Becoming No One: Rereading Arya II

[Little Red Riding Hood]

For me, the question is why is the Tower of Ghosts called such, if the ghosts are "wailing" in the Wailing Tower?This may be too much of a stretch, but it is in Arya's earlier memory that we have Jon covered with flour, appearing as a "ghost." Perhaps the Tower of Ghosts is some reference to that incident specifically, or to Jon and his direwolf, Ghost, generally

Precisely, Bliss, is a link also with "no one" Alayne ,the cover of Sansa in the Castle of Eyries:

(Arya)Not a foreshadowing per se, but a note that she (Arya) knows about the role of acting, and is already versed enough in it to see when someone is acting (lying)...

Not a foreshadowing, EB, is more exactly:Moments of Foreshadowing

Arya "The Bat"(Harrenhall)

Sansa "The eagle" (Eyries)

And Arya and Sansa are ghosts in the castles that become in their cages.

(Both castles held by Little finger.)

After all, Sansa describes the Eyries as a place where:

“the gods were silent…No prayers are answered here, she often thought, though some days she felt so lonely she had to try. Only the wind answered her, sighing endlessly around the seven slim white towers and rattling the Moon Door every time it gusted. It will be even worse in winter, she knew. In winter this will be a cold white prison."

("A Feast for Crows" /Chapter in which she descends from the mountain.)

Both sisters surrounded by the Ghost of Jon, the Starks, their own identity:

"the wind was howling fiercely. It sounds like a wolf, thought Sansa. A ghost wolf, big as mountains.

And then they were on the other side"

("A Feast for Crows"/Ídem)

[Errant Bard]

Not a foreshadowing, EB, is more exactly: Moments of Foreshadowing

Arya "The Bat"(Harrenhall),

Sansa "The eagle" (Eyries)

(Both castles held by little finger.)

And Arya and Sansa are ghosts in the castles that become in their cages.

I am sorry, but I genuinely don't understand what you are trying to say or how it relates to what you quoted.

[brashcandy]

Great observations as usual everyone :)

• Rorge threatens to rape Arya and claims that Yoren only brought Arya with them because she is a girl and wanted to use her body (only he puts it so much more eloquently than I do, hah!), but Arya realises that Rorge is afraid of Jaqen. Speaking of which, is there any Arya chapter in ACOK where rape/sexual abuse is not brought up? It seems to be one of the major themes in "what war wreaks on the land and the people": women's bodies as battlefields and spoils of war: to the victor goes the spoils, literally.
  

This I think is particularly worth noting; it's a well known assertion that had Sansa been in Arya's place, she would have been subjected to sexual violence by this point, and that it's only Arya's ability to pass as a boy, and her young age that spares her from this horror. But what's obvious now is that Arya isn't spared from this horror at all. She might not have personally been victimized in such a manner, but the "body as battlefield" motif is very much a part of her experience, and arguably affects her decisions in as much a way as we see with Sansa's abuse from Joffrey, and her later marriage to Tyrion. While the Lannisters attempt to legitimise their exploitation of Sansa and Winterfell through the marriage to Tyrion, they are content to allow lawlessness to reign supreme in the Riverlands. Tywin's horse with the "blanket of enameled crimson scales" brings to mind the image of it literally being covered in blood, which I think is a suitable symbol for Tywin's atrocities.

Arya's decision finding Chywick "guilty" and imposing the sentence of "death" upon him through the use of Jaqen, is swift, perhaps what he deserves, but thoughtless. The same applies to her decision to impose the "death penalty" upon Weese. The motivations are based more upon a need for vengence, than to seek justice. Although, because we have followed her upon this journey through Hell, we're on her side. The moment that she realizes that her vision ought to have been broader, it's too late. The Mountain has ridden off to war with his master, Tywin. She has only one more chance to achieve some sort of balance at HH.

