Becoming No One: Rereading Arya II

[brashcandy]

Lovely write up, Brash.

Some random thoughts and observations.

Amabel threatens to rape Arya with a splintering broom handle that bears a great deal of similarity to her practice sword. Not sure what to make of that. Arya does break the sword but that seems far more about her reclaiming her identity but the similarity still made me wonder.

We've seen lots of water associations and the bucket is also water as a weapon as well as a burden. She is thinking about the coin as she crosses the Flowstone Yard when she is asked to help clean the rust off the armor. Water shaping stone and water eroding metal over time as sure as all men must die. The rain is cleansing water washing away the blood. The storm and its rains may help or hinder her escape-- water as weather representing the uncertain fortunes of the future. The storm seems a metaphor for Roose's impending betrayal.

Interesting that Arya's flying away is conditioned on Bran and Rickon truly being dead. Will this knowledge be what pulls her back?

Why nine dead wolves? Technically there are nine "Starks" if you count Cat, Ned, Jon and Benjen but that doesn't seem to fit. Only two are pups and Roose wants those made into gloves because "Winter is coming." Wearing wolfskin evokes images of Boltons wearing flayed Stark skin and in this case Roose specifically says to protect him from the Winter that is coming. The wolfskin gloves covering his hands is a contrast to the Bolton blood covering Arya's. The wolfskin blanket is for sleeping which reminds me of wolf dreams as well as the idea of sleeping peacefully as a metaphor for a clear conscience.

That Roose took a chill in the woods is not a good sign for a future ruler of the North. He also orders that symbolic boar for dinner.

We've also got the grey and white (Stark colors) hissing cat that reminds her of the black tom from KL. Another Bloodraven presence indicator. There's also her symbolic choice to not catch the Stark colored cat.

Great observations Rag. The splintered broom could be symbolic of Arya taking back some agency as you noted. She's spent most of her time in Harrenhal in living in the shadows, either in fear, or reacting out of fear. Whilst her circumstances haven't greatly improved, this chapter does seem to mark her first attempt to create her own pack. She's not relying on any help from Northerners (she kills one), or waiting around to see what will happen when Roose gives the castle to the Bloody Mummers.

I like the point about the knowledge of Bran and Rickon being alive pulling her back to Westeros. And how could I forget the boar? I've failed my foodie symbolism test :) It's the mention of the wolfblood that inspires Arya's confidence again. Roose has of course just come from spilling copious amounts of literal wolf blood when he went hunting. He can only cover himself in the wolfskin, but Arya is the wolf. It's something that speaks to a greater power that Roose might only be beginning to attempt to harness or understand if we go deeper into crackpot Roose land.

[Tenshi]

I'd say if you try to justify Arya's actions here, you're not doing justice to her character. She has reasons, sure, but she's crossing some major lines. And she knows it - she doesn't pretend her actions are good, but she actively chooses this path.

It also ties in to her connection with Nymeria. Among the direwolves, she is the only one to hunt humans - Arya's starting to kill as well. She identifies as a wolf this time. And with Gendry and Hotpie, she acts as a dominating pack leader, pretty much bullying them into following her.

Her earlier "hero moment" with the weasel soup is thoroughly smashed in the ground by the writing: it was unneeded, useless to the servants anyway, and is going to cause her trouble. A nice reflection of the futility and destruction of the war in the riverlands, which is one major theme in her PoV. Likewise her numbing to morality by what she witnesses.

Also at the end, her reflection that the blood will be washed off by the rain, is typical Arya - she's been saying such things about all kinds of nasty stuff. This time though, it's the blood of a man she just killed - another step closer to death.

Might also be interesting to point out the moments she says 'stupid'. Also a typical Arya trait, isn't it?

[starkalways]

Arya has always been my favorite. (Cat coming right after and I've grown to loving Sansa.) And this chapter has always been one of my favorites. She doesn't know exactly what's happening but she knows that she doesn't feel safe again. Instead of continuing complying with the next role she's acquired, she realises it's time to move on. One thing all the Starks want is to be back at winterfell, and eventually they realize thats where they need to go. So I think in this chapter, the news of bran and rickon that makes arya think its time to go.

Arya has delt with a lot of horrible experiences and maybe realizing that she has something to do with harrenhal current condition, she doesn't want to be apart of it anymore. She needs some support and thats where gendry and hot pie come in. She lies to them, but she needs them to continue on. The riverlands have turned her into a lying, murdering, child trying to get back to the home and happiness she longs for. She is a product of her environment and still can remember all the things that she loves.

