Figurative Reading of ASOIAF 101

[Lollygag]

I’ve seen a lot of debates lately which boil down to literal interpretation of text vs figurative interpretation of text, so I’m wondering if maybe a how-to read-figuratively thread specific to ASOIAF and GRRM’s writing style might be interesting to some who want to make their case for figurative reading, and for those who want to learn more about figurative reading, don’t know where to start and don’t have much time to spend to delve into it. Not all of us were Literature Majors .

The best works are written to be enjoyed on multiple levels, and both literal and figurative reading are important. Most importantly, they are not mutually exclusive.

So, for those who read figuratively or for those who want to learn how to read ASOIAF in other ways:

Is there proof that ASOIAF was written to be read in a variety of ways, or in others words, that the text isn’t as random as it appears, and that connections aren’t just coincidence?

Do you know of any quickie and not-too-technical tips on learning figurative reading?

What is particularly important to know when reading ASOIAF?

What are some of the most common literary devices in ASOIAF?

Do you have any tips which helped you to understand ASOIAF a different way?

Are you stumped as to why some see the text a certain way and want to understand what’s behind it, but don’t know where to find answers without derailing another thread? Ask here!

What are some of the best and most rewarding examples of figurative reading of the text?

Even if you aren’t a Literature expert, is there something interesting that you’ve noticed in how ASOIAF is written?

 

I ask that any posters be respectful and mind that literal readers are not looked down upon, and that figurative readers are not dismissed as making things up.

 

 

[Lollygag]

I’ll start by saying that I’m no expert on Literature, and I don’t even know if figurative reading is really a “thing”. I just couldn't come up with any other words to describe this type of reading.

It’s helped me to spot important details by noticing how often something isn’t mentioned. For example, characters are almost always wearing clothes, but the clothing is typically not described. So when I see clothing described, I know that there’s something more going on in this scene.

Also, GRRM rarely writes characters as naked or bathing. For ~5000 pages to date and this many characters, there are remarkably few occurrences. Since Westerosi aren’t described as overly stinky in general, whenever I see naked or bathing, I pay particular attention.

I’m reading Nordic Gods and Heroes by Padraic Colum right now and it’s really enhancing my enjoyment of ASOIAF, and I’m not even that far into it yet. It’s broken out into very short and (so far) kid-friendly stories, so it’s not a big time commitment.

Personally, I’m most interested in what literary devices GRRM uses most and if someone would know of a quick you-tube video for brushing up?

[zandru]

2 hours ago, Lollygag said:

GRRM rarely writes characters as naked or bathing.

Seriously? Sansa is constantly being described as being bathed by her handmaidens. Ditto Dany, apparently at least once a day. Arya is described as hating it. And no, most smallfolk characters ARE noted for their smell, filthy clothing and hair, and overall dirtiness. Cersei spends much time in the bath as Queen (mother) - such hard work! When Yorin's night watch candidates arrive at the Inn at the Crossroads (motto: Nothing good ever happens here), they all go for the baths.

As for nakedness, every brothel scene is full of it. Many of the punishment scenes as well. Tyrion is constantly getting naked. Ditto Jon and Ygritte. You must have missed Ned and Cat's naked scene in AGoT early on, where both got out of bed and walked around the room in the presence of others, all starkers.

Note: I myself know nothing of LitCrit, so I'm no good with the symbolic reading. Don't even comprehend its specialized vocabulary.

[JNR]

2 hours ago, Lollygag said:

Is there proof that ASOIAF was written to be read in a variety of ways, or in others words, that the text isn’t as random as it appears, and that connections aren’t just coincidence?

Yes.  GRRM has done interviews mentioning symbolism and in particular has discussed the variant meanings of ice and fire re the series title.

2 hours ago, Lollygag said:

Do you know of any quickie and not-too-technical tips on learning figurative reading?

Look for what recurs, and the specific language used.  The clearer and stronger any given pattern, the higher the odds that GRRM had it in mind.

There are also many cases in the text in which a character hears a phrase and doesn't understand it and says so.  GRRM is all but inviting the reader to consider alternate meanings in such cases.  Example:

Quote

"What is the song of ice and fire?"

"It's no song I've ever heard."

Or when Quaithe says things like this:

Quote

"No. Hear me, Daenerys Targaryen. The glass candles are burning. Soon comes the pale mare, and after her the others. Kraken and dark flame, lion and griffin, the sun's son and the mummer's dragon. Trust none of them. Remember the Undying. Beware the perfumed seneschal."

...GRRM is again openly daring you to consider symbolic interpretations, and he seeds the text with deliebrate possibilities.  Such as:

Quote

Moqorro touched his nose. "Imbued with a pleasant aroma. Fragrant, would you say? Flowery?"

"So Selaesori Qhoran means Stinky Steward, more or less?"

"Fragrant Steward, rather."

But you should be wary of looking for patterns based on extremely common words or phrases.  There was once a theory based on the number of times Mormont's raven said "Corn" in a given situation, and patterns were seemingly detected drawn from the numerous times the raven speaks.  But when GRRM was asked about this, he promptly shot it down.

