Sam in basic training

[zandru]

2 hours ago, Tagganaro said:

I agree on the "basic training" idea, but I don't think people would argue what Thorne was doing, or what he was interested in doing, was really "basic training." 

This is the point that several have been making - what Thorne was doing to Sam in particular and to a lesser extent the other boys was not so much "training" as in trying to teach skills as it was making them hack furiously at each other while making vicious personal remarks that were not helpful to learning the sword. Thus, we can say in theory that "basic training" would have been good and maybe even required - but that, in practice, nobody really got any. NOBODY. Which moots the whole "Sam got off!" criticism, in my opinion.

2 hours ago, Tagganaro said:

The idea that nobles are treated the same as lowborn is theoretical, but we know this isn't true from the start of the books.  Waymar Royce is given command over the ranging in the prologue with far more experienced, and lets be honest, capable NW rangers solely because of who is dad is.  

Good observation! Why should nobleborn Sam be discriminated against? Just because he's fat?

1 hour ago, kissdbyfire said:

No, it wasn't wrong at all. Other stewards went as well, and Sam went specifically to tend to the ravens not fight.

Precisely. Lord Commander Mormont took Sam, and chose Sam because of his abilities with the maps, his reading and writing skills, and for tending the ravens. Mormont knew what he was getting and accepted the risk. He didn't stand around whinging that Sam "hadn't passed Basic Training".