End of rant, I hope it makes sense

[Lyanna Stark]

Love the write up Brash. I remember this chapter being one of my favourite Arya chapters in ACOK during my first read through, but it takes on more ominous tones, I think, once you go through it carefully and also when you know more of what Roose Bolton is up to in ADWD.

I'll add more later (kiddie issues), but what struck me with the old gods prayer, the subsequent death of the northman, in an almost careful, tender way was that it had overtones of a sacrifice.

Arya slid her dagger out and drew it across his throat, as smooth as summer silk.

Arya ending the murder with "Valar Morghulis" is as if promised the Old Gods "Valar Morghulis" and then she sent a man their way, too. Due to the man looking for the coin on the ground, he was also prostrate, like a sacrifical victim.

[Ice Turtle]

Tell me how you really feel :) Honestly, I have no time for your nonsense.

Then don't bother to answer if you have nothing to tell. You are using a double standard with characters and is one thing to read about character whose future is to be queen of the world based on any mundane action (not that it's all that much itself) but doing reread from opposite standpoint produces even more questionable results.

[Lummel]

Lyanna are you thinking of Bran III ADWD p460:

a bearded man forced a captive down onto his knees before the heart tree. A white-haired woman stepped towards them through a drift of dark red leaves, a bronze sickle in her hand...

The woman grabbed the captive by the hair, hooked the sickle round his throat, and slashed.

[Lyanna Stark]

Lyanna are you thinking of Bran III ADWD p460:

Yep, that is exactly the one. A captive man on his knees and a woman stepping forward and slashing.

Now, Arya is not in front of a heart tree when she does it, but she has been in front of one praying not long ago, and from what it seems the Gods (or more likely Bloodraven) responded.

Also the Davos chapter in White Harbour where there is talk about the old gods being fierce and that sacrifices were made to them, Scandinavian style with dead men being hung in trees (like at the Midvinterblot in old Uppsala).

[Lummel]

I think there is a sacrifice motive in the series that bubbles up in various ways. The parallel isn't exact, the "smooth as silk" suggests Syrio rather than the later priestess/old woman but I think there is something in what you say (and yes the Adam of Bremen seems very apt when remembering the big weirwood at White Harbour).

Definitely the "valar Morghulis" gives the whole thing a sacerdotal feel.

[Lyanna Stark]

I think there is a sacrifice motive in the series that bubbles up in various ways. The parallel isn't exact, the "smooth as silk" suggests Syrio rather than the later priestess/old woman but I think there is something in what you say (and yes the Adam of Bremen seems very apt when remembering the big weirwood at White Harbour).

Definitely the "valar Morghulis" gives the whole thing a sacerdotal feel.

I agree with this too. It's as if Arya is showing allegiance to both the old gods and to Him of Many Faces here, perhaps foreshadowing that she will continue doing so, to a degree? She will be Arya Stark of the north, but also No One among the Faceless Men and it varies which identity is the stronger.

[Elaena Targaryen]

I love this chapter; it is so interesting with so many undercurrents and with so many things to contemplate.

We start with Arya seeing the heads on the wall and you can tell this is difficult for her to see having to pass them every morning so she pretends they are Joffery, the boy who killed her father, to help emotionally manage what has been done by the North men that she hoped she could trust. Then Arya focuses on the crows and ravens. (She has thoughts of flying away to Winterfell later in the chapter as well)

Do the ravens remember Maester Tothmure? Arya wondered. Are they sad for him? When they quork at him, do they wonder why he doesn't answer? Perhaps the dead could speak to them in some secret tongue the living could not hear.

I think this shows how sad Arya is by what’s happening and probably feeling partly responsible too. Then Arya wondering if the ravens can talk to the dead can tie into what happens later in the godswood if you think it was Ned who speaks to Arya. Then Arya goes on to recount what happened to those loyal to the Lannisters

Tothmure had been sent to the axe for dispatching birds to Casterly Rock and King's Landing the night Harrenhal had fallen, Lucan the armorer for making weapons for the Lannisters, Goodwife Harra for telling Lady Whent's household to serve them, the steward for giving Lord Tywin the keys to the treasure vault. The cook was spared (some said because he'd made the weasel soup), but stocks were hammered together for pretty Pia and the other women who'd shared their favors with Lannister soldiers. Stripped and shaved, they were left in the middle ward beside the bear pit, free for the use of any man who wanted them.