Indeed, and as you note it's more about vengeance than justice. Arya's relationship with Weese in the chapter is worth examining. Although she later realizes that she should have given other names to Jaqen, Weese is her personal terror. It's his threat of giving her to Vargo Hoat that paralyzes any attempt she would have made to escape the castle, and then when she's experiencing a feeling of power again, it's his slap that reverts her to the mouse identity. Arya feels intense hatred for those who hurt her, and we know that her actions in response to this have often been translated by the fandom as "badass" and active resistance; but it's important to understand that what drives Arya's behaviour at this point in the story is a deep fear of powerlessness evinced by hasty reactions. Killing Weese might remove him as an immediate threat, but the oppressive structures are still in place as seen by Tywin placing Lorch and Hoat in his stead at Harrenhal. Vengeance at the end of the day might help us to feel more powerful, but is it something that ever truly empowers us?

[Ice Turtle]

Indeed, and as you note it's more about vengeance than justice. Arya's relationship with Weese in the chapter is worth examining. Although she later realizes that she should have given other names to Jaqen, Weese is her personal terror. It's his threat of giving her to Vargo Hoat that paralyzes any attempt she would have made to escape the castle, and then when she's experiencing a feeling of power again, it's his slap that reverts her to the mouse identity. Arya feels intense hatred for those who hurt her, and we know that her actions in response to this have often been translated by the fandom as "badass" and active resistance; but it's important to understand that what drives Arya's behaviour at this point in the story is a deep fear of powerlessness evinced by hasty reactions. Killing Weese might remove him as an immediate threat, but the oppressive structures are still in place as seen by Tywin placing Lorch and Hoat in his stead at Harrenhal. Vengeance at the end of the day might help us to feel more powerful, but is it something that ever truly empowers us?

Weese was immediate danger for Arya's life and at this point he is more dangerous for her than Gregor and her killing him will have positive effect at her situation. She couldn't know that for sure but Arya is a person willing to take risks.

Ser Addam Marbrand was the first of the captains to depart, a day before the rest... ...I hope he dies, Arya thought as she watched him ride out the gate, his men streaming after him in a double column. I hope they all die. They were going to fight Robb, she knew.

Someone quoted this part I'm adding the part about Robb, because it's as important as the first part. Arya wanting them dead is hardly only about vengeance, they are doing their best to kill her brother.

Weese never imagined she could read, though, so he never bothered to seal the messages he gave her. Arya peeked at them all,

This for me speaks more about resistance than Arya killing anyone. She is doing her own agenda, from her own initiative outside of role forced on her.

Jaqen H’ghar closed his eyes again, floating languid, half-asleep. “Tell his lordship a man shall attend him at his leisure.” His hand moved suddenly, splashing hot water at her, and Arya had to leap back to keep from getting drenched.

Jaqen is testing her even with such small things as splashing water at her, the same way as Syrio tested her with his lie about going left or FM will test her with lying game. Think what you will about Syrio being FM but it's the same MO and I can't remember any other tutors using it. Though it's strange to teach your pupil to be always beware or the teacher.

A shiver crept up Arya’s spine as she watched them pass under the great iron portcullis of Harrenhal. Suddenly she knew that she had made a terrible mistake. I’m so stupid, she thought. Weese did not matter, no more than Chiswyck had. These were the men who mattered, the ones she ought to have killed.

Would Robb be alive if Arya had Tywin killed. I'm not sure, it could be that it was Roose who really orchestrated it. And there is a chance that Weese would have hurt her sooner or later. What is important is that Arya thinks about her own mistakes.

[Daphne23]

Arya's decision finding Chywick "guilty" and imposing the sentence of "death" upon him through the use of Jaqen, is swift, perhaps what he deserves, but thoughtless. The same applies to her decision to impose the "death penalty" upon Weese. The motivations are based more upon a need for vengence, than to seek justice.

This is an excellent point and I think that it touches upon a central theme in Arya's storyline. Personally, I've long been interested in how both Arya and Cat negotiate the territory between justice and vengeance. This is possibly the first time Arya masks vengeance in the language of justice, but it won't be the last.

Having said that, however:

In the end of the chapter, Arya regrets picking Chiswyck and Weese as her targets, as “there are bigger fish in the ocean”. Arya wishes she had picked Tywin Lannister instead, even though he is not on her personal hate list and not a direct threat to her life. This might be a point of discussion: did Arya make the right or the wrong choice in picking Chiswyck and Weese over Tywin and Gregor? Or did she make the wrong choice? Is there even a “right” choice in her circumstances?

I think Lyanna Stark makes a very good point here about Arya's choices. It's easy for us to say as readers that Arya should have used her kills more politically and selected 'bigger fish'. But, putting aside Arya's limited perspective as an eleven-year-old, I think this highlights even more strongly than in earlier chapters that Arya's story is not about playing the game of thrones, but, at least initially, about affecting events at a much more micro level and becoming a part of the world of the smallfolk rather than that of nobles. As Blisscraft noted, she takes the role of judge upon herself, finds Weese and Chiswyck guilty of committing atrocities, and condemns them, but this is all on a very personal level. It does seem odd that she doesn't name Gregor instead of Chiswyck, and perhaps this (a) fits in with her ideas of justice - she has heard Chiswyck's confession directly but only has hearsay about Gregor's part in the rape and (b ) emphasises her tendency to ignore the big picture in favour of the microcosm.

One thing that stood out to me in this chapter that nobody has mentioned is this. Gendry tells Arya that Hot Pie heard her yell 'Winterfell' when they were fighting at the holdfast. Arya denies this, and Gendry tells her that he covered for her by saying that she yelled 'go to hell' and she ought to say the same thing if Hot Pie questions her. Arya's reaction is:

"I will," she said, even though she thought go to hell was a stupid thing to yell. She didn't dare tell Hot Pie who she really was. Maybe I should say Hot Pie's name to Jaqen.

I found her thought process here fairly disturbing - she moves from identifying Hot Pie as a threat to considering killing him - and it's a move that I think she makes for the first time in this chapter. Killing or violence seems to have become the first solution she reaches for when she's in a situation she can't see a way out of - and killing has worked for her as a solution in the past - but I think this is the first time she's considered so casually killing someone she knows to be essentially 'innocent'.

[Blisscraft]

Daphne - I couldn't agree more with your post about Hot Pie. It's very disturbing and yet also typical of Arya's young mind working through the limits of the power she has now been given. Thankfully, for HP, and maybe even Gendry, (who knows who she is) she lets this go.

Also, LS, meant to add this earlier, but got interrupted, (like you do), love the crackpot with Weese and his "spotted bitch." A good example of a "dog" biting the hand that feeds him/her. Some other examples appear, I'm sure. ;)

[Lummel]

...Speaking of which, is there any Arya chapter in ACOK where rape/sexual abuse is not brought up? It seems to be one of the major themes in "what war wreaks on the land and the people": women's bodies as battlefields and spoils of war: to the victor goes the spoils, literally...

Er...Daenerys' vision in the house of the undying, the dwarves chewing at the body of the woman?

GRRM is making a statement that the microcosm and the macrocosm are fundamentally united, in a Fisher King kind of way I feel. It is not so much that the victor gets the spoils but that violence, as per Brashcandy's question, is not the answer because violence and disorder are a state opposite to peace and order. Not really expressing this very well, lets try again.

The sexual violence, war, the kingdom eating itself are different manifestations or symptoms of the same problem. The social contract has been ripped up. While the likes of Chiswyck get to rape the girl they are not going to be victors - as we get to see he who lives by the sword shall die by the sword. This I think is a significant warning for Arya in the text - judge not lest ye be judged, but as several have pointed out she is appointing her herself judge and jury here and will do again. By victimising others the victimisers are stuck on the same vicious cycle of destruction as their victims. Everybody will get to suffer.

I noticed rereading this chapter for the first time that Gregor rides beneath the banner of the Black Dog. The Black Dog is a metaphor for depression (I think that was first thought up by Winnie the Churchill) which is small wonder given what they are about. I know it's the family sigil, but the yellow field with three black dogs obscured the basic black dog idea for me! But, there is something there, I think like depression in that Gregor and his merry men are trapped in negative and self re-enforcing patterns of behaviour. There can be no happily ever after for them.

But yes these are the dogs that Tywin hand reared and, well, it's no spoiler to say that Hoat and Tyrion will turn on the hand that fed them.

...Here the sexualised violence against women is described as terrible and absolutely horrifying, yet when similar incidents is viewed through the lens of Tyrion's POV, they look completely different.

While I agree that this may not be the place to discuss it, it brings the POV structure and how it impacts the story to the forefront. Perhaps Chiswyck's cock betrayed him as well, just like Tyrion's?...

I don't think that Chiswyck would articulate himself in such a way, I suspect he is somewhat less conflicted than Tyrion, Tyrion wants to evade responsibility for his own action. Meh, perhaps I'm doing Chiswyck an injustice, doubtless within GRRM's unpublished papers lies the hidden Chiswyck POV that would change all our perceptions ;)

Your point about Tyrion's view on violence is one reason I don't see or expect Tyrion to become a "good" character. The old ultraviolence is normal for Tyrion, he's been socialised by his Tysha experience (if not by the everyday business of Lannister rule, burning out the Tarbecks and the Reynes and all that stuff).

The problem here is Arya. Will she continue a pattern of development in which violence becomes normal and a natural reaction to certain situations or can she balance that with an ability to stitch the damaged social fabric together again?

ETA

I've been flicking through Stiles' book on Jesse James which sparked off the socialisation and difficulty for violent people to reintegrate into peace time society thoughts. This might not be relevant to where GRRM wants to take us, so apply your salt liberally to what I wrote! :laugh:

ETA II

I suppose the notion of Arya's character development links back to what Errand Bard was saying earlier about GRRM's notion of character. Do we have an idea of a core or true character to which a person can return to once the stain of events in the books is washed off or is this a world in which character development occurs and therefore the events that Arya experiences change her in which case we are in a Bildungsroman.

ETA III spelling

[Blisscraft]

Lummel - Once again you've got me thinking about something: dogs. Yes, I've gone to the dogs. Dogs dog my thoughts and sniff and bay and hunt and growl and guide me, (once again), to conclude how interesting this series is.

Dogs are allegedly our ancestors first domesticated animal. As such, dogs are a constant companion to mankind: our "little helpers," our guides, our loyal friends. As a symbol, they represent faithfulness. Also, they can represent, especially in Christian teaching, the priest, as one who assists Christ, as a sheep dog, in tending to the flock (mankind). This sense of spiritual guide is, of course, older than Christianity. In many ancient mythologies, dogs, our faithful companions in life are also our faithful companions in death. As a bridge between the physical and the spiritual, dogs are seen guides between the conscious and unconscious. Dogs, therefore, can hound us into a more authentic self, or snatch us and drag us into the jaws of Hell (or depression as in the case of Churchill, poor man).

Gregor and his lot are Twyin's dogs. As such, they are his little helpers and faithful and tend to the "flock" of "sheep." They are associated with death, not only as bringers of death, but also as finders, diggers, sniffers, of death and destruction. (Think about the shed at the God's Eye and all of those questions about Dondarrion you'll see what I mean). It is no accident that Gregor's sigil is three dogs. It's a perfect symbol for him and his men: loyal friends, fearsome enemies, and bringers of change (in Gregor's case, by destruction).

Hope I don't have you howling. ;)

[1234567]

Hey Guys. Arya IX will be up tomorrow night. It's a bit of a long chpater and there is quite a bit of analysis in this one.

[1234567]

Arya mentions Between Arya VIII and Arya IX

Catelyn VI

Discussing the rumours about Joffrey’s bastardry and Edric Storm resembling Robert, but Joff etc looking like Lannisters. Cat says and thinks:

“Those who favour Stannis will call it proof. Those who support Joffrey will say it means nothing.” Her own children had more Tully about them than Stark. Arya was the only one to show much of Ned in her features. And Jon Snow, but he was never mine.”

Later she interviews Ser Cleos about Sansa and Arya and asks if he saw them. He tells her he saw Sansa. Cat thinks “Sansa, but not Arya.Sansa, but not Arya. That might mean anything. Arya had always been harder to tame. Perhaps Cersei was reluctant to parade her in open court for fear of what she might say or do. They might have locked her safely out of sight. Or they might have killed her. Catelyn shoved the thought away.

Arya Chapter IX

It’s night and Arya is with Hot Pie in the kitchens discussing ghosts. Hot Pie is kneading bread and telling Arya that he knows there are ghosts and that Pretty Pia saw something in the buttery. Arya scoffs at this thinking about Pia’s reputedly liberal affections. She asks Hot Pie for a Tart, but he says they are all for Ser Amory. Arya suggests they should spit on them but Hot Pie is afraid Ser Amory will know he will be punished. He tells Arya that she shouldn’t be here and what happens when Pinkeye catches her. Arya however is not afraid of Weese’s replacement as Pinkeye is a drunk and does not beat her.

She thinks how she walked in the dark to the kitchens and remembers that

“Syrio had told her once that darkness could be her friend, and he was right. If she had the moon and the stars to see by, that was enough.“

Hot Pie doesn’t want to escape as he likes working in the kitchens. They are about to discuss it when Arya hears a Warhorn sound, although Hot Pie can’t hear it. Arya steals a tart and runs out of the kitchen.

“Eating Ser Amory’s tart made Arya feel daring. Barefoot surefoot lightfoot, she sang under her breath. I am the ghost in Harrenhal.”

People are gathering in the ward to see what’s going on. The Bloody Mummers have returned with a Bear and more than 100 prisoners. She initially thinks the sigils are for the Lannisters until she recognises the arms of Cerwyn and Karstark and realises they are Northmen. Ser Amory Lorch appears and has an exchange of words with the lisping Vargo Hoat, where Vargo announces his men cut down a Northern Van and sent Roose Bolton running. Arya thinks Sir Amory does not seem best pleased as it is known that the two men hate each other.

Amory tells all the captives that he is Castellan of Harrenhal and they are all to go in the one great cell under the Widow’s tower or die. As the captives are being taken away Arya sees Pinkeye. She thinks that if he sees her, “he would shout and threaten to whip the bloody hide off her, but she was not afraid. He was no Weese. He was forever threatening to whip the bloody hide off this one or that one, but Arya never actually knew him to hit. Still, it would be better if he never saw her.” She slips off before anyone sees her and makes her start working.

Harrenhal is mostly deserted and she makes her way to the Godswood. “A swirling wind gusted, drawing a high shivery scream from the cracks in the Wailing Tower. Leaves had begun to fall from the trees in the Godswood, and she could hear them moving through the deserted courtyards and between the empty buildings, making a faint skittery sound as the wind drove them across the stones.”

There are strange noises in the mostly empty Castle but they don’t bother Arya. Being so deserted, she can now go where she likes. Since Tywin is gone the interrogative nature of the place is gone and rather than being quizzed about your business there is a much more laissez faire attitude. Arya goes to see Gendry, who is working at the forge. She notes that is arm is like part of the hammer. He tells her she should be in bed and asks what the rumpus was about. Arya explains about the Northmen.

“All of a sudden, Arya knew why her feet had brought her here. “You have to help me get them out.”

Arya tells him he could smash down the door and he laughs and says the guards will take bets on how long it would take him and that it is impossible for just the two of them. Gendry reminds her of what happened with the village people and Gregor and goes back to hammering. Arya tells him he’s afraid and points out that there is as many of them as Amory has and then they can take over the castle and escape. Gendry asks her where they’d go and she says

“Winterfell,” she said at once. “I’d tell mother how you helped me, and you could stay-“

“Would m’lady permit? Could I shoe your horses for you, and make swords for your lordly brothers?”

Arya gets cross at Gendry making fun of her, but Gendry asks why he should risk his neck to smith in Winterfell, when he is a smith in Harrenhal.. He tells he about Ben Blackthumb whose family were smiths for the owners of Harrenhal before the Whents and now smiths for Tywin and how he says “A Sword’s a sword, a helm’s a helm, and if you reach in the fire you get burned no matter who you’re serving.”

Arya reminds him about the Queen, and Gendry brushes it off and goes back to hammering. Ayra is cross and balls her hands into fists. However she leaves before she starts hitting him, ruefully thinking that he probably wouldn’t feel it even if she did. She tells herself that she would be better off without him as he was the one who got her caught in the village. This however reminds her of the tortures she witnessed and fear she endured in the village and on the march. She remembers Lommy, All-for-Joffrey etc and thinks “I was a sheep, and the I was a mouse, I couldn’t do anything but hide” but then “Jaqen made me brave again. He made me a ghost instead of a mouse.”

She had been avoiding Jaqen since Weese and Chiswyck died. She remembers that he had been in the black cells and thinks he must have done something terrible. She thinks he could be a wizard and Rorge and Biter are demons that he conjured up.

She thinks that he owes her one death and then remembers Old Nan’s stories about 3 wishes and how you always had to be careful with the third wish because it is the last. She thinks that “The last death has to count.” She thinks this to herself as she recites her names.

She heads to the Godswood. She thinks about how she likes the smell and the feel of the Godswood and the sound of the wind in the leaves. There is also a little stream that rambles through the wood and under a deadfall tree.

“There, beneath rotting wood and twisted splintered branches, she found her hidden sword.”

Gendry wouldn’t make her a replacement sword so she used a broom handle and practiced with that whenever she got the chance. She practices the drills she learnt with Syrio and slashes at the forest, climbing high into the trees and gaining more and more balance as she fights along branches. She notes that no one ever bothers her at night.

Up in the trees she forgets all about Hoat, Lorch and the Northmen. As she fights she attacks her enemies: Joffrey is a branch, while “the Queen and Ser Ilyn and Ser Meryn and the Hound were only leaves, but she killed them all as well, slashing them to wet ribbons.”

Eventually she gets tired and rests while listening to the bats as they hunt. She can see the Heart Tree and think how it looks like the one in Winterfell and wishes that it were and that she would get there and find her father sitting there as he often did. She makes her way to the tree.

“The light of the moon painted the limbs of the weirwood silvery white as she made her way toward it, but the five pointed red leaves turned black by night. Arya stared at the face carved into its’ trunk . It was a terrible face, its mouth twisted, its eyes flaring and full of hate.”

Arya gets on to her knees to pray. She asks the gods to help her free the northmen and take her home to Winterfell. Make me a water dancer and a wolf and not afraid again, ever.” She wonders if she should pray more, remembering that her father sometimes prayed for hours. She thinks how the gods should have saved him and begins to say she doesn’t believe they can do anything, when a voice tells her not to mock Gods. It is Jaquen. He asks for a name and she asks him how he got there and what his true name is and he in return says some men have many names and then reels off her alias, finishing lastly on Arya.

She tells him she needs help getting the northmen out of the dungeons, but he tells her that she has only one life left and should not mock the Gods. Arya begins to say the Gods are not mocked, but then changes tack and asks if he has to kill the person she says no matter what. She asks him to swear it by the Gods and he puts a hand on the mouth on the Weirwood tree and promises by the Gods. He then tells her to say the name and asks if it is Joffrey?

“Arya put her lips to his ear. “It’s Jaqen H’ghar”.”

Jaqen becomes the most distressed Arya has ever seen him and asks her to take the name back. They begin to barter about another name.

“A man will not sleep until a girl unsays a certain name. Now, evil child.

I’m not an evil child, she though, I am a direwolf, and the ghost in Harrenhal.”

