to Bran and takes time to explain his point of view to him, without dismissing him outright without bothering to explain his reasoning.,

The relationship between Jojen and Bran however is based on a different foundation:

Jojen was so solemn that Old Nan called him “little grandfather,” but Meera reminded Bran of his sister Arya. She wasn't scared to get dirty, and she could run and fight and throw as good as a boy. She was older than Arya, though; almost sixteen, a woman grown. They were both older than Bran, even though his ninth name day had finally come and gone, but they never treated him like a child.

The last sentence is of fundamental importance to understand the relationship of the Reeds and Jojen in particular with Bran. Although Jojen acts as a mentor to Bran, they are on a much more equal standing. Bran even thinks of him as 'his friend and his teacher'. This has also to do with the fact that Jojen is only four years older than Bran, but also highlights the fact that Jojen thinks Bran is able to understand harder truths and does not need to be shielded from them. He actively interacts with him, prompts Bran to answer his questions concerning his identity and warns him of the danger which is involved in maintaining control while warging Summer.

But there is another aspect that does play a role here which does not in Luwin's case: The Reeds are Stark bannermen. Jojen and Meera are guests at Winterfell, not wards, which places them outside of Winterfell's household hierarchy. As such they can interact freely with Bran without placing too much importance on social matters. But when they eventually leave Winterfell, this changes. This change is reflected by how Jojen addresses Bran is certain situations. He addresses Bran with name whenever he talks to him in his mentor role and is trying to teach him something, but when he makes decisions for the group he calls him 'prince' or 'your grace'. I will not give quotes here, because this goes beyond the first chapter of ASOS, but it shows the two layers of their interactions. Mentor role on the one side and bannerman on the other side. Despite them being out in the wilderness and Winterfell destroyed their respective social roles still matter.

Another difference, which is rooted in the different kind of mentor relationships, is the tone in which many of their conversations are held. As Bran's guardian Luwin is generally softer with Bran. He is often times stern, but also very understanding, as outlined above. He takes Bran's age into account and tries to console him if necessary. Jojen on the other hand is very harsh when it comes to telling Bran something he needs to know in his opinion:

“There's different kinds,” he said slowly. “There's the wolf dreams, those aren't so bad as the others. I run and hunt and kill squirrels. [...]”

Meera gave his shoulder a squeeze. “Is that all?”

“I guess.”

“Warg,” said Jojen Reed.

Bran looked at him, his eyes wide. “What?”

“Warg. Shapechanger. Beastling. That is what they will call you, if they should ever hear of your wolf dreams.”

The names made him afraid again. “Who will call me?”

“Your own folk. In fear. Some will hate you if they know what you are. Some will even try to kill you.”

Jojen does not waste any time to get to the point, he just says 'Warg'. It is not even a complete sentence but just a word and he does not hold back the fact that people will fear and hate him if they know that Bran is a warg. In general he is very insistent and does not let up even if Bran does not necessarily want to hear what he wants to tell him, as seen in ACOK chapter 4, where Jojen and Meera get chased up a tree by the direwolves. This difference is also reflected in their difference in leadership as explained in part 1, where Jojen has a more dominant approach while Luwin stays in the background while making the decisions together with Rodrik Cassel.

The reason they take these different approaches in their mentor role has also to do with their past, or to be more exact, with their disillusionment. Jojen had a very similar awakening to Bran and was disillusioned by the consequences those abilities brought and the uncomfortable truths he needed to accept, most of all the certainty of his own death at a young age. As such, his brutal honesty is something deeply personal and majorly influences how he interacts with the group and Bran in particular. He knows from own experience how important it is to accept those truths, even if they may be different ones in Bran's case, and thus focuses on getting them across. Luwin's disillusionment on the other hand was related to his wishes regarding magic, which were denied. But this disillusionment is not nearly as personal as Jojen's and he eventually got over it, so he tries to offer alternatives to help Bran with his disability, hoping that Bran also accepts his new situation instead of clinging to hopeless dreams.

This directly leads to the lessons themselves which are offered Bran by Jojen and Luwin. Luwin urges Bran to leave his dreams of being a knight and to do magic behind:

“Symeon Star-Eyes,” Luwin said as he marked numbers in a book. “When he lost his eyes, he put star sapphires in the empty sockets, or so the singers claim. Bran, that is only a story, like the tales of Florian the Fool. A fable from the Age of Heroes.” The maester tsked. “You must put these dreams aside, they will only break your heart.”

