Becoming No One: Re-reading Arya

[Lummel]

Eh Lyanna it is not a capon it is a quail. There's a slight size difference ;). Now the cat that seized a capon out of Tywin's hands would have been a real monster. The thing about Tywin is that he really hates being laughed at but this is the story doing the rounds about him. It is a nice little detail. If you want foreshadowing Arya will slip through his fingers and Sansa will escape the Lannister grasp too.

Black I think suggests hiding and secrets and obscurity. It is the right (absence of) colour for the chapter!

Another curious parallel: "It seemed to Arya there was something oddly familiar about him" - the other person who recognises Varys in disguise is Shae.

The Ned dismisses Varys and Illyrio as mummers...but of course Varys was a mummer and in ACOK we learn that power is a shadow cast on a wall and of the Mummer's dragon. Mummers are dangerous. That is the story that the puppeteers in AFFC tell too.

"...every northern is worth ten of these southeron swords, so you can sleep easy." Sad, sad, sad. :(

[brashcandy]

Did anyone notice that the colour black seems to be a theme? The chapter starts with the black tomcat, Arya travels through the pitch black darkness and it ends with a black brother.

I wonder about the symbolism with Tywin and the black tom stealing his capon. There's the stealing of a bird from Lannister clutches which could be a hint to Sansa, but the black cat is probably Balerion, Rhaenys' kitten, which seems to indicate that the Targaryens will eventually triumph over Tywin and what he tried to achieve (eradicate their line by murdering Rhaenys and Aegon).

Yes, the colour symbolism was quite noticeable throughout, and like Lummel states is fairly appropriate for the focus on secrets and deception in this chapter. However, I was struck by how much of the chapter seemed to have to do with Jon; the tomcat is called the black bastard by the guard, we have Arya's mistaken belief that Varys was referring to Jon when he talked about the Hand having a bastard, and finally there's Yoren's appearance, prompting actual discussion of how Jon is doing at the Wall. I think the cat stealing the roast quail has multiple symbolic meanings, but to extend your point about the Targaryens triumphing over Tywin (and the Lannisters), perhaps it's another hint of Jon as the secret Targ heir who will eventually rise to prominence. Of course, it also be referencing Bloodraven as the black bastard who is suspected of warging Balerion.

[Lyanna Stark]

brashcandy:

Good point about black also being the colour of Jon Snow at the Nights Watch! It's true that the Jon Snow references are many, despite his actual physical abscence.

It's also a nice link between the black tom - Rhaegar's children - Jon Snow. One of Rhaegar's main colours was also black (black and red). Overall, lots of Targaryen themes with the colour black, the dragons in the dark (waiting, hiding, biding their time? ) Rhaegar's daughter's cat and the mentions of Jon Snow.

[butterbumps!]

Arya III! I've been spending a lot of time with this chapter lately given my "research" on Varys (lol), and I'm of the opinion that it might be one of the most important chapters in the entire series (we don't at first realize how much of an endgame is actually being revealed here, there's a likely clue of a Northern presence wearing "dragon skin" [bloodraven + Balerion], it contains themes/ political foreshadowing between all the families that will play out as Varys suggests). And how interesting is it that it's Arya who sees this.

That it's Arya who stands witness to a scene that contains so many "answers" to the series feels significant to me. I think from a simple literary perspective, it makes a lot of sense that if a scene such as this were to be revealed so early, it must necessarily be presented from a child's viewpoint-- that is, someone who can't quite grasp what she's seen, nor articulate her observations to anyone who can take action on it. But instinctively, she knows what she's seen is extremely important. Very soon, Sansa will lead Ned to his revelation on Robert's bastard - "out of the mouth of babes"--setting up a theme of "real truths" coming from children who might not grasp the significance of what they see, but hit on the truth nonetheless. The information that stands out to Arya is not what an adult might have taken from the scene-- she focuses on Varys as a "wizard," and thinks the bastard they're referring to is Jon Snow, but correctly understands that Ned's life is at risk.

I wonder if we will ever see Arya revisit this scene-- if something significant might prompt her to think back on this and understand Varys (or Illyrio) for what they are. She's the only living person privy to this side of them. I wonder how much of her "child's truths" interpretation of this is correct as well.