I would similarly be skittish of trying to assign specific meaning to something like a primary color.  Anybody who claims black means Rhaegar or blue means deception can cite examples of that... but there are going to be dozens more examples that disprove that, too.  It wouldn't be possible for GRRM to write anything this long with such ideas consistently in his head.

2 hours ago, Lollygag said:

Even if you aren’t a Literature expert, is there something interesting that you’ve noticed in how ASOIAF is written?

When it comes to GRRM's mysteries, you'll generally do better thinking like a detective from a murder mystery than like a poet from the seventeenth century.  Don't assume that because the text says a certain thing, that means you should assume it is true until it is proven false.  If ten characters say the world is flat, and none say it is round... it is still round.

[Good Guy Garlan]

Some of GRRM's most common narrative devices: 

1) His three-fold revelation strategy: "The first, subtle hint for the really astute readers, followed later by the more blatant hint for the less attentive, followed by just spelling it out for everyone else."

2) GRRM sometimes likes to end chapters with seemingly innocuous lines that are actually pretty relevant character-wise. For example: 

Arya's last line in Clash: "The rain will wash [the blood on her hands] off."

Significance: Arya's increasingly indifference and disensitivization towards violence. 

There are lots of examples like this and I've noticed it's fairly recurrent in the released Winds chapters. 

3) When GRRM wants you to pick up on some symbolism, he'll let you know by describing it in several sentences. Examples: 

Hugh of the Vale's death scene, Sansa looking at the color-changing cloud castle, Cersei with the moth and the flame, etc. Most important symbolism isn't a throwaway line.

 

[Lollygag]

1 hour ago, zandru said:

Seriously? Sansa is constantly being described as being bathed by her handmaidens. Ditto Dany, apparently at least once a day. Arya is described as hating it. And no, most smallfolk characters ARE noted for their smell, filthy clothing and hair, and overall dirtiness. Cersei spends much time in the bath as Queen (mother) - such hard work! When Yorin's night watch candidates arrive at the Inn at the Crossroads (motto: Nothing good ever happens here), they all go for the baths.

As for nakedness, every brothel scene is full of it. Many of the punishment scenes as well. Tyrion is constantly getting naked. Ditto Jon and Ygritte. You must have missed Ned and Cat's naked scene in AGoT early on, where both got out of bed and walked around the room in the presence of others, all starkers.

Note: I myself know nothing of LitCrit, so I'm no good with the symbolic reading. Don't even comprehend its specialized vocabulary.

Sorry, I assumed some things there and wasn't clear.

I'm thinking of scenes like when Ned & Cat were both naked in front of Maester Luwin, and when Jon bathed and Thorne & Co happened to be there. Basically, in-POV, in-the-moment nudity and bathing, where a lot of time is spend on-page, or it was mentioned specifically when it wasn't really necessary, and thus indicating importance. These moments are quite rare.

As an example, I’m distinguishing between the implied nudity of Jon and Ygritte boinking like bunnies half a hundred times basically in public which is mentioned in passing as a recollection, from the single time that they were in the cave alone together, and the POV is in-the-moment, with a lot of detail described.

So, rephrasing, GRRM doesn't spend a lot of page-time on bathing and nudity for main-characters compared to a lot of authors given the length of the work.

P.S., I also can get lost when the discussion becomes very technical.

 

[bent branch]

On ‎4‎/‎10‎/‎2017 at 5:02 PM, JNR said:

When it comes to GRRM's mysteries, you'll generally do better thinking like a detective from a murder mystery than like a poet from the seventeenth century.  Don't assume that because the text says a certain thing, that means you should assume it is true until it is proven false.  If ten characters say the world is flat, and none say it is round... it is still round.

I myself have tried to suggest that some, not all, of the chapters should be read as murder mystery detective novels. When I read ASOIAF I see a writer who has honed their craft over many years and is showing off just how well they can do it all. More specifically, I have suggested that the Purple Wedding chapter is a nod to Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced. In A Murder is Announced a person is killed in front of a room full of people, but none of the witnesses can say who did it. If the Purple Wedding chapter was a nod to Agatha Christie then the person who killed Joffrey was Sansa. While this suggestion was rather rudely received at the time, I hope it gets a little better consideration this time.

[Cridefea]

I think there are many symbolic levels in asoiaf, some more immediate and others less. Everyone read a story in a symbolic way even if not everyone is conscious of the fact. For example:

•  Ice/fire, as @JNR said, it is something symbolic, and GRRM gives hints about what they can or cannot mean.
•  Then there are symbolisms that help us undestand what is going to happen as @Good Guy Garlan  and @bent branch said
• But asoiaf is a very rich fantasy story and like other works (mithology, fairy tales, Lotr ecc)  they are a symbolic way to tell human troubles (we were talking about it with @ravenous reader some days ago). So it's not a case if we emphatize with some characters and not with others. The Quest, the character's arc, the events could be all symbolic, too. It's "curative".

