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Arya's haughty attitude?


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Hi.. I'm new here, been a long time lurker but just joined recently.

 

 

I've had lots of problem with Arya's character which led me to have very conflicted feelings towards her character and one of the reasons is the haughty attitude. Why does she possess it? And many times she just comes across as incredibly superior. We know she's not classist or misogynist. In fact, she's one of the few people who have thought of breaking the gender norms in Westeros thus her rebellious nature, in no way she denies her femininity also; just the concept of women being baby making machines in Westeros. But I don't understand why the superior attitude? Or that fact that literally everyone comes across as stupid to her?  :dunno:

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Hi.. I'm new here, been a long time lurker but just joined recently.
 
 
I've had lots of problem with Arya's character which led me to have very conflicted feelings towards her character and one of the reasons is the haughty attitude. Why does she possess it? And many times she just comes across as incredibly superior. We know she's not classist or misogynist. In fact, she's one of the few people who have thought of breaking the gender norms in Westeros thus her rebellious nature, in no way she denies her femininity also; just the concept of women being baby making machines in Westeros. But I don't understand why the superior attitude? Or that fact that literally everyone comes across as stupid to her?  :dunno:


She's still the daughter of one of the most powerful nobles in yhe Seven Kingdoms. Haughtiness is in her blood.
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Most of the people she meets are 'stupider' than her, in that she had an education and they can barely read. But she was raised as an aristocrat, she can't get rid of her status entirely and its lampooned later

 

 

'"You know the words, but you are too proud to serve. A servant must be humble and obedient."
"I obey. I can be humbler than anyone."
That made him chuckle. "You will be the very goddess of humility, I am sure. But can you pay the price?"'

 

 
 
Who do you think she is unduly 'superior' to?

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Hi.. I'm new here, been a long time lurker but just joined recently.

 

 

I've had lots of problem with Arya's character which led me to have very conflicted feelings towards her character and one of the reasons is the haughty attitude. Why does she possess it? And many times she just comes across as incredibly superior. We know she's not classist or misogynist. In fact, she's one of the few people who have thought of breaking the gender norms in Westeros thus her rebellious nature, in no way she denies her femininity also; just the concept of women being baby making machines in Westeros. But I don't understand why the superior attitude? Or that fact that literally everyone comes across as stupid to her?  :dunno:

 

No. Hardly literally everyone comes across as stupid to her. There are people she respects and looks up to. And anyway, she's a kid on her way to transform into a teenager; the "the whole world is stupid" attitude isn't exactly unheard of in those.

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If it is of any consolation, she is one of the least haughty highborns, together with Bran. It may be because they are the youngest ones, and the ones who suffered the most losses… still, they are Starks of Winterfell, they can rise a lot of political powers, and have their own special, actual powers. So, by comparison to other highborns, Arya is the Goddess of Humbleness, even though when compared to lowborn people like Davos she may strike as haughty.
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Because she's a head strong, pissed-off 10yr old...with good reason.
-Misogyny doesn't even come close to being part of her nature so I'll ignore that part of OP.

-She doesn't think everyone is stupid. "S/he or that's stupid" is a simple expression used by a child to respond to things/people she finds distasteful NOT unintelligent. It keeps her narration realistic to that of a child. It's a tool rather than a character flaw.

-She doesn't behave superior, she behaves angry with the situations she is put in. She doesn't talk down to people. She doesn't exert any better-than attitude. She goes on the defense with what little person power she has.

Have you just signed up under a new name here?
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Arya is not haughty.

She only shows that attitude when people are rude to her. She doesn't mind that she's a highborn lady. From what I can gather, she treats the people around her the same way they treat her. She's just the most humble person in the books, imo.

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Arya is not haughty.

She only shows that attitude when people are rude to her. She doesn't mind that she's a highborn lady. From what I can gather, she treats the people around her the same way they treat her. She's just the most humble person in the books, imo.

 

Actually, she does mind being a highborn lady. She doesn't regard herself as a "lady", and the requirement or expectation of other for her to be a "proper lady" is "stupid". She does not like it when friends refer to her as such or call her my lady. I would not call her "humble" really. But she doesn't care about class stratification, and is frustrated when people corner her into a higher position, when that's not how she ticks.

 

And there is one instance where she literally sits on her high horse and looks down on someone, and acts the highborn lady - when she tells Gendry he can get hanged for all she cares, and that she will be ransomed to Riverrun. Of course she is trying to hurt him the only way she believes she can, as a payback for how hurt she feels by his choice to remain with the Brotherhood and not make swords for her brother at Riverrun.

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Because she's a head strong, pissed-off 10yr old...with good reason.
-Misogyny doesn't even come close to being part of her nature so I'll ignore that part of OP.

-She doesn't think everyone is stupid. "S/he or that's stupid" is a simple expression used by a child to respond to things/people she finds distasteful NOT unintelligent. It keeps her narration realistic to that of a child. It's a tool rather than a character flaw.

-She doesn't behave superior, she behaves angry with the situations she is put in. She doesn't talk down to people. She doesn't exert any better-than attitude. She goes on the defense with what little person power she has.

Have you just signed up under a new name here?

 

I've said that she's not misogynist. Yes, I'm new here.

 

Thank you for the replies everyone.

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She does mind being a highborn lady (Oh God sorry. English is my third (sort of) language).

She resorts to her "being highborn" when that's the only option left so she could "do her way." 

And what I mean by humble is that she seldom complains being treated like a commoner. Very seldom do we come across the line "If you knew who I were, you wouldn't smack me" or something.

But she really speaks her mind though, especially when she's pissed. Okay, Arya is a bit haughty  :drunk:

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She does mind being a highborn lady (Oh God sorry. English is my third (sort of) language).

She resorts to her "being highborn" when that's the only option left so she could "do her way." 

And what I mean by humble is that she seldom complains being treated like a commoner. Very seldom do we come across the line "If you knew who I were, you wouldn't smack me" or something.

But she really speaks her mind though, especially when she's pissed. Okay, Arya is a bit haughty  :drunk:

 

:)

 

You are right that she doesn't care about being treated as a commoner.

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I've said that she's not misogynist. Yes, I'm new here.
 
Thank you for the replies everyone.

I got that you said she wasn't a misogynist, but why bring it in to the discussion? You aren't disputing anyone's claims that she is, so I assume you included it in the OP as something you wished to discuss. Why bother to make an argument that Arya isn't a boy?

Another poster likes to start new threads with rediculously disparaging things about Arya (she's ugly, evil, really the child of a Sand Snake....)
Welcome if this isn't you.:):)
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Why would anyone make disparaging claims about Arya?  She's an angel :grouphug:

I agree.:) Didn't you see all those "stupid" posts over the last week by the same poster? Some people actually do view her character as psychopathic.:( She is a misunderstood lil girl by many.:(

Btw- were you bein' sarcastic on my knowledge of Theon a few days ago? If so, can't say I don't blame ya for my cutting down your argument on Slynt.;)
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Arya, while I don't like her, doesn't talk down to anyone. She pretty much sees everyone as equals. Like how many highborn girls will practice sword fighting with a butcher's boy. That's part of her arc, seeing that people aren't equals and that the nobles abuse the weak (Most notably seen with her book 3 arc)
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I agree.:) Didn't you see all those "stupid" posts over the last week by the same poster? Some people actually do view her character as psychopathic.:( She is a misunderstood lil girl by many.:(
Btw- were you bein' sarcastic on my knowledge of Theon a few days ago? If so, can't say I don't blame ya for my cutting down your argument on Slynt.;)


I was dead serious. You know more about Theon then most, more than his most fervent supporters even.
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Arya is absolutely everything. Her POV chapters are the best. I mean, "Hot Pie looked like Hot Pie" is one of the best lines in all of ASOIAF...

 

 

 

No. Hardly literally everyone comes across as stupid to her. There are people she respects and looks up to. And anyway, she's a kid on her way to transform into a teenager; the "the whole world is stupid" attitude isn't exactly unheard of in those.

 

 

:agree: She thinks everyone and everything is "stupid" which makes sense when you're 9, 10, and 11 years old. I think she's just great.

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