Curious that Arya notes their shadows "as big as a giant's" against the Wall. Later, Varys tells Tyrion that power is “a shadow on the wall, yet shadows can kill. And ofttimes a very small man can cast a very large shadow.” Tyrion and Jon are the two other characters noted to cast such shadows, while Arya and Bran take refuge in shadows.

I love Brashcandy's point about Arya's gender, and gender as an illusory concept-- that the only thing keeping Arya from pursuing a "male" professions is her gender, yet she experiences the artificiality of gender constructions in this chapter that call the impossibility of such professions into question. And the fluidity of gender is something that will repeatedly save her as it did here. It reminded me of Cersei's complaint that no one could tell she and Jaime apart when they were young, which leads Cersei to harbor resentment at their divergent treatment based on gender.

[Elba the Intoner]

Butterbumps, about your comments that a child, in this case Arya, is getting all this info that they don't know what to do with yet, and how we get a lot of info through children's POV's, you're right. Arya gets a big info dump here that she doesn't know what to make of yet. Later Sansa will get a huge info dump from Lysa that reveals a lot about LF's scheming (and LF is mentioned here as adding to the mix of chaos), and she does not know how to handle all that info yet either. So this theme will continue to play out through the story.

[Little Wing]

I wonder if being in the room with the dragon skulls foreshadows encountering them for real? We've had Tyrion in the room and he's already in their proximity - will Arya get to see dragons as well? Also, I like the double darkness with the skulls - they're black as onyx in pitch black darkness. Yet, Arya could see shapes in that darkness...guess there was some bit of light there :dunno:

The info dump thrown on both Arya and Sansa points to them being important players in the game, one in Essos, the other in Westeros?

[Milady of York]

I see another connection to the Moon and Sun in the scene of Balerion snatching the quail from Lord Tywin, because in ancient Greece the quail was one of the animals sacred to Apollo, a god associated with the sun, and his sister Artemis, a goddess associated with the moon (although, strictly speaking, the Hellene sun and moon deities were Helios and Selene, many other deities were also associated with these two celestial bodies), which given the Stark sisters’ connection with the Moon and Sun, evidently foreshadows that the Lannisters would lose both girls, one in the light of day with the help of a Night’s Watch brother, whose uniform is black like the colour of the cat, and another in the blackness of the night, illuminated only by the moon. On the other hand, a second interpretation leads us to the Lannisters’ initial military defeats at the hands of the Stark-Tully alliance and the capture of their golden boy; for the Roman legions, the quail was a metaphor for valiant fighting and courage in battle, and seeing quails in the field before armies clashed was an omen for victory, so better not to frighten them out of the battlefield or lose them from sight.

And there’s a third foreshadowing for Tywin’s future and that of his House: the quail is a bird with a preference for southern latitudes, and because of that it’s a bird of spring, and a bearer of good luck and prosperity. If you happened to see or catch one of these birds, you had to chant:

Bring me victory, little quail,

Grant me success in my plans,

Guard my steps, warning of dangers.

Shower me with good luck and happiness.

But if the quail resisted and flew away, or you lost it somehow, then what awaited you was neither fortunate nor blissful. Tywin and his House succeeded temporarily, but in the end he didn’t live to see Spring, and his work is in danger of disappearing.

[Elba the Intoner]

"Quick as a snake",

"'Like trying to keep out rats.'"

"Swift as a deer"

"Slippery as an eel"

"Strong as a bear"

"Fierce as a wolverine"

Arya is already shape shifting.

[brashcandy]

I wonder if being in the room with the dragon skulls foreshadows encountering them for real? We've had Tyrion in the room and he's already in their proximity - will Arya get to see dragons as well? Also, I like the double darkness with the skulls - they're black as onyx in pitch black darkness. Yet, Arya could see shapes in that darkness...guess there was some bit of light there :dunno:

The info dump thrown on both Arya and Sansa points to them being important players in the game, one in Essos, the other in Westeros?

I think so. Also, when Sansa is on her way out of the city with Dontos on the night of Joffrey's murder, she makes this observation:

They continued down the serpentine and across a small sunken courtyard. Ser Dontos shoved a heavy door and lit a taper. They were inside a long gallery. Along the wall stood empty suits of armor, dark and dusty, their helms crusted with rows of scales that continued down their backs. As they hurried past, the taper's light made the shadows of each scale stretch and twist.The hollow knights are turning into dragons, she thought.

