Best to Worst Mothers in ASOIAF

[Minsc]

Can we stop arguing what stepmother means? Westeros ASOIAF Wiki calls Cat Jon's stepmother in the Jon Snow entry.

In addition, to what Arya Kiddin' mentioned about how the Wiki is not canon there are other parts of the site that further disagree with that stance.

I think we all can all agree that Ran and Linda have a strong insider look into the workings into ASOIAF world because of their friendship with George. To the degree, that the George has allowed to work on writing on a world book to be published in the future about this world.

Yet, in the site's review of the episode of "Dark Wings, Dark Words" of season three of Game of Thrones the author(whom I assume is Ran) has this to say about Catelyn's connection with Jon.

The whole point of Catelyn Stark refusing to do anything more but tolerate Jon Snow’s presence—and that unwillingly—is that she is not his mother, and in Westeros she does not have a social or moral obligation to be his mother. She is not his step-mother, he is not her step-son—that’s not how things work in the Seven Kingdoms.

Therefore, they seem to be categorically disagreeing with the idea that she was any type of stepmother. While, this might not be the definite truth regarding the matter I think it might hold more truth then just the wiki where anyone can edit the entry.

http://www.westeros.org/GoT/Episodes/Entry/Dark_Wings_Dark_Words/Book_Spoilers/#Analysis

edit: Oops, this was meant to be only an edit on my previous post.

[AdelinaZ]

If one is to apply modern standards towards Catelyn's treatment of Jon, one has to remember that she'd be entitled to divorce Ned for his behaviour towards her, in the modern world. She didn't have that option in Westeros.

This. Thanks so much for bringing it up, people often forget it when using the "stepmother" argument. Being a stepmother is a choice.

[Apple the Great]

A question to the Cat partisans: put yourselves in Cat's shoes at the end of the Robert's rebellion, when Ned comes home with a bastard boy.

Do you:

a) realise that the child is blameless and accept it and love it?

b ) hate the reminder of your husband's infidelity but realise that the child is blameless and accept it into your household?

c) hate the reminder of your husband's infidelity but realise that the child is blameless and allow it into your household while making sure it knows the hierarchy?

d) hate the reminder of your husband's infidelity, hold it against the child, making sure it feels as hated by you and unwelcome as possible in your household, treating it worse than you treat the servants?

Irrespective of historical context, I think you'd have to be a pretty shit human being to choose d.