3 hours ago, bent branch said:

I myself have tried to suggest that some, not all, of the chapters should be read as murder mystery detective novels. When I read ASOIAF I see a writer who has honed their craft over many years and is showing off just how well they can do it all. More specifically, I have suggested that the Purple Wedding chapter is a nod to Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced. In A Murder is Announced a person is killed in front of a room full of people, but none of the witnesses can say who did it. If the Purple Wedding chapter was a nod to Agatha Christie then the person who killed Joffrey was Sansa. While this suggestion was rather rudely received at the time, I hope it gets a little better consideration this time.

Ohhhh I love this idea! I'm a Agatha's superfan.... never thought about this!  I have to think about it, thank you!!

[ravenous reader]

On 4/10/2017 at 6:17 PM, Lollygag said:

I’ve seen a lot of debates lately which boil down to literal interpretation of text vs figurative interpretation of text, so I’m wondering if maybe a how-to read-figuratively thread specific to ASOIAF and GRRM’s writing style might be interesting to some who want to make their case for figurative reading, and for those who want to learn more about figurative reading, don’t know where to start and don’t have much time to spend to delve into it. Not all of us were Literature Majors .

A while ago @OtherFromAnotherMother and I had a bit of a chuckle on one of his threads, when we discovered that he was taking figuratively those very elements I had chosen to take literally, and vice versa, in the same passage (the 'coma dream').  The way GRRM tends to write -- and a major reason for his success in holding the rapt attention of the audience over decades-- is by blurring the literal and figurative so that one bleeds into the other and it's difficult to draw the line.  It's an elusive and allusive style, followed up by arguably equally evasive interviews, all guaranteed to draw out the suspense indefinitely.  That GRRM is a tricksy bird!

Quote

The best works are written to be enjoyed on multiple levels, and both literal and figurative reading are important. Most importantly, they are not mutually exclusive.

  Although I believe it's silly fighting about the precedence of literal vs. figurative interpretations, GRRM does however set up the competitive spirit among the readers by implying that there is indeed a 'right' vs. 'wrong' answer to his various nebulous 'whodunnits'.  This creates a tension between the slippery, multifaceted equivocation of the text and the search for solid 'canon' bedrock.  Nowhere can this be seen more acutely than in the passionate discussions surrounding someone like Jon's or Tyrion's paternity, which is pretty ironic considering there are no reliable paternity tests in existence in the medieval fantasy world GRRM has created.  It wouldn't surprise me if we never get a definitive answer to these questions.  That's just GRRM's preferred style -- or game he likes playing with us his 'prentices, whom he'd prefer to keep in the dark.

Quote

So, for those who read figuratively or for those who want to learn how to read ASOIAF in other ways:

Is there proof that ASOIAF was written to be read in a variety of ways, or in others words, that the text isn’t as random as it appears, and that connections aren’t just coincidence?

For sure.  The author himself has confirmed a hidden level of interpretation, for example in this interview:

Quote

From the fourth book you have been uncovering some chapters with nicknames, like ‘The Prophet’ or ‘The Kraken’s Daughter’. Why do you do that?

Well… [Thinks for a long time with an enigmatic smile] I don’t know if you know Gene Wolfe, one of the best science fiction and fantasy writers, in my opinion. Well, his work is full of puzzles and enigmas and you have to put a lot of attention on what he is saying. I remember one day I asked him: “Why do you use that? Is there a deeper reason beyond?” And he didn’t say anything at the beginning. He just smiled me ironically and said to me: “What do you think it means?” And I told him my theories. Then, he answered: “Interesting…” [Laughs]. That’s all you wanna get out of me, but I have to say this is not an accident [Laughs].

 

Quote

Do you know of any quickie and not-too-technical tips on learning figurative reading?

From my brief acquaintance with your commentary, I'd say you're already pretty good at it!    I'm thinking here of your excellent breakdown of the sweet 'blue flowers' symbolism, with reference, among others, to 'Othor Flowers' who is 'no pansy,' etc.  That's the kind of imaginative leap of which GRRM is eminently capable and demonstrably employing himself.  He has a very wry sense of humor and Seams has thoroughly convinced me of his love of puns (have you seen @Seams' 'Puns and Wordplay' thread?  It's an eye-opener if you want to explore figurative reading).

Quote

What are some of the most common literary devices in ASOIAF?

Here is a list for you of various literary devices for you to read up on and impress your friends (in fact, if you're ever stumped in an argument with someone on the forum, just bring up one of the more obscure of the jargon, preferably with an impressive Greek-sounding name such as 'anacoluthon' or 'anthimeria' -- and that's just under 'A'...; that should silence them soon enough, LOL).  