This is not lip service I believe Arya is grieving and as strong as she is this is a very heavy burden to bear. This is all in sequence; Arya is carrying the pail for water, sees the heads and pretends they could be Joffery and wonders if Maester Tothmure’s ravens miss him and try to talk with the dead, she recounts what has happened to these people, then Arya sees pretty Pia and other women, who were left in the stocks of the yard to be raped at will, with men who are abusing them right at this moment.

Three Frey men-at-arms were using them that morning as Arya went to the well. She tried not to look, but she could hear the men laughing.….

Arya tries not to see this nightmare but she can hear it. This same paragraph is when Arnabel grabs Arya

"See there?" Arnabel pointed across the yard at Pia. "When this northman falls you'll be where she is."

"Let me go." She tried to wrench free, but Amabel only tightened her fingers.

"He will fall too, Harrenhal pulls them all down in the end. Lord Tywin's won now, he'll be marching back with all his power, and then it will be his turn to punish the disloyal. And don't think he won't know what you did!" The old woman laughed. "I may have a turn at you myself. Harra had an old broom, I'll save it for you. The handle's cracked and splintery-"

Arnabel makes Arya look at Pia being raped and tells her that is where she will be, that Arnabel will make sure of it the same woman who gave her to Weese because she dared to ask if she could work in the stables. Then Arnabel proceeds to tell Arya that she will rape her herself in a brutal manner. How horrible is this woman? I know her sister has been killed as a result of Arya’s actions but Arya did not do this all by her little self so I would like to see Arnabel threaten Jaqen, Rorge and Biter in this manner and see what that gets her. I think getting hit in the head with a pale by a young little girl was getting off very easy compared to what would have happened had she approached the grown hard men. As a matter of fact Arya knows she can tell Lord Bolton what Arnabel said but knows it will end with her head a spike with the others she sees on the sad walk every morning.

While Arya goes to refill the pail with water, past the row of heads again, Gendry shows us his harshness again asking Arya if she is admiring her work. This coldness reminds me of when Gendry wanted to leave little Weasel and Hot Pie before they were captured. Can he not even begin to imagine how bad Arya might feel about this? If she really thought it would turn out this way does he think she would have still made the same choices? Arya did not know the North men and the Bloody Mummers were working together until it was too late. I really don’t understand why Arya continues to help Gendry, maybe she should be colder and leave him be but that would be out of character for her to abandon someone she cares about that is in a bad situation. But don’t forget Arya could have escaped all this madness with Jaqen.

Then the way she finds out that Bran and Rickon are dead, in the room full of people that she has to hide her identity from, it is very admirable for such a young passionate girl that wears her emotions on her sleeve to control herself with such devastating news. I don’t think Arya can even take in the ramifications of the conversation about Robb’s cause being lost now at the time but this has to be a factor in her decision to escape, as if brutal gang rapes, beatings and mutilations are not enough of a reason. All of this and Arya has to remove the bloody leeches from Roose’s half naked body, how revolting! Arya has to remind herself that they are “only” leeches that she can squish between her fingers so she does not get too freaked out.

Then Arya is present while Roose tells Qyburn to send a letter telling Tallhart and Glover to take their vengeance out on Duskendale.

Arya was glad to hear that the castle of the Darrys would be burned. That was where they'd brought her when she'd been caught after her fight with Joffrey, and where the queen had made her father kill Sansa's wolf. It deserves to burn. She wished that Robett Glover and Ser Helman Tallhart would come back to Harrenhal, though; they had marched too quickly, before she'd been able to decide whether to trust them with her secret.

Two things are interesting here, Arya wants vengeance for “Sansa’s wolf” even if she can’t get to Cercei or Joffery yet, next Arya hopes Glover and Tallhart will come back to Harrenhal soon and that she can trust them with her secret. I’m so glad Arya kept her identity secret and was very careful with whom to trust, I hate to think what could have happened to her otherwise.

When Arya is finally left alone to grieve I wonder if there is any symbolism with the fire.