So both sisters have a sense of the dragons returning to life. Arya confronts the actual dragon skulls in this chapter, while Sansa notices the suits of armor, perhaps giving a clue as to the nature of their respective encounters with Targaryens in the future. We also have the symbolism of both girls in the godswood surrounded by dragon's breath.

[Bright Blue Eyes]

I think so. Also, when Sansa is on her way out of the city with Dontos on the night of Joffrey's murder, she makes this observation:

So both sisters have a sense of the dragons returning to life. Arya confronts the actual dragon skulls in this chapter, while Sansa notices the suits of armor, perhaps giving a clue as to the nature of their respective encounters with Targaryens in the future. We also have the symbolism of both girls in the godswood surrounded by dragon's breath.

That's quite an ...interesting phrase, considering the knights of the Hollow Hill. Probably to early to discuss it in this thread though.

[Little Wing]

Ah, that's right - the dragon's breath in the godswood! Must...control...urge...to speculate...

The children are quite perceptive in the books...more so than adults, it seems.

[Punchslap]

"yet shadows can kill"

Probably off-topic, but presumably foreshadowing Melissandre's shadow babies

[Ludd]

Have to agree with Ragnarok

Those of you shocked by Ned's neglect are clearly of the 80s generation (or younger)

Kids had freedom in the 50s and 60s and much much more in earlier years

Just 100 years ago kids as young as 6 would be sent to drive the horse and buggy 20 miles down steep terrain to collect the family stores, because older relatives were sick or too busy working on the farm.

10 year olds on gunships were the powder monkeys, the most dangerous job of all, not to mention small children cleaning chimneys.

I chatted to an old guy (he would be 100 now if alive) who at 13 was left with a mate for two weeks camping by a surf beach (which are very , very dangerous with rips and sharks etc) with no phones or contact or any way out. I was shocked at the time but it was the era.

Kids climbed trees and swings had metal or wooden seats. And yes kids did drown or get killed by swings but it was still normal

In a society where horse riding was the only way to get around, parents realized that there were dangers everywhere and worried less about accidents.

In the middle ages (and much later) parents who mollycoddled their kids were despised. Look at Sweet Robin.

Also recall that it was stated that under the Starks an girl could go naked down the kings road and come to no harm.

[Lummel]

...Also recall that it was stated that under the Starks an girl could go naked down the kings road and come to no harm.

Not quite, but an interesting idea. I do believe that the quote is along the lines of a maid could go along the king's road in her name day dress. I don't think that birthday suit was exactly what was implied :)

[Ludd]

Lummel

I think nameday dress is the same as bitjhday suit ie naked

[Ragnorak]

Lummel, I got "naked" as the meaning of name day dress too and I'm fairly certain that isn't just my desire to see naked and women in the same sentence. ;)

I'll take a crack at this scene because it deserves some attention.

The night the bird had come from Winterfell, Eddard Stark had taken the girls to the castle godswood, an acre of elm and alder and black cottonwood overlooking the river. The heart tree there was a great oak, its ancient limbs overgrown with smokeberry vines; they knelt before it to offer their thanksgiving, as if it had been a weirwood. Sansa drifted to sleep as the moon rose, Arya several hours later, curling up in the grass under Ned’s cloak. All through the dark hours he kept his vigil alone. When dawn broke over the city, the dark red blooms of dragon’s breath surrounded the girls where they lay. “I dreamed of Bran,” Sansa had whispered to him. “I saw him smiling.”

This is the mirror of the typical vigil we see. It is a vigil of thanks for life instead of mourning for death.

We have an oak instead of a weirwood but in the scene they give thanks "as if it has been a weirwood." I'm not sure if this is symbolic itself or reflects the fact that there is no weirwood in KL. As a side note maybe Aegon knew of a good reason not to have a weirwood in the Godswood. Cottonwoods are a North American tree and there is some Native American symbolism associated with them. We also have the oak, elm and alder trees. The alder tree is associated with Bran in Celtic lore and apparently seems to have many other associations for the Celts. I'm not an expert on these so I'll pass to someone who is.