The technique GRRM seems to use the most is 'foreshadowing', which is part of a broader tactic he employs of the 'analogy', as @GloubieBoulga has noted, or the 'archetype', ultimately leading to a complex web of cross-references.  @LmL has referred to the specific archetypal reiteration involved as 'fractal,' and built up a whole theory of 'mythical astronomy' in which the alchemical dictum 'as above, so below' applies (the basic premise is that celestial events reflect human scenarios, and vice versa).  @Kingmonkey in his 'Puppets of Ice and Fire' thread explains the recurring pattern he's similarly identified like this, referring to 'rituals' and 'ripples' and something akin to the 'return of the repressed' (the unspoken story that's dying to be told...):

Quote

What follows is not so much a theory as it is an observation. There is a pattern of events that can be found repeated in ASOIAF, and whatever it means, it seems to be connected to the core mysteries of the series. I suspect it is the core mystery of the series. These echoes may be a purely literary device, a use of paralleling to bring together shared ideas. It may be something rather more. A ritual that people stumble upon, more or less accidentally, more or less knowingly. Or it may be one of these events created magical ripples in the river of time, making the event replay as echoes before and after. Or perhaps it's a story desperate to be told, leaking out into the narratives of many characters and shaping their stories to its own. Perhaps it's a mixture of these. Each time we see these events echoed, some of the details are shared, and some changed. It's as if the story is struggling to be completed, the ritual never quite being fulfilled. Amidst the personal struggles of the characters we read about is a greater struggle they are fighting unaware, a fate that tugs their puppet strings and makes them dance to the song of ice and fire.
 

It all seemed so familiar, like a mummer show that he had seen before. Only the mummers had changed.

ADwD, A Ghost in Winterfell

 
It all starts with the Tower of Joy. The language Martin uses in Eddard's dream is unlike almost anything else in the books. It's a dream, sure, but there's more to it than that. The language is richly poetic in a way Martin rarely employs, and the dialogue is highly unnatural and ritualistic. Everything about the way that it's written screams out that it's highly important. The Tower of Joy scene is presented to us as a mystery, and seems to have a connection to the central underlying theme of fire and ice. People have spent a lot of time trying to analyse this vitally central Tower of Joy scene, but generally miss an important point: the events at the Tower of Joy are not unique.

Throughout the text are a number of echoes of the ToJ, scenes that at first sight do not seem related, but share a sometimes very clear connection. When we start to look any pattern, it's inevitable that we will find them everywhere. Finding patterns and parallels is the brain's favourite trick. For that reason I urge caution with what you're about to read, but I think you'll agree that at least most of this is real, because it just fits a little too well not to be. I'm not the first person to have picked up on at least some of these echoes. Plenty of people have looked at the ideas discussed here before. Not everything is by any means new, but if anyone has brought all this together before, I haven't seen it. It's worth doing, because it helps to give context to a lot of disparate ideas and theories, and may explain a number of puzzling events in the books.

Although one can go a little overboard searching for inverses and parallels, and caution is indicated, nevertheless I tend to differ with @JNR and other more 'canonically'-oriented analysts in the conclusion therefore that tracing specific words and phrases has no value:

On 4/10/2017 at 9:02 PM, JNR said:

But you should be wary of looking for patterns based on extremely common words or phrases.  There was once a theory based on the number of times Mormont's raven said "Corn" in a given situation, and patterns were seemingly detected drawn from the numerous times the raven speaks.  But when GRRM was asked about this, he promptly shot it down.

On the contrary, I've found that GRRM repeats certain words very deliberately.  One can even identify certain 'code words' he uses in order to hint at something.  For example, the words 'rustling,' 'whispering,' and 'singing' are all 'code' for greenseers.  Another I haven't yet fully unpacked is 'shimmering'.  I even think the number of times a single word is repeated can be significant.  For example, Patchface's 'oh oh oh' which since it's repeated thrice, and read backwards is 'ho ho ho,' should make us think of Santa and the deeper origins of that mythology, embodied in the 'devil's bluster' (see page 69 of the source I referenced).

Also, just because GRRM dismisses something himself doesn't mean it isn't playing a role in his writing, despite his protestations.  In any case, he claims to be a 'gardener' instead of an 'architect,' thereby implying he's not fully in control of the way the words grow-- I mean plants!

@YOVMO who has an academic background in philosophy explains it here.  Actually, the whole conversation surrounding that particular post was quite informative, as we were debating the admissible extent of symbolic references.  See also @LmL's explanation regarding the methodology he deems acceptable in coming to his own conclusions.

Quote

... is there something interesting that you’ve noticed in how ASOIAF is written?

I agree with @JNR and @bent branch that it's constructed as a bunch of seemingly open-ended mysteries without clear answers; therefore taking the text at 'face-value' is misleading!

10 hours ago, bent branch said:

I myself have tried to suggest that some, not all, of the chapters should be read as murder mystery detective novels. When I read ASOIAF I see a writer who has honed their craft over many years and is showing off just how well they can do it all. More specifically, I have suggested that the Purple Wedding chapter is a nod to Agatha Christie's A Murder is Announced. In A Murder is Announced a person is killed in front of a room full of people, but none of the witnesses can say who did it. If the Purple Wedding chapter was a nod to Agatha Christie then the person who killed Joffrey was Sansa. While this suggestion was rather rudely received at the time, I hope it gets a little better consideration this time.

Sansa?  Can I get a link to your theory, please!  

Regarding the Agatha Christie reference, someone (it may have been @Pain killer Jane) suggested that the 'Last Hero math' (12+1) may be related to the plot of the book 'Murder on the Orient Express' in which a group of people with a grievance towards someone gather on a train, essentially acting as a jury of twelve, in order to collectively bring that person, having hitherto escaped responsibility for a previous crime, to justice.  Together, i.e. acting as jury, judge and exectioner = the 'one' of the Last Hero math, they sentence him to death and deliver the sentence on board the train.  Fittingly, there are twelve passengers on the train, twelve murderers acting in concert, and twelve stab wounds.  The highly ritualistic manner of the killing is also related to @Unchained's observation regarding the Prologue and other scenes in which someone is butchered to death by a group who falls on the victim at the signal of a leader, which he has compared to the phenomenon of a 'parliament of crows' in which crows have been observed to gather in a rather orderly fashion at first, almost as if to 'hear' and 'judge' the case of one of their own, after which the 'accused' crow will either be granted a reprieve or be butchered mercilessly by the group.  Hence, 'a murder of crows'!

Quote

A Game of Thrones - Prologue

A scream echoed through the forest night, and the longsword shivered into a hundred brittle pieces, the shards scattering like a rain of needles. Royce went to his knees, shrieking, and covered his eyes. Blood welled between his fingers.

The watchers moved forward together, as if some signal had been given. Swords rose and fell, all in a deathly silence. It was cold butchery. The pale blades sliced through ringmail as if it were silk. Will closed his eyes. Far beneath him, he heard their voices and laughter sharp as icicles.

When he found the courage to look again, a long time had passed, and the ridge below was empty.

 

Quote

A Game of Thrones - Eddard IX

"Still … we wouldn't want him to leave here entirely unchastened, so"—through the night and the rain, he glimpsed the white of Jaime's smile—"kill his men."

"No!" Ned Stark screamed, clawing for his sword. Jaime was already cantering off down the street as he heard Wyl shout. Men closed from both sides. Ned rode one down, cutting at phantoms in red cloaks who gave way before him. Jory Cassel put his heels into his mount and charged. A steel-shod hoof caught a Lannister guardsman in the face with a sickening crunch. A second man reeled away and for an instant Jory was free. Wyl cursed as they pulled him off his dying horse, swords slashing in the rain. Ned galloped to him, bringing his longsword down on Tregar's helm. The jolt of impact made him grit his teeth. Tregar stumbled to his knees, his lion crest sheared in half, blood running down his face. Heward was hacking at the hands that had seized his bridle when a spear caught him in the belly. Suddenly Jory was back among them, a red rain flying from his sword. "No!" Ned shouted. "Jory, away!" Ned's horse slipped under him and came crashing down in the mud. There was a moment of blinding pain and the taste of blood in his mouth.

He saw them cut the legs from Jory's mount and drag him to the earth, swords rising and falling as they closed in around him. When Ned's horse lurched back to its feet, he tried to rise, only to fall again, choking on his scream. He could see the splintered bone poking through his calf. It was the last thing he saw for a time. The rain came down and down and down.

 

[Seams]

On 4/10/2017 at 6:17 PM, Lollygag said:

I’ve seen a lot of debates lately which boil down to literal interpretation of text vs figurative interpretation of text, so I’m wondering if maybe a how-to read-figuratively thread specific to ASOIAF and GRRM’s writing style might be interesting to some who want to make their case for figurative reading, and for those who want to learn more about figurative reading, don’t know where to start and don’t have much time to spend to delve into it. Not all of us were Literature Majors .

The best works are written to be enjoyed on multiple levels, and both literal and figurative reading are important. Most importantly, they are not mutually exclusive.

So, for those who read figuratively or for those who want to learn how to read ASOIAF in other ways:

Is there proof that ASOIAF was written to be read in a variety of ways, or in others words, that the text isn’t as random as it appears, and that connections aren’t just coincidence?

Do you know of any quickie and not-too-technical tips on learning figurative reading?

What is particularly important to know when reading ASOIAF?

What are some of the most common literary devices in ASOIAF?

Do you have any tips which helped you to understand ASOIAF a different way?

Are you stumped as to why some see the text a certain way and want to understand what’s behind it, but don’t know where to find answers without derailing another thread? Ask here!

What are some of the best and most rewarding examples of figurative reading of the text?

Even if you aren’t a Literature expert, is there something interesting that you’ve noticed in how ASOIAF is written?

Thank you for a thoughtful post and a good topic for this forum. I am one of the people who LOVES the figurative material in these books, but I try to keep in mind that many people are interested in the plot and characters and what will happen next. Period. It's all good as long as we don't put down others who want to read the books on a different level. I do think some people who are super-anxious about when the next book will come out might feel some relief from a re-read of the existing books on a deeper level: learn to look for the literary stuff that not only adds meaning to the published story but can also hint about what to expect in upcoming volumes.

I was not a literature major and I don't have a lot of the specialized knowledge of world mythology that some people in this forum bring to the discussion. In fact, I enjoy this forum because so many people bring perspectives from different cultures and areas of expertise. I learn a lot by reading and interacting here. The amazing possibilities I've seen here for interpreting the text of ASOIAF have given me immense and growing respect for George R. R. Martin, and the time and effort and lifetime of writing and reading experience he has brought to these books. It pains me greatly when people joke about punishing him for being so slow to write or suggest that he lost his way or put in a character or descriptive passage or plot twist that wasn't needed. I really think these books will live on alongside the works of Tolkein and C. S. Lewis as literary landmarks and I wouldn't want him to rush anything.

Although I wasn't an English or literary major, I did teach language arts and composition for a few years. Here are some things my colleagues and I used to teach students to look for when seeking deeper insights about a work of literature:

Theme - The deeper meaning or lesson about life that an author wants us to draw from a literary work. Motifs (see below) can be built up and combined to help us to identify themes. Complex works of literature usually have more than one theme.

Metaphor - This is the umbrella term for symbolism, and can include similes (comparison of unlike things using the word "like") and metaphors (comparisons that don't use the word "like": a statement that X is Y, such as Gregor Clegane is the Mountain that Rides). If related similes and metaphors are used repeatedly, they are called a motif. In ASOIAF, the idea of wearing the skin of an animal or another person (Faceless Men, glamors, fake identities such as Jon Connington dying his beard blue, etc.) is a motif. Cersei talks about wanting a wolf skin laid across her bed and it eventually dawns on the reader that Cersei wanted to BE Lyanna Stark, who seems to have been lusted after by both Rhaegar and King Robert. But there are other kinds of symbols and this author is super talented at calling up motifs in very subtle ways that pay off when we re-read and/or start to look for similar words that tie together things we wouldn't otherwise see. Which leads me to . . .

Word choice - GRRM is uniquely skilled at this. For instance, I was just pointing out on another thread that I searched on the word "jagged" using the "A Search of Ice and Fire" website. The word had seemed intriguing to me in a passage where Arya had made her own sword from a broomstick, and I thought it might carry deeper meaning. The search turned up other places the author had used the same word and helped me to see that crowns, ruined towers, swords, the Iron Throne and mountains are linked to each other in certain places. There's no proof and no clear, "Aha!" interpretation of these linked elements, but I now have this connection in the back of my mind and will look for clearer insights as I go back for more re-reading of the books.

Word play - GRRM is also clearly using puns and wordplay to create links and motifs in the books. Rough definition: using sound-alike words to make a joke about the different meanings of the two words. Except GRRM isn't just making jokes and his puns are complex, including words from foreign languages and some scrambling of words to make anagrams. In addition to being fun, he uses the puns to connect symbols (see Metaphor, above). When I started looking for puns, in fact, I came to believe that the author probably worked out some interesting puns way back at the beginning when he was constructing the plot for the series. He used those puns to build characters, sigils, house words, plot elements, etc. For example, "sword" and "words" seem to be paired as sound-alike (although obviously not rhyming) words. Some characters use swords to get what they want or to defend themselves; others use words (diplomacy or eavesdropping or lying or sending a message via raven). Again, there is no proof that the author wants us to compare swords and words, but he gives us major hints, such as Tywin's advice, "Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quills and ravens." I have also noticed that swords or daggers are often tucked into belts; the other thing often tucked into a belt is a message. So there is circumstantial evidence of the similarities to go with the many examples of swords and words in the text. Two central but complex sets of puns to follow in the series:

• Ice / eyes / Ei (the German word for egg) / Eisen (the German word for iron)
• wolf / flow / fowl - It is not a coincidence that a Stark symbol is the wolf and a Tully symbol is a river. Several Stark children are associated with birds - crow, raven, black swan and "little bird" or "daughter" of a mockingbird or "mother" of a falcon.

Allusion - The author is clearly a lover of books and stories, and he often enriches the meaning of ASOIAF by echoing situations from world history, mythology and literature as well as pop culture. When an author of fiction alludes to something, the result is called a literary allusion. I have learned a lot from this forum about GRRM's use of allusion. One that I spotted on my own is the comparison of Tyrion's journey to and around Essos to the voyage of Odysseus from classical Greek history / mythology. The ancient story includes shipwrecks, people being turned into pigs and  women named Circe and Penelope. Tyrion's story includes a shipwreck, riding a pig and women named Cersei and Penny. But there are many other allusions throughout the books, including references to the Three Stooges, NFL football and to contemporary author colleagues of GRRM.

There is a lot more terminology I could lay out, but this post is already much longer than I intended. The following link leads to a list of other literary devices interested people can seek and find in ASOIAF taken from a brief discussion of the Author's Craft.

For what it's worth, here is one way to approach the books on a figurative level, starting with the rich metaphor of bears:

Look for an interesting situation in AGoT that the author might seem to go a little bit out his way to describe. The author lays the groundwork for the literary motifs of the entire series in that first book, so a lot of new things will become significant: a character in relation to a new outfit, handling a key prop such as a sword or direwolf pup, eating a specific food, meeting another character for the first time, mentioning a place or a nickname, or entering a new setting. The example I will use is Tyrion going to the Wall, where he is wrapped in a bear skin cloak. 

• We know that "skinchanging" is a motif in the books, so it must be significant that Tyrion wears a "new" skin and that it is a bear skin.

Examine the details around the symbol.

• Benjen Stark gave the bearskin to Tyrion. At one point, Tyrion speculates that Benjen didn't expect Tyrion to accept the offer.

Consider the characteristics of the broader category into which the specific symbol might fit:

• A cloak is used for warmth but in Westeros, giving a cloak to someone is also a symbol of marriage.
• Cloaks in Westeros are used to show an affiliation: white cloaks for the King's Guard in King's Landing; Gold Cloaks for the City Watch; colored, rainbow cloaks for Renly's guards; black for the Night's Watch and house colors for household knights.
• Soon the author makes a point of putting Tyrion in a shadow cat cloak, eventually referred to as a shadow cloak. Why does Tyrion change cloaks? Why does he have more than one cloak? (Tyrion is also associated with wine, and he sometimes drinks from a wineskin.) 
• A turncloak is another word for someone who switches sides or betrays a leader to whom he has pledged an oath.

Look for and think about other places the symbol or setting is used as you progress through the books.

• Bears are associated with House Mormont; Jeor Mormont is nicknamed The Old Bear; Dany refers to Ser Jorah as her bear.
• Vargo Hoat's sellswords bring a bear to Harrenhal in a cage. Amory Lorch, Brienne and Jaime are put into conflict with the bear.
• Sansa wears a bear skin at the Eyrie.
• White bear skins are associated with Dalla and Val, the free folk wife and sister-in-law of Mance Rayder.
• Craster has a ram's skull and a bear skull mounted at the entrance to his compound.
• The prologue of ASoS is about a failed bear hunt and a planned mutiny by Night's Watch brothers.
• The bawdy song about the Bear and the Maiden Fair comes up repeatedly throughout the books.

Look for and think about word play involving the symbol.

• "Bear" could be a pun on "bare," meaning naked. When Tyrion wears a bear skin, is the author telling us that he is symbolically naked? Maybe that's too simplistic and, if it were a correct interpretation, there would probably be other places in the books where the same pun came up. (Maybe it does when Brienne has to defend herself without sword or armor in the bear pit.) But "bare" is also a synonym for "stark." So maybe a person who wears a bear skin is like a Stark in some way. If you search on the word "stark" in the books, you find the author describes some stony mountaintops as being stark. It's worth keeping this in the back of your mind, I think, to see if there is a deeper meaning to bear / bare / stark as a pun.
• "Bear" is also a verb, meaning to carry or support. The past tense of the verb "bear" is "bore." So here is a potential pun on "boar," the wild pig that killed King Robert. Using anagram word play, "boar" and "Robb" could be linked. It gets complicated, but I do believe the author is linking Robb Stark's death to Robert Baratheon's death with some symbolism at the Red Wedding relating to the European tradition of the Boar's Head Festival. I suspect that bears and boars are related through the bear / bore wordplay, although I haven't sorted it out entirely.
• It's possible that Tyrion's bearskin isn't intended as part of the cloak motif so much as the skin motif. I suspect that there is a pun on skin and kin, with kinslayers being the most meaningful use of the word "kin" and with a possible further link to "king" and "kingslayer".

Use the separate "A Search of Ice and Fire" website to search on words that pique your interest.

I did a browser update and found that I could no longer use that website on my computer. But I search from time to time on a computer at the public library. It's a great way to discover subtle connections between symbols or motifs across different scenes. For instance, I found that the word "clinked" was used when Jon found the dragonglass cache at the Fist of the First Men but that the word was more often used to describe chain mail worn by knights. I found the dragonglass cache to be such an important element in the books that I had to wonder why the author was comparing it to chain mail. This led me to realize that mail is a really important symbol as well and I am much more conscious when I read of who is wearing mail and when it is mentioned.

Use the search function in this forum or post questions in the "small questions" thread asking for links that can explain deeper meanings.

I learned from this forum that The Bear and Maiden Fair lyrics in this book are derived from a Nordic tradition surrounding the bear hunt. If I understood correctly, the hunters in traditional cultures would persuade that bear that he was not being killed but was instead being brought to the community to marry a beautiful human girl. I think the point was to prevent the spirit of the bear from becoming angry with the hunters. (But I have probably left out or misunderstood the details.) When you have this background, the bear references in the books are greatly enriched: the characters who are symbolic "bears" are being tricked by people who want to kill them. Or the reader can consider the maiden's point of view - does she really want to marry a wild bear? Or is she in on the deception? What does she gain from marrying a bear? Is it always entirely clear which character represents the bear, and which is the maiden? Is it entirely clear who are the hunters, or do the tables turn and the hunter becomes the hunted?

Go back and re-read passages that might help to clarify or link symbols.

Once you know that Tyrion and Sansa are married, you can go back and compare Tyrion wearing a bearskin with Sansa wearing a bearskin. Or re-read the lyrics of the Bear and the Maiden Fair and try to interpret them in relation to the details of Tyrion and Sansa's stories. Or compare the relationship of Tyrion and Sansa to the relationship of Ser Jorah and Dany. Some details and comparisons will dawn on you when you are re-reading even if you are not deliberately seeking them.

Don't expect straight answers or definitive explanations.

I am a fan of Agatha Christie mysteries, and her stories and books always end with the sleuth spelling out the evidence, motives and subtle little clues that explain the crime. That kind of straightforward explanation does not happen with literary interpretation - the author wants readers to interpret and discuss and argue (politely) and work things out. There are few better feelings than the adrenaline rush of working out a set of literary clues on your own or, better yet, through dialogue with someone else in this forum who is puzzled by the same set of clues. GRRM has provided abundant clues, but he will not undermine those clues by cutting to the chase and simply explaining who killed Joffrey or what it means that Tyrion wears a bearskin at an early stage of the series. Sometimes he gives us a quote that seems to summarize an important theme, but not always. Maybe we will find out in the next books that there was a distant relationship between the Mormonts and the Lannisters, and the bear skin symbolism will take on a new meaning that way (although that wouldn't necessarily explain Benjen giving the skin to Tyrion or Sansa wearing a bear skin). But I suspect we will be able to discuss deeper meanings long after all of the books are published, and that is a good thing, as far as I'm concerned.

Sorry to go on at such length. I know some people actively hate the idea of looking for deeper meaning in the books, but I would love to be a resource for people who want to look at literary stuff but aren't sure where to start. I tried to write in such a way that people can skim this comment and pick out details of interest.

[chrisdaw]

It's as simple as reading slowly or rereading and questioning why that line or paragraph was included. Every sentence must win it's way into the text, if it's there it's there for a purpose so simply ask yourself why. For example.

Quote

"Jojen just needs to eat," Bran said, miserably. It had been twelve days since the elk had collapsed for the third and final time, since Coldhands had knelt beside it in the snowbank and murmured a blessing in some strange tongue as he slit its throat. Bran wept like a little girl when the bright blood came rushing out. He had never felt more like a cripple than he did then, watching helplessly as Meera Reed and Coldhands butchered the brave beast who had carried them so far. He told himself he would not eat, that it was better to go hungry than to feast upon a friend, but in the end he'd eaten twice, once in his own skin and once in Summer's. As gaunt and starved as the elk had been, the steaks the ranger carved from him had sustained them for seven days, until they finished the last of them huddled over a fire in the ruins of an old hillfort.

Why did GRRM think this scene and Bran's reaction worth including?

Consider word choice and the character POV you're reading. Consider where something is placed, such as at the beginning of a chapter, end, first chapter of a character in a new book.

For example, Jon I ASOS, opening paragraph.

Quote

The world was grey darkness, smelling of pine and moss and cold. Pale mists rose from the black earth as the riders threaded their way through the scatter of stones and scraggly trees, down toward the welcoming fires strewn like jewels across the floor of the river valley below. There were more fires than Jon Snow could count, hundreds of fires, thousands, a second river of flickery lights along the banks of the icy white Milkwater. The fingers of his sword hand opened and closed.

Consider why GRRM chose to open Jon's ASOS chapters with this.

Consider repetition, or consistency throughout, of word and theme. For example, why he's tormenting Arya specifically with tales of her parents loving elsewhere or infidelity.

Quote

 

"Her heart was broken."

Sansa would have sighed and shed a tear for true love, but Arya just thought it was stupid. She couldn't say that to Ned, though, not about his own aunt. "Did someone break it?"

He hesitated. "Perhaps it's not my place . . ."

"Tell me."

He looked at her uncomfortably. "My aunt Allyria says Lady Ashara and your father fell in love at Harrenhal—"

"That's not so. He loved my lady mother."

"I'm sure he did, my lady, but—"

"She was the only one he loved."

"He must have found that bastard under a cabbage leaf, then," Gendry said behind them.

Arya wished she had another crabapple to bounce off his face. "My father had honor," she said angrily. "And we weren't talking to you anyway. Why don't you go back to Stoney Sept and ring that girl's stupid bells?"

Gendry ignored that. "At least your father raised his bastard, not like mine. I don't even know my father's name. Some smelly drunk, I'd wager, like the others my mother dragged home from the alehouse. Whenever she got mad at me, she'd say, 'If your father was here, he'd beat you bloody.' That's all I know of him." He spat. "Well, if he was here now, might be I'd beat him bloody. But he's dead, I figure, and your father's dead too, so what does it matter who he lay with?"

It mattered to Arya, though she could not have said why. Ned was trying to apologize for upsetting her, but she did not want to hear it. She pressed her heels into her horse and left them both. Anguy the Archer was riding a few yards ahead. When she caught up with him, she said, "Dornishmen lie, don't they?"

 

Alone it might be a history dump, an important one. But then this.

Quote

By the time her cup was empty, Arya was yawning. Gendry hadn't come back. Tom Sevenstrings was singing "Two Hearts that Beat as One," and kissing a different girl at the end of every verse. In the corner by the window Lem and Harwin sat talking to red-haired Tansy in low voices. ". . . spent the night in Jaime's cell," she heard the woman say. "Her and this other wench, the one who slew Renly. All three o' them together, and come the morn Lady Catelyn cut him loose for love." She gave a throaty chuckle.

It's not true, Arya thought. She never would. She felt sad and angry and lonely, all at once.

And you can see there's a point in here that relates to Arya, that the value isn't just in the reader knowing the historic information but is in Arya's arc, that her POV wasn't just the most convenient messenger.