Why the wall

[Brindled]

At this point in reading, What do you think is the reason why Mance Rayder and the wildlings want to overtake the Nights Watch?

What is their motivation for wanting to take down the wall? It's got to be more than a grudge Mance has against the Nights watch.

So why do they attack the Nights watch?

i would think that many of the wildlings would like to move south of the wall to live more comfortably during the coming winter. the wall (and the watch) represents a man-made barrier that prevents freemen from moving/migrating where they wish. of course, with the Others in mind it would also be a good reason to leave the area north of the Wall.

people keep saying theyre trying to escape the others. the only information i have regarding the wildlings/others (thru FfC) is that the others fight alongside the wildlings. is there something from DwD that backs up the claim that they're trying to escape the others?

on the back of ASOS book (at least the paperback edition) it states, "...an army of barbaric wildlings arrives from the outermost limits of civilization, accompanied by a horde of mythical Others..."

however, from what i've gathered, they are not working together. early in this book there is a reason that clearly leads me to think this. but, i'm unsure even with it being early in the book that i should state it without spoiler tags. so...

when mance questions jon snow about the Watch's encampment on the Fist of the First Men, mance wonders why they had suffered no attacks by the Others. this leads me to believe that they are no friends of the Others.

[Davos' fingertip]

yeah, the summary of the book is pretty stupid. Accompanied by a horde of mythical Others? I was truly expecting the whole book that the wildlings (allied with The Others) would march on the wall.

[ivor the swine]

I think its mainly to escape the Others. It may of not always been the case (why bother having Black Brothers?), but because the threat from the North is so big right now everything has changed. The Nights Watch is so ancient and bound by oaths and lore, and the Wildlings refusal to parly with 'knee benders' makes it unlikely either side will come forward first. Mance knows this, but his time beyond the Wall has shown him that the resourses he has now are enough to take the Wall and the Gift's for themselves.