Meaning of Chapter Titles

[caravaggio]

What is the meaning of the changing names in chapter titles?

Is it possible that the titles are a reflection on how the POV characters view themselves?

I know this has been brought up in the Theon "Ghost of Winterfell" chapters, but I'm thinking of all the chapters that stray from the character's given first name.

For example, if Arya gets a chapter in WoW titled "Arya" would that indicate that Arya has truly regained her Stark identity?

If a character was under some spell to make them look and think they were another character would the title of the chapter be named for the character they think they are?

Thoughts?

[Visen]

Is it possible that the titles are a reflection on how the POV characters view themselves?

This is how I've taken it, the chapters are named depending on how the POV character sees themselves, either their actual identity such as with Arya or how they see themselves in relation to where they are on their journey, like Quentyn Martell's journey in ADWD.

I would think a spell would be the same, if a character suddenly thought they were a tree we would see a chapter 'The Elm of The Stormlands' or some such.

[Corvo Attano]

The primary POVs are always their name or alias, and the secondary POVs are always referred to by their personality/the situation they're in (e.g. "The Windblown" or the "The Iron Suitor")

[Warrior Queen]

This is how I've taken it, the chapters are named depending on how the POV character sees themselves, either their actual identity such as with Arya or how they see themselves in relation to where they are on their journey, like Quentyn Martell's journey in ADWD.

I would think a spell would be the same, if a character suddenly thought they were a tree we would see a chapter 'The Elm of The Stormlands' or some such.

I'm not sure if it is how they see themselves. In the Cat of the Canal chapters Arya murders the deserted Nights Watch singer. She acted like Arya Stark, not like Cat of the Canals. Cat of the Canals would not care about a deserter.

[caravaggio]

The primary POVs are always their name or alias, and the secondary POVs are always referred to by their personality/the situation they're in (e.g. "The Windblown" or the "The Iron Suitor")

I guess that depends on how a "Primary" and "Secondary" POV are defined. Regardless, it doesn't seem to me like something GRRM threw in on a whim, but is purposeful.

This doesn't start (that we know of) until Feast. Here is a list of the chapters with the different names.

The Prophet

The Captain Of Guards

The Kraken's Daughter

The Soiled Knight

The Iron Captain

The Drowned Man

The Queenmaker

Alayne I

The Reaver

Cat Of The Canals

The Princess In The Tower

Alayne II

The Merchant's Man

Reek I

Reek II

The Lost Lord

The Windblown

The Wayward Bride

Reek III

The Prince of Winterfell

The Watcher

The Turncloak

The King's Prize

The Blind Girl

A Ghost in Winterfell

The Queensguard

The Iron Suitor

The Discarded Knight

The Spurned Suitor

The Griffin Reborn

The Sacrifice

The Ugly Little Girl

The Kingbreaker

The Dragontamer

The Queen's Hand

As you can see some characters we would consider "Primary" (Arya, Sansa, Theon) have their names change in the chapter titles.

Some characters have different names and their own name within the same books. (Arya, Sansa, Theon, Victarion)

Some characters we would definitely consider "Secondary" go by their name. (Samwell, Brienne, Melisandre)

[KOM]

Is it possible that the titles are a reflection on how the POV characters view themselves?

(Also, good job with that list above.)

That's how I make sense of it.

examples:

The Queen's Hand - Selmy, but acting without Dany, de facto Queen's Hand, and now a player in the game of thrones.

The Blind Girl - Arya as Blind Beth.

For example, if Arya gets a chapter in WoW titled "Arya" would that indicate that Arya has truly regained her Stark identity?

Here, I'm not sure it's that it's so much as "that's their identity" as that's the main facet of their identity in play during that chapter, if they have an inner struggle, it will be about this.

The Soiled Knight - For example, this chapter is about how Arys Oakheart is torn between his 'knight's honor' and his seduction by Arianne.

This question was raised at a convention recently, and GRRM gave an answer more or less along these lines (but not giving too much away iirc). Basically it's a "per chapter" identity. But maybe, since every character is the hero of their own story, it can also be how that character views that chapter of their life, e.g. The Griffin Reborn.

--

What chapters does this sort of view not work with? The Sacrifice ?

[Nerolunar]

Areo Hotah is the Watcher, because he is only standing as guard watching as others talk.

Griffin Reborn : Jon Con has finally returned to Westeros and he also got back Griffin´s Roost.

[Mladen]

For me it`s the same person/new angle perspective. For instance, Sansa, is the highborn Lady of the House Stark, but after escape from Kings landing, and Lysa`s death, the only one who knew the truth beside LF and Sansa, she became Alayne. And that`s the perspective on Vale events, from bastard of powerful man.

But it`s also the mixture of role, position and other people`s perception. Arianne is Queenmaker and Princess in the Tower, marking her role and position, Arya is Cat of Canal, that`s how people see her. Theon`s chapters are on the other hand mixture pf psychological confusion, his own POV, and the new role he has under Ramsay.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

It's most likely about questions of identity. Every single one of these PoVs has trouble with their identity, what do they value, what do they want to achieve in live, how do they want to live. All of them are at crossroads. Whom do they want to become?

The chapter titles are about lifes they try out. Sometimes voluntary, sometimes not.

As soon as they have made these decisions, we'll see the real names appear again.

[Naathi Prince]

The chapters have to do with identity. For Theon, he became Reek, but now he is the Ghost in Winterfell. Arya and Sansa are no longer themselves either.

[eggs]

This is how I've taken it, the chapters are named depending on how the POV character sees themselves, either their actual identity such as with Arya or how they see themselves in relation to where they are on their journey, like Quentyn Martell's journey in ADWD. I would think a spell would be the same, if a character suddenly thought they were a tree we would see a chapter 'The Elm of The Stormlands' or some such.

This sounds about right.

[caravaggio]

I agree that most have questions of their identity, but then so do many of the other POV characters who have titles that remain the same.

Take Jamie for instance, he is doing a complete definitely questioning who he is and not just because of the hand coming off, yet he remains "Jaime". Or Jon Snow, struggling with feeling like a traitor to the NW, becoming Lord Commander, being offered Lordship of Winterfell, etc.

If it is how others see the character than why not a Cersei "Mad Queen" chapter?

Are the chapter titles for the WoW early release chapters official? If so, then you have a number of the characters who were named other things now being named themselves again.

Does anyone have a link to the GRRM quote about the titles? IIRC (and I probably don't) I swear he said there was something more to the chapter titles, but it hadn't been revealed yet.

(I'll have to reread The Sacrifice... I thought Asha spends most of the chapter wondering if they are going to tie her up and burn her.)

[TheSpottedCat]

I have a less romantic view of them, which is that they're just there so you don't know who the POV character is until you actually start to read the chapter.

[TheLostStark]

Why wouldn't there be Arry chapters or Nan or Weese??

[brAnthelAstgreenseer]

The most notable is the theon chapters with different names:

He starts as REEK-Prince-Turncloak-Ghost-Theon finally showing his character changes.

I think we will see similar lines for Sansa before she becomes Sansa again.

[caravaggio]

I'd still be interested in seeing a link to GRRM talking about it. Someone mentioned it the other day in this thread...

I read somewhere in an interview with GRRM that the chapters that are not named for a persons name are done like that for a reason he would not reveal to us so its obviously important or critical to the story.