Especially Symeon Star-Eyes has a special appeal to Bran since he lost his sight and replaced his eyes with sapphires so he could, in some way, see again. Bran wants to be able to do something similar, restoring his ability to walk through some magic means. Luwin rejects this as wishful thinking and advises Bran to do the same. Luwin says that from the perspective that magic does not exist anymore and thus thinks Bran's wishes are impossible. Interestingly enough, Jojen expresses a very similar opinion:

“I don't want it. I want to be a knight.”

“A knight is what you want. A warg is what you are. You can't change that, Bran. You can't deny it or push it away. You are the winged wolf, but you will never fly.” Jojen got up and walked to the window. “Unless you open your eye.”

Here he says that Bran needs to accept being a warg and that 'what you want' and 'what you are' are two separate things that do not necessarily correlate. Of course, Jojen obviously believes that magic exists, but he does not see it as something you can just use to solve whatever problems you may have. Instead it offers certain opportunities like his greensight or Bran's control of Summer, but these are limited. As such the 'different perspectives, similar approaches' conclusion from part 1 still applies here. The reason why Bran's wishes cannot come true are different in Jojen's and Luwin's respective perspectives, but the conclusion is the same.

Another similarity is that both Jojen and Luwin want Bran to realize his potential, but they differ in what this potential actually is. Luwin sees in Bran the potential to become a maester and does offer him as much:

“There are some who call my order the knights of the mind,” Luwin replied. “You are a surpassing clever boy when you work at it, Bran. Have you ever thought that you might wear a maester's chain? There is no limit to what you might learn.”

The defining trait here is Bran's intelligence which Luwin wants to see used instead of Bran clinging to his old dreams. Of course it is the path Luwin himself took for unknown reasons, but it is also a genuine offer. On the other hand the reason that Luwin makes that offer in the first place is that he wants Bran to get over his disability. This is his main goal, to help Bran continuing his life and giving him perspectives for his future. Jojen on the other hand has a different goal: He wants Bran to accept his powers because it is necessary because of the situation. Bran being a greenseer is required to deal with the problems ahead and thus an urgent matter.

In the end the conclusion from part 1 continues here. They have different goals in mind and a different relationship, but the interactions themselves mirror each other to an extent.

[Kyoshi]

I apologize for posting so late and the fact that the analysis is a bit shorter than I intended it to be, but it should contain some interesting points nonetheless.

Don't worry about it. This was an excellent read! Thanks, Illuminated by Fire.

Part 2: Comparison as Mentors

In the first part we have many similarities and differences between Jojen and Luwin which have influence on their interactions with Bran. But there is one similarity that is easy to overlook but nonetheless of major importance: Jojen and Luwin care about Bran as a person. I will not give a quote for Luwin since you can look at almost any exchange between Bran and Luwin to see this. For Jojen we have this situation when he tells Bran about his vision about him in the crypts:

“I have guards too,” Bran reminded them. “Alebelly and Poxy Tym and Hayhead and all the rest.”

Jojen's mossy eyes were full of pity. “They won't be able to stop him, Bran. [...]”

It would not make sense for Jojen to have pity if he saw Bran just as a means to an end. This is much more ambiguous in the case of the three-eyed crow so it is something to keep in mind.

I think Jojen caring for Bran is the thing that convinced me of the 3EC's good intentions. But 3EC could be hiding something significant from Jojen, showing him only what he wants/needs him to see in order to deliver Bran north of the Wall. 3EC could be using this to his advantage. :dunno:

The points you bring up about Luwin and Bran are points that should be true for most of the relationships with the ruling class of Westeros. If most advisers were like Luwin, and didn't just say what they thought their superiors wanted to hear then a lot of trouble could be avoided. The same can be said of Bran's relationship with Jojen. Come to think of it, Bran is pretty lucky in the department of mentors [assuming that the 3EC will be as nice as I initially imagined him to be]. Then again, it might have a lot to do with the sort of child he is: he is willing to listen and learn.

But there is another aspect that does play a role here which does not in Luwin's case: The Reeds are Stark bannermen. Jojen and Meera are guests at Winterfell, not wards, which places them outside of Winterfell's household hierarchy. As such they can interact freely with Bran without placing too much importance on social matters. But when they eventually leave Winterfell, this changes. This change is reflected by how Jojen addresses Bran is certain situations. He addresses Bran with name whenever he talks to him in his mentor role and is trying to teach him something, but when he makes decisions for the group he calls him 'prince' or 'your grace'. I will not give quotes here, because this goes beyond the first chapter of ASOS, but it shows the two layers of their interactions. Mentor role on the one side and bannerman on the other side. Despite them being out in the wilderness and Winterfell destroyed their respective social roles still matter.

You know, I had not noticed that.

In the end the conclusion from part 1 continues here. They have different goals in mind and a different relationship, but the interactions themselves mirror each other to an extent.

This was very good. I'm glad you did it. :cheers: