329 replies to this topic

[Quiet Isle]

It appears that there is enough time passing for Arya to pass into her coming of age.  When she flowers, how do you all think that will impact her character development and also her overall arc?

[Winter's Knight]

Well, this isn't creepy at all.

[Quiet Isle]

Gotta happen.  When it does, will it be one of the things, other than Needle, that brings her back from being a FM?

Look at it this way - she's an assassin of death.  yet her body is betraying that with a life-affirming natural process.  I find that almost mutually exclusive.  (not that she won't still be a badass warrior).

Edited by RAGNAROK, 07 December 2012 - 10:44 AM.

[Winter's Knight]

It's really not that life altering, at least not much more than a boy's first wet dream. Knowing Arya, she'd consider it s bloody (har!) nuisance and may start appreciating whatever gender she is attracted to.

[Quiet Isle]

I thought it was pretty life altering.  I mean you get used to it, but it's pretty interesting when it starts.

[Winter's Knight]

If you're going to be wed to Joff, then probably.

I think that, unless she doesn't know anything about ut, in which case she may be frightened, it won't change much. It won't take away her pain or sense of displacement, her hunger for vengeance or her love for her family.

It may however result in her developing physical desire.

[Zacker]

Og, jolly good topic! Why didn't I ever discuss this with everyone when my little sister was eleven? I can just imagine how much she would have appreciated that. I really missed my chance there, didn't I. Well I can redeem this now, can't I? That is, if the freaking MODS doesn't go ahead and DELETE THIS topic!


There must be a level of interest in these books that crosses the border into unhealthy. I'm just imagining what my wife would think if she saw me start this topic...

[Quiet Isle]

Winter, on 07 December 2012 - 10:54 AM, said:

If you're going to be wed to Joff, then probably.

I think that, unless she doesn't know anything about ut, in which case she may be frightened, it won't change much. It won't take away her pain or sense of displacement, her hunger for vengeance or her love for her family.

It may however result in her developing physical desire.

   I definitely see a major jump in hormones.  And agree with everything you've said above.  But it also leads me to believe that she may become more of a seductress in her FM activities.

[Quiet Isle]

Zacker, on 07 December 2012 - 10:58 AM, said:

Og, jolly good topic! Why didn't I ever discuss this with everyone when my little sister was eleven? I can just imagine how much she would have appreciated that. I really missed my chance there, didn't I. Well I can redeem this now, can't I? That is, if the freaking MODS doesn't go ahead and DELETE THIS topic!


There must be a level of interest in these books that crosses the border into unhealthy. I'm just imagining what my wife would think if she saw me start this topic...

  why would they delete it?  i'm a woman, and i can see that passage of Arya to start a bit of a change in maturity and her way of looking at the world.  we've talked about countless horrific things that have occurred in these books.  why not something completely natural?

[Ponzo]

just because your a woman doesnt mean that this topic isnt creepy

Edited by Ponzo, 07 December 2012 - 11:04 AM.

[Zacker]

Natural, yes. I think I've got you pegged down now

I advice you not to bring this topic up in public too often. Someone may come and talk to your children.

[Quiet Isle]

GRRM said it so well when he said I can write about horrible violence in all its intricacies, but write one scene about sex, a completely natural thing, and a firestorm arises.  LOL.  But seriously, I think it may play in to her maturing and character development.  we'll see.

[AryaStrong]

RAGNAROK, on 07 December 2012 - 11:00 AM, said:

why would they delete it?  i'm a woman, and i can see that passage of Arya to start a bit of a change in maturity and her way of looking at the world.  we've talked about countless horrific things that have occurred in these books.  why not something completely natural?

I guess they just thought you were some creepy guy, because let's be honest: a guy starting a thread like this could be disturbing. xD

Cut to the case, I think there could be something there because if we look it the way that Arya is like Lyanna there could be some changes how people (men especially) see her and how she sees men. Lyanna seemed to be also kind of wild but also romantic (R+L).

[Lyanna Stark]

Zacker, on 07 December 2012 - 11:06 AM, said:

Natural, yes. I think I've got you pegged down now

I advice you not to bring this topic up in public too often. Someone may come and talk to your children.

If you talk about menstruation someone will come and talk to your kids? Why?

[Woman of War]

There is nothing creepy about menstruation, it's perfectly natural.
But I do not like it when female characters are reduced so very much to her body functions, her looks or her "blooming" sexuality.
Arya has been confronted with sexual harassment, she has learned to defend herself against it with knife or wits. She for sure has seen or heard sex, has traveled with men, has known prostitutes, has talked to them so  probably male and female bodies are no big secret to her, she will have a pretty accurate idea what part fits where. So she might be rather matter of fact when she has her menarche, perhaps be aware that rape would be even more dangerous now.
I do not see her as person who will be a victim of hormonal rollercoaster rides. I think she has other problems and wishes. She needs not  define herself by that alleged threshold to womanhood

Edited by Woman of War, 07 December 2012 - 11:23 AM.

[straits]

Why would she suddenly become a seductress? It's not the way she acts. And does not need to be, because the job she does, she is more than qualified for anyways.

[straits]

Woman of War, on 07 December 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

I do not see her as person who will be a victim of hormonal rollercoaster rides. I think she has other problems and wishes.

This, her circumstances are not exactly suited to hormonal surges anyways. She's not living in a royal court.

[Quiet Isle]

Woman of War, on 07 December 2012 - 11:19 AM, said:

There is nothing creepy about menstruation, it's perfectly natural.
But I do not like it when female characters are reduced so very much to her body functions, her looks or her "blooming" sexuality.
Arya has been confronted with sexual harassment, she has learned to defend herself against it with knife or wits. She for sure has seen or heard sex, has traveled with men, has known prostitutes, has talked to them so  probably male and female bodies are no big secret to her, she will have a pretty accurate idea what part fits where. So she might be rather matter of fact when she has her menarche, perhaps be aware that rape would be even more dangerous now.
I do not see her as person who will be a victim of hormonal rollercoaster rides. I think she has other problems and wishes.

  Agree totally with your comments.  But I think it would be very interesting if she came back as a woman and a warrior.

[straits]

RAGNAROK, on 07 December 2012 - 11:23 AM, said:

Agree totally with your comments.  But I think it would be very interesting if she came back as a woman and a warrior.

I'd say assassins are totally different from warriors. Besides, she'll fill in her own definition of 'woman', I'm sure that she does not need to follow some scripted initiation.

[Woman of War]

RAGNAROK, on 07 December 2012 - 11:23 AM, said:

Agree totally with your comments.  But I think it would be very interesting if she came back as a woman and a warrior.

I think she will be quite confident in being a woman since she always insisted that she is not a boy, she always accepted her female identity.

Edited by Woman of War, 07 December 2012 - 11:27 AM.