This is a very positive and happy family scene. I'm not sure what to make of the sleeping. Sansa falls asleep first when the moon rises and she dreams of Bran smiling. Bran contacting his siblings through dreams is a likely possibility. The idea of Sansa sleeping as the moon rises might be a reference to Lady dying. Her warg connection is dormant without Lady so she sleeps when the symbol of the wolf rises but connects with Bran. Arya is awake when the moon rises and is still under Ned's protection (Nymeria? the pack lesson?) until the two girls awaken surrounded by red dragon's breath.

Dany has a black, green, and white dragon-- no red. I don't see a dragon being warged here despite the scene having that feel for me. A red dragon is the symbol of House Targaryen so this might mean Jon. A dragon's breath is the projection of its power, but it is also wholly destructive and consumes the wood that is the Old Gods. Thoros sees nothing in his fires on the Ghost of Highheart's hill of weirwood stumps-- the two are in conflict. Here we see dragon's breath as flowers in harmony with the Godswood even a part of it. There are smokeberry vines intertwined with the weirwood symbol-- another fire in harmony with the Old Gods reference.

So we have a united Arya and Sansa connected to Bran through dreams and surrounded by the projection of the Old Valyrian side of Jon's (or Bloodraven's?) power in harmony with the Old Gods.

[Larry of the Lawn]

The Andals cut down most of the weirwoods south of the neck, so Aegon probably wouldn't have gone out of his way to put one there, since the south associated them with a foreign god. Probably helped the faith support the Targs.

[Ulrik1312]

Also recall that it was stated that under the Starks an girl could go naked down the kings road and come to no harm.

Mmmmmmm... may be nobody would attack her, but she would get hypothermia, possibly pneumonia, frostbite ,or at least catch a cold. Sorry I have to say it, that hypothetical girl has no common sense.

And with the weirwood, almost no castles south of the neck have one. POssibly because of the religion and the use of the wood for construction, like the Moon Door in the Eyrie, for his special propreties.

[Dark Heart]

“Can I be a king’s councilor and build castles and become the High Septon?”

“You,” Ned said, kissing her lightly on the brow, “will marry a king and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights and princes and lords, and, yes, perhaps even a High Septon.”

Arya screwed up her face. “No,” she said, “that’s Sansa.” She folded up her right leg and resumed her balancing. Ned sighed and left her there.

Arya is now displaying real confidence in her deviation from society’s norms and can easily assert when her father tells her that she’ll marry a lord and run his castle, that this is a future for Sansa, not for herself.

He told her that she'll marry a king, not a lord.

That could be seen in two ways.

First; that Ned unknowingly made a prophecy and that Arya will marry a king one day.

Second; that Ned had a momentary "what could have been" moment and that he was talking about Lyanna.

That if her fate was different she could have had married a king (Rhaegar or Robert) and had his sons.

Catching Cats or Cat’s catching: Arya’s temporary hold on the cat that’s widely considered to have been Rhaenys’s kitten, Balerion, could foreshadow her own mother’s temporary hold on Tyrion, the news of which reaches KL in this chapter. The guard’s story of the how the cat once snatched a roasted quail out of Tywin’s Lannister’s fingers at dinner is meant almost certainly to symbolize Catelyn’s arrest of Tyrion at the Crossroads Inn. Arya’s escape from the Lannister guards could also foreshadow her escape when they come to get her during the palace coup. Of note: Syrio plays an indirect and direct role in helping her both times.

I see it as same deal as Orell's eagle hating (the one who killed Orell) Jon.

To me it could just be that part of Rhaenys is still in Balerion and that it hates Tywin.

Or that Bloodraven could be using Balerion for the same reson.

She is frightened by skulls this time, but when she meets the KM in the House of Black and White, and he wears a visage of a skull to test her she kisses the skull and tries to eat the maggot in his eye.

She'll also see dragon skulls as "old friends" when she sees them again.

[Fire Eater]

@brashcandy and others

Good pick-up with the Balerion/Jon foreshadowing, the tomcat is called the black bastard, and it is also said "That's the real king of this castle right there;" when you know Jon's lineage.

The girls are said to be surrounded by red dragon's breath with the red dragon being the Targaryen sigil as everyone here knows. Dragonbreath is fire, and fire is a symbol of protection. If the true Targaryen heir becomes king, then both girls will have his protection.

ahead was a blank windowless mass of stone

Arya's path leads her to the House of Black and White, which is described as "windowless of dark grey stone."