Am I the only one who is annoyed by Arya

[RoundheadGato]

I an about a quarter of the way through FFC and I have been reading through this board since I finished SoS and I haven't seen where anyone dislikes Arya. She reminds me of the characters from Lord of the Rings as almost anti-heros who accomplish very little of their own accord and are dragged through by others pretty much saving their A$$es. She should have died about fifty times (maybe exaggerated) if not for the acts of others essentially stopping her from doing what she would have done left to her own devices. i.e. Clegane knocking her out as she goes charging into the Red Wedding (although this is far from the only example). I understand that she is young but at some point even youngsters understand self preservation. I guess I hope that she goes on and proves me wrong but I have a feeling her unfounded belief that she is Barristan the Bold will get her annoying little head bashed in.

[Ser Barristan BadAss]

I do understand where you're coming from. I too slightly feel annoyed that Arya just seems to keep plodding slowly along, going in circles being dragged along by different groups and characters.

She is hot headed and makes a lot of rash decisions, but she is young and still alive! The fact she's so bold and feisty is probably why I like Arya so much.

[kephv]

. i.e. Clegane knocking her out as she goes charging into the Red Wedding (although this is far from the only example). I understand that she is young but at some point even youngsters understand self preservation. I guess I hope that she goes on and proves me wrong but I have a feeling her unfounded belief that she is Barristan the Bold will get her annoying little head bashed in.

She doesn't think she's Barristan the Bold; quite the contrary, she knows and completely understands her limits (thus self preservation). If she didn't, then she would've died fifty times between Clash and Storm. The Red Wedding was a special case. She travelled for almost a year trying to be reunited with her family only to come right to the doorstep and find that they were being murdered inside. It was desperation and longing that caused her to want to run in and save her family. I don't truly believe she thought she could save them but the whole 'what if' of it is why wanted to try. Ultimately, she cared about them more than herself at that moment.

[Caro99]

well, regarding a FFC i prefer her journey from arry the orphan boy to when she leaves sandor clegane. i still like her time in braavos just not that much. still both in the books and the series i am more interested in sansa than arya. maybe cause i'm more of a girly-girl than a tomboy. but still, i read somewhere that GRRM was going to kill arya but his wife didn't allow it, so maybe that's why people feel as they read the books that she is about to die only to find out that she didn't thanks to paris... but since robb dies i don't wish for any other stark kid to leave the story...

[trueWaif]

Ya I've also been noticing how Arya is almost literally dragged through the books more than anything else. It's not her character I really get annoyed with but the situations. I'm ready for her to find a home/sense of self/*something* other than being "on the run" girl. Which makes me want to comment on the Gendry/Arya friendship. He's really the only character she has a relationship with that's more than just "eh, i'm a kid, and a captive so i'm stuck with you 'til i sneak off". (I'm half way through SoS, just so ya know. Just read that tid bit about Arya in Braavos. Ok, yay! for that but I didn't want to know yet!!!! lol, jeeze)