The lord and maester swept from the room, giving her not so much as a backward glance. When they were gone, Arya took the letter and carried it to the hearth, stirring the logs with a poker to wake the flames anew. She watched the parchment twist, blacken, and flare up. If the Lannisters hurt Bran and Rickon, Robb will kill them every one. He'll never bend the knee, never, never, never. He's not afraid of any of them. Curls of ash floated up the chimney. Arya squatted beside the fire, watching them rise through a veil of hot tears. If Winterfell is truly gone, is this my home now? Am I still Arya, or only Nan the serving girl, for forever and forever and forever?

So sad! It’s like Arya is trying to gain strength from the fire but I think we see later her strength comes from the old gods, weirwoods, wolves and not the flames.

Next we see Arya training again in the godswood using her grief and her list to drive her. Arya prefers to hold those responsible accountable than to cry, she is so emotional that she needs and craves action. This is interesting as well…

She slashed at birch leaves till the splintery point of the broken broomstick was green and sticky. "Ser Gregor," she breathed. "Dunsen, Polliver, Raff the Sweetling." She spun and leapt and balanced on the balls of her feet, darting this way and that, knocking pinecones flying. "The Tickler," she called out one time, "the Hound," the next. "Ser Ilyn, Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei." The bole of an oak loomed before her, and she lunged to drive her point through it, grunting "Joffrey, Joffrey, Joffrey." Her arms and legs were dappled by sunlight and the shadows of leaves. A sheen of sweat covered her skin by the time she paused. The heel of her right foot was bloody where she'd skinned it, so she stood one-legged before the heart tree and raised her sword in salute. "Valar morghulis, " she told the old gods of the north. She liked how the words sounded when she said them.

After the symbolism of cutting down those who deserve it she stands before the heart tree with a bloody foot and says all men must die to the old gods of the north. With the list of names, the blood offering then valar morghulis it seems like some type of ritual. And she does seem to gain strength from this as opposed to the fire.

Next Arya needs to get dinner and wine from the kitchens and runs into Hot Pie

Hot Pie was told to crumble in the spices as the wine heated. Arya went to help.

"I can do it," he said sullenly. "I don't need you to show me how to spice wine."

He hates me too, or else he's scared of me. She backed away, more sad than angry.

Again it’s all so sad. Arya wants to help Hot Pie but understands why he does not want her help and does not get angry over it because she does feel responsible for the horror show the North men have put on.

Oh and the book, gods how I want to know what is going on with this book!

She placed the food at his elbow and did as he bid her, [lighting candles] filling the room with flickering light and the scent of cloves. Bolton turned a few more pages with his finger, then closed the book and placed it carefully in the fire. He watched the flames consume it, pale eyes shining with reflected light. The old dry leather went up with a whoosh, and the yellow pages stirred as they burned, as if some ghost were reading them…

What was that book about? And the descriptors add to my curiosity, the room filled with the scent of cloves, the flames consume it, dry old leather went up in a whoosh, the yellow pages stirred as they burned as if some ghost were reading them. Again talk of ghosts, what does it all mean? Why must Martin torture me with such small things? Then Roose says…

…"I will have no further need of you tonight," he said, never looking at her.

She should have gone, silent as a mouse, but something had hold of her. "My lord," she asked, "will you take me with you when you leave Harrenhal? "

Something had hold of her. What was it, intuition, the ghost, the old gods, her impulsiveness? Arya needs to know what will happen, she needs to decide what to do next. The answer lets her know if she will need that map of the Trident. I’m surprised that Arya considers staying really, Arya should high tale it as soon as possible as far as I’m concerned.

"I will answer you, just this once. I mean to give Harrenhal to Lord Vargo when I return to the north. You will remain here, with him."

And Arya definitely needs to be long gone before this happens! Roose might have had some small respect for the weasel soup girl but no one else does. Next Elmar and the Freys get the news of Robb’s betrayal so we know everyone Arya is around is beyond a doubt her enemies. This chapter just seems to snowball from one thing to the next so I feel great urgency for Arya to leave immediately. So next we have Arya’s conversation in the godswood which I’ll leave since my post is so long anyway, but I do think it should be discussed, but I will say Arya gains the strength and conviction she needs to have the courage to escape, and I do see the escape as a courageous act. After the godswood Arya goes to bed…

That night she lay in her narrow bed upon the scratchy straw, listening to the voices of the living and the dead whisper and argue as she waited for the moon to rise. They were the only voices she trusted anymore. She could hear the sound of her own breath, and the wolves as well, a great pack of them now. They are closer than the one I heard in the godswood, she thought. They are calling to me.