They walk through the castle seeing boys teasing the captured bear, men feasting and Jaqen again asks her for a different name, but Arya maintains that he has to help her with the Northmen. He agrees to obey and asks what he should do. He tells her to go to the kitchen to ask for hot broth for a 100 men. Arya does this and despite the grumbling of the chef waits for the broth. Arya meanwhile is sent to rouse Pia, who has to disrupt the activities of her gentlemen caller friend.

Arya wonders why despite Vargo’s reputation for taking hands and feet off, why none of the Northmen has been mutilated and maybe is it because Vargo is afraid of Robb. She thinks about letting Hot Pie in on the plan, but thinks better of it, assuming that he’d tell. Then Biter, Rorge and Jaqen enter the kitchen, and Arya is not happy that they are involved. Although there is a fuss because the broth is not ready, Arya accompanies the other 3 and they take 4 pots of oiling broth away with them. Jaqen tells Arya that she must stay out of the way. They bring the broth down to the prisoners and the eight guards take an interest in the soup. The guards sit to eat and then complain that they need crockery and cutlery, but Rorge tells them that they don’t and then he and Jaqen heave the boiling mixture on to the guards.

Arya stands with her back to the wall, while the fight ensues. While Rorge and Biter bear neck Jaqen stabs one man to the heart. When he is done he wipes the blood on Arya’s shirt.

“A girl should be bloody too. This is her work.”

The captives are freed and Robert Glover identifies himself and those who can get weapons as quickly as possible. Arya notes that they no longer seem as badly injured.

“This of the soup, that was clever,” the man Glover was saying. “I did not expect that. Was it Lord Hoat’s idea?”

Rorge just laughs while Biter eats a man’s hands. Glover realises that they are not Hoat’s men and asks them who they are and if they are Brave Companions. Rorge says they are now. Jaqen introduces them all, but when he gets to Arya, she interrupts him before he can reveal her and says she’s Weasel.

“She did not want her name said here, where Rorge might hear, and Biter, and all these others she did not know. “

Jaquen begins to talk to Arya and asks if she understands, she lies and says she does.

“The Lorathi must have seen it on her face. “A goat has no loyalty. Soon a wolf banner is raised here, I think. But first a man would hear a certain name unsaid.”

“I take back the name.” Arya chewed her lip. “Do I still have a third death?” “A girl is greedy.” Jaqen touched one of the dead guards and showed her his bloody fingers. “Here is three and there is four and eight more lie dead below. The debt is paid.” “The debt is paid,” Arya agreed reluctantly. She felt a little sad. Now she was just a mouse again.

“A god has his due. And now a man must die.” A strange smile touched the lips of Jaqen H’ghar.”

Arya is confused and then Jaqen changes his face into another one. Arya is amazed and asks him to show her how to do it. He tells her it is not difficult once you learn and that he learnt across the narrow sea. She says she must go home to Winterfell. He then gives her a small coin and tells her if she ever wants to learn, then to find him again, all she has to do, is show it to someone from Braavos and say Valar Morghulis.

The fight rages above them and Arya can hear men dying and asks Jaqen not to go. He tells her he has promises and the Jaqen is as dead as Arry.

That night she goes to bed and after her death prayer says Valar Morghulis, and wonders what it means. In the morning Pinkeye rouses them saying the Lannisters under Ser Amory have been ousted and that the new Lord will arrive soon. A northern one. Pinkeye says nothing to Arya about finding her missing the night before, although he yet again threatens to beat everyone.

As she is helping to clean the bloody aftermath, Shagwell is using 2 heads as a puppet show and telling everyone about the Weasel Soup. No one says anything to her, but some are looking at her strangely. She thinks Shagwell better shut up, or she’ll put him n her list.

In the evening Roose Bolton arrives. Shagwell drags her to Roose. He asks her how old she is and she says 10. He asks her if she is fond of animals and she says some, and Roose Bolton muses not Lions or Manticores though. He asks her, her age and name. She thinks of all her nicknames and the names she has gone by, but then tells him it is Nan, short for Nymeria. He asks her if she is afraid of Leeches and she says no. He tells her that a man must purge himself of bad blood and then tells her that she will be his cupbearer.

“This time she knew better than to say that she’d sooner work in the stables. “Yes, your lord. I mean, my lord.”The lord waved a hand. “Make her presentable,” he said to no one in particular, “and make certain she knows how to pour wine without spilling it.”

Later Arya pours wine for him on the gallery overlooking a pit containing the bear. A naked and crying Amory Lorch is brought forward and thrown into the bear pit.

“The bear is all in black, Arya thought. Like Yoren. She filled Roose Bolton’s cup, and did not spill a drop.

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Arya IX Analysis

Arya is much more at ease in this chapter than the preceding ones. The spectre of Tywin and Gregor have left and Harrenhal is much easier to live in as a result. We see that Hot Pie and Gendry are both settling in to life in the Castle, and both are illustrating a fundamental truth: for the smallfolk, most Lords are the same. While Tywin and Gregor are terrifying, Ser Amory seems laissez faire, which again brings into question Tywin’s protestations that he didn’t want the Targ children’s deaths to be violent.

Arya has gone from a mouse to a ghost. She remembers Syrio’s words and treats the darkness as a place of safety. Her new boss, Pinkeye while an issuer of threats, is not a deliverer of blows. She is no longer living in constant fear of abuse. The following lines which she sings, seem almost like her being a child at play again (almost).

“Eating Ser Amory’s tart made Arya feel daring. Barefoot surefoot lightfoot, she sang under her breath. I am the ghost in Harrenhal.”

She thinks of small rebellions like spitting on Tarts and stealing tarts and it empowers her: she is embracing being the ghost in Harrenhal.

Arya’s quest to free the Northmen is frustrated by the lack of help from Hot Pie and Gendry and initially Jaqen.

Her experience in the Godswood is very profound. Reflecting on Osha’s comments to Bran about the Gods speaking through the wind, there is a sense that the Gods are interacting with her in this scene, making her prayer in front of the tree far more powerful in its purpose. We also see that in praying, she is trying to live up to her father’s example. She maybe disillusioned with the Gods, but not with what her father has taught her.

Her lessons from Winterfell and namely old Nan's stories when she thinks about the third name and relates it to wishes. She is beginning to sense that the third wish must be for something more.

In the last chapter there was some discussion about the use of Arya’s wishes. While Chiswyck may have been a waste of a wish, Weese made sense. She thinks that she could try and escape but for Weese, so Weese’s death was the main obstacle to escape as far a she saw. Given she is only 10, the political ramifications of off Tywin, Gregor or perhaps Queen Cersei, was lost on her. Arya seems to think local, not global. Even when she realises the mistake and how it should be Tywin, we now see Jaqen asking if she wants it to be Joffrey and her rejecting it. Her concern is getting the Northmen freed. Her deducing that she could manipulate Jaqen through saying his name was genius.

Then we also see her involved with freeing the Northmen, but not realising that they were a Trojan Horse anyway. Ironically, in the Weasel soup incident she has probably saved Rorge and Biter and Jaqen again, as they would have been slaughtered in the fighting with the Lannister men (well Rorge and Biter would).

Also the not revealing of her name also makes more sense when you see her fear of Biter and Rorge and that the Northmen were working with them. She knows those men are evil and may indeed have not wanted to be in a worse position. She is the Ghost n Harrenhal due to the freedom of being Weasel. Arya, would not have that freedom. Arya might indeed have become a mouse again.

We also see her first proper interaction with the ways of the FM and the granting of the coin. When she says her death list, she instinctively says Valar Morghulis: all men must die.

Also there is the awful mummers show of Shagwell’s. Ugh. I think I missed that previously.

Arya and Cat

Arya and Cat’s relationship is often overlooked to a degree and yet it is a strong one, but fraught with difficulties. They are different in their ideas of decorum, but very similar in their strengths, resolve and a wish for vengeance against the wrongs done to them, but