It’s like everything has come together for her here, it feels like a real turning point for her character, it feels like one of those moments when you know that you are forever changed and you will never be the same as before. It feels like Arya will never be a mouse again and something has given her the strength to do what she needs to do or what must be done, to leave behind childhood and vulnerability to gain confidence and power. Arya’s warg connection with Nymeria also strengthens after this too. Arya knows now she must leave and there is no other option if she wants to survive and Arya is a survivor. Arya starts to feel hope for the first time in quite a while.

Also as for Arya lying to Gendry and Hot Pie I have a different opinion on this. First Gendry ends up much better off, happier, safer and a place where he makes a conscious choice to be so it’s a good thing she got them out of there. And they did not have to go with her, they are big boys and they could have stayed if they wanted to. They had already heard the same stories floating around to decide if they wanted to believe it or not. I think the guys choose to leave with Arya of their own accord because they both knew how bad it was and how bad it could get regardless of how bad the small folk have it everywhere. Vargo Hoat is not even close to a typical lord that they might have to deal with so why take the chance of this horror show taking an even darker turn? The question here is do any of you really believe Gendry and Hot Pie should have stayed in Harrenhal instead of leaving with Arya? I sure don’t.

Now the stable boy

She hoped they would not hurt him afterward, but she knew they probably would.

Arya hoped they would not hurt him, nothing about killing him. If he would be killed for this then it goes to show that Gendry and Hot Pie need to leave this place. Next I wonder if there might be a parallel here with Sansa and Marillion. Sansa does nothing to prevent this boy being killed although he is innocent of the charges and there is plenty of time to save him. Now he did attempt to rape her which is why it could be similar to Arya trying escape rapping herself.

I have to say on Arya killing the guard I feel it was a necessary evil that has never bothered me like it does others. Some say there was no urgency and she had time to find another way but I felt the urgency build constantly throughout the chapter and waiting most likely would have kept her trapped or cost even more life.

Here when she moves toward the guard to kill him she is fearful but then Arya feels as though Jon was with her, and all of the other strong men who cared for her.

She walked fast, to keep ahead of her fear, and it felt as though Syrio Forel walked beside her, and Yoren, and Jaqen H'ghar, and Jon Snow.

Then even at the last minute Arya tries to think of another way…

When she got closer, she saw that he was a northman, very tall and thin, huddled in a ragged fur cloak. That was bad. She might have been able to trick a Frey or one of the Brave Companions, but the Dreadfort men had served Roose Bolton their whole life, and they knew him better than she did. If I tell him I am Arya Stark and command him to stand aside . . . No, she dare not. He was a northman, but not a Winterfell man. He belonged to Roose Bolton.

After she does the deed Arya hears a wolf howl, maybe calling to her? Hot Pie was surprised Arya killed the guard but really what did he think she would do? Of course she is nonchalant about this, appearing calm and relaxed, the rain washing her hands clean, Arya needs to keep moving to survive there is no need for any other reaction besides Valar Morghulis. Dontos, Lysa and Marillion did not need to die, and I don’t remember Sansa being to torn up about any of it either.

[Lummel]

I suppose that the one good thing that comes out of Arya being the Weasel Soup Girl is that she is spared being put in the stocks for the sexual pleasures of the brave companions, who judging by ASOS are indiscriminate in their desires.

She feels guilt because she believes that she had agency at the beginning of the chapter although we know that Harrenhall was going to be betrayed to Roose Bolton anyway. At the end of the chapter she kills the guard and is able to quell her guilt although that was one of the few occasions that she is in control of a situation and is responsible.

Perhaps the difference is that here she can see cause and effect. I must get out, to get out I must kill the man, therefore the man must die. While for a child, even a child who has been through her experiences, the treatment of the castle servants was not reasonably foreseeable. Poor little wolf.

[1234567]

Great write up as usual Brash.

I noticed again the similarity between Cat and Arya’s thoughts here. When Cat receives Ned’s body she reflects that

“silent sisters do not speak to the living, Catelyn remembered dully, but some say they can talk to the dead. And how she envied that…”

And we have Arya’s reflections when she wonders if the crows are sad Maester Tothmure is dead.

“Perhaps the dead could speak to them in some secret tongue the living could not hear.”

This again connects Arya and Cat. Whilst on the exterior they appear very different, a lot of their thoughts are the same (although not about Jon obviously).

However the passage about hearing the dead also reflects back to the previous chapter when they bury the woman on the road and Arya feels she can almost hear her in the trees and then later thinks she can hear screaming. Given these cases and her thoughts, and her interaction with the old gods in Harrenhal, I think we can really see that Arya has a strong connection, not just to the Gods, but also to Bloodraven and her father, who although dead, she almost hears his voice and the things he has taught her.

Following on the same theme, we have more references to Arya as a crow in this chapter. Going back to the connections to Norse Mythology, crows are the creatures that go out into the world to collect information for the Gods. Odin (who has some symbolism with Bloodraven here, due the One Eye and Crow thing, and the exchange of a body part for knowledge) had two crows who brought him information. In this chapter and the one before Arya interacts with the Old Gods and consequently Bloodraven. I think apart from Jon and Bran, she is the only one of the Stark Children we see interact with a Weirwood tree.

I know we have Arya’s death list and everyone on it seems to be headed for some dire fate, but I notice most people who are unpleasant to Arya don’t fair well either. Goodwife Harra being the most recent one. The Old Gods certainly seem to be on her side in this regard, or is it another nod towards the Many Faced God.

Given however that when Arya wishes someone dead it does not go well for them, I do tend to see her wishing Elmer’s Princess dead as more ominous foreshadowing that she may die. Although hopefully not.

I think there is also a learning curve here for Arya. She believes (and quite naturally) that the Northmen will be honourable and like her brother and father were. She really could not have anticipated the awfulness of Bolton.

Also her creeping into Bolton’s room was incredibly brave and also showed a lot of foresight about how she would get to Riverrun. Also she would have known that being caught would have resulted in serious punishment which also makes her escape daring in the extreme.

Lying to Gendry and Hotpie made sense after her hearing her father’s words in the Godswood: in her mind they are her pack and she is trying to keep the pack together.

I am in two minds about her response to the guard and the actions with the stable boy. I can’t actually see a way for her to have got out without incapacitating the guard, but given her size and his, killing him was the only thing she could realistically do, likewise she needed horses to escape. Both are collateral damage.

Her response to Hotpie did come across as nonchalant and it could either be that she really didn’t care or that she was trying to cover her own fear and appear in control. However the remark about the rain washing her hands clean did, in my mind, favour the former explanation. I think the murder of the guard is more uncomfortable because unlike the previous deaths connected to her, the guard has done nothing to her.

NB: We had a naked Gendry scene in this chapter. Just to repeat, how badly did the TVShow deny us the scenes of Jaqen and Gendry? Grumble grumble grumble.

[Punchslap]

I love this chapter; it is so interesting with so many undercurrents and with so many things to contemplate.

There are no likes, so, excellent post.

[1234567]

I think this shows how sad Arya is by what’s happening and probably feeling partly responsible too.

Arya was not to know what the fallout from the Weasel Soup would be and given they were Northmen, she would have presumed them to be honourable and not hurt the smallfolk.

Whilst Arnabel and Gendry are harsh with her, they are not fighting a war but caught up in it and both sides seem as bad as each other to them. Arya wasn't to know that her actions would have caused the deaths of Harra and the armourer, and as the Northmen were going to take the castle anyway, the armourer and Harra would have died anyway.

Arya has exercised her power in the previous chapter and is fighting for her house. There will always be collateral damage in war, but for Gendry and Arnabel, it is their friends and family and possibly themselves that are the collateral damage. I can understand their view, but it is tough on Arya as she didn't realize what the results of her actions would be for those around her.

The irony of the Wishes is that Arya actually had the power to end the war in one fell swoop by naming Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey, or Joff, Tommen and Myrcella. However she didn't realise this until it was too late and then used the power she had gained from Jaqen in the best way she could think of. Ultimately they may have been wasted wishes in the grand scheme of the war, but they ensured her personal survival.

Then the way she finds out that Bran and Rickon are dead, in the room full of people that she has to hide her identity from, it is very admirable for such a young passionate girl that wears her emotions on her sleeve to control herself with such devastating news.

Her self control is incredible here and I think she is the only one of the Stark children we get to see responding to Bran and Rickon's "death" and the destruction of Winterfell. That in itself I think is quite important.

When Arya is finally left alone to grieve I wonder if there is any symbolism with the fire.

It does remind me of that part in Ned's chapter in AGOT where they are in the Godswood in KL and he imagines Arya and Sansa surrounded by Dragonfire. Also the Red God is mentioned a lot in Harrenhal.

[Lyanna Stark]

Great insights people.

Also, did anyone else get the chills when Arya tried to plead with Roose Bolton to go with him, knowing that Roose was going to murder Robb in cold blood? The Bloody Mummers are horrendous, but Roose is the real monster behind it, in a rather Tywinesque way. He is also the facilitator or the Bloody Mummers' violence, just like Tywin was. Roose could have stopped the rapes and the murders, but he was fine with them happening, so while Arya feels fairly ok serving him, we do know that despite his paleness and soft spoken ways, he's as monstrous as they come.

Following on the same theme, we have more references to Arya as a crow in this chapter. Going back to the connections to Norse Mythology, crows are the creatures that go out into the world to collect information for the Gods. Odin (who has some symbolism with Bloodraven here, due the One Eye and Crow thing, and the exchange of a body part for knowledge) had two crows who brought him information. In this chapter and the one before Arya interacts with the Old Gods and consequently Bloodraven. I think apart from Jon and Bran, she is the only one of the Stark Children we see interact with a Weirwood tree.

I thought of this too, although Hugin (thought) and Munin (memory) are ravens, but the ravens chased away the crows to eat from the tarred heads, so the inspiration is definitely there. The Goodswood and Arya's prayer definitely brings to mind Norse folklore. Crows also brings to mind Jon Snow and the Nights Watch.

Also, since the ravens are eating the flesh of the dead and we're on the topic of Norse folklore, there is something called the Valravn, the raven of the slain, which can appear as half wolf, half raven creatures.

Ravens are also linked to Valkyries, "choosers of the slain" who decides which men live and which men die. Fairly suitable theme for Arya's arc, I think. Which probably means I need to get my copy of the Poetic Edda out for later Arya chapters. Woe. :P (I've read more...coherent works in my day.)

[Daphne23]

Also as for Arya lying to Gendry and Hot Pie I have a different opinion on this. First Gendry ends up much better off, happier, safer and a place where he makes a conscious choice to be so it’s a good thing she got them out of there. And they did not have to go with her, they are big boys and they could have stayed if they wanted to. They had already heard the same stories floating around to decide if they wanted to believe it or not. I think the guys choose to leave with Arya of their own accord because they both knew how bad it was and how bad it could get regardless of how bad the small folk have it everywhere. Vargo Hoat is not even close to a typical lord that they might have to deal with so why take the chance of this horror show taking an even darker turn? The question here is do any of you really believe Gendry and Hot Pie should have stayed in Harrenhal instead of leaving with Arya? I sure don’t.

I don't think the boys would have been better off in Harrenhal, but I think they should have been given that choice to make for themselves, rather than being misled by Arya's lie. Arya's statement is very different from a story heard floating around the castle; Gendry knows that she is Lord Bolton's servant and hence much more likely to have direct access to accurate information about the future of Harrenhal. Given that part of what she says is true, I think it would have been better if she had stuck to the facts. I agree with Rapsie that her actions are understandable as she is trying to keep her 'pack' together, but I don't think they were right.

As for the killing of the guard, I've been trying to work out how I feel about this one and I've concluded that it's not the killing itself that bothers me - it was necessary for Arya's escape - but her reaction to it. Like her lie to Gendry, it bothers me not because I think that Arya is 'bad' or heartless, but because she seems to be becoming more and more traumatised and losing her instinctive connection to and sympathy for others. Given all that she has been through, she is shutting down her emotions and just trying to survive, which is very sad to witness.

[Blisscraft]

Wonderful work, everyone! Hate that the "like" is gone again. Oh well. . . I understand the reasons, but that doesn't mean I "like" it.

This chapter seems to harken back to Ned. The first sentence, "The heads had been dipped in tar to slow the rot." Ned lost his head and it was dipped in tar "to preserve it longer." (This is in Sansa's last chapter in GoT). Arya didn't have to witness the result of Ned's "punishment." Poor Sansa did. However, in both chapters, the "message" is clear. The heads face outward, away from HH (and Maegor's) Obey or else: "heads, spikes, walls." All that "serve" are included. The net is cast wide and includes not only the "lords," but also the smallfolk.

There is also the memory about the Darry's castle. Arya remembers that that is where Ned was made to kill Lady. It is the same area where Arya and Jory released Nymeria. Interesting, too, that Ned insisted that he perform the loathsome task rather than "a butcher," like Illyn Payne. This will echo later in this chapter when Arya must kill the northman at the gate.

Next, there is the scene in the godswood. Arya hear Ned's voice telling her, once again, that "the lone wolf dies, but the pack survives." She replies, "But there is no pack," but realizes, almost instinctively, the net is wider and includes more that just her "family." This is very like what seems to happen to Nymeria, sent away from her "family," yet creating a pack of her own. She, like Arya, will create a family of choice out of necessity rather than relying solely upon a famiy of blood.

Lastly, although there are probably more instances that evoke Ned, Arya honing the stolen dagger. It reminds me of Catelyn's first chapter, when she finds Ned cleaning "Ice," after Gareth's beheading. Preparation for what's to come. "The readiness is all. . ."

.

[Ragnorak]

@Elaena Targaryen

Love your post. There is so much darkness in Arya's chapters. They are arguably the most violent and brutal in the series. Despite that when reading Arya, especially for the first time, the reader's hopes and fears center around her. Analyzing the these morbid details sometimes loses the dramatic feel of the chapter and you really captured the spirit and feel, the hopes and tension surrounding Arya so well.

The use of "dappled" reminded me of Cat's opening chapter.

She had been born a Tully, at Riverrun far to the south, on the Red Fork of the Trident. The godswood there was a garden, bright and airy, where tall redwoods spread dappled shadows across tinkling streams, birds sang from hidden nests, and the air was spicy with the scent of flowers.

Her arms and legs were dappled by sunlight and the shadows of leaves.

It occurs to me now that Mel throws three leeches into a fire to symbolize (well imply causation of) the deaths of three kings. I think this tells us that no three deaths Arya wished for would have changed much on the cosmic political scale.

Given Ned and Robb and their treatment of defeated foes, I think it was reasonable for Arya to have expected that Northern rule would have improved the circumstances for the smallfolk. Lummel also points out that Weasel Soup really did nothing to change the outcome of the castle switching hands. Her perceived role wins her the cupbearer post and possibly saved the cook's life but this really isn't Arya's work.

The Lannisters took smallfolk from the surrounding areas and enslaved them. They put those of the Whent household in positions of authority over these newly acquired slaves. I never saw the likes of Weese, Arnabel, and Harra doing any actual work. Maybe that was always the case, but they seemed to have a rather improved lot in life at the expense of the "foraged" labor. Arnabel seems quite upset over Pia's fate but is she really completely ignorant of the fate of the pretty girl Gregor killed on his way to Harrenhal and others like her? The Lannisters killed all the men of an age to fight back except Gendry. It isn't that one was better or worse than the other so much as Lucan was wrong. There are lords like Ned, Robb, Stannis, and even Randyl Tarly that largely spare smallfolk from the wrath of war but they don't seem to be in the majority.

There's definitely something to the raven and crow symbolism. It is also a raven that arrives with news that sets the Roose and Frey betrayal in motion.

This reminded me of the whispering Arya hears from the tree when they bury the woman on the road with Yoren.

Do the ravens remember Maester Tothmure? Arya wondered. Are they sad for him? When they quork at him, do they wonder why he doesn’t answer? Perhaps the dead could speak to them in some secret tongue the living could not hear.

Blisscraft, love the Ned parallels. Great catch!

[Lummel]

The end of the chapter feels desperately sad to me. The acceptance of the blood on her hands and that the rain will wash them clean, she seems to have embraced her violent fate. She buys the death of the Northman, but she does withhold using Roose as she did Jaqen to bring death to Amabel.

If you are a foreshadowing type then there is no comfort in her conversation with Elmer when she wishes death upon herself. She was the princess who was promised to be Elmer's bride as part of the deal that Catelyn struck with Walder Frey.

This chapter takes place after the Battle of the Blackwater and Robb's marriage to Jeyne Westerling. The ravens are flying to win other wars. The pact that Catelyn struck is falling apart.

[Harlaw's Book]

I have really appreciated lurking on this thread. The theme of Starks having on themselves is interesting. Lyanna has been described as having blood on herself several times. Perhaps Arya wanting the rain to wash the blood away foreshadows her wanting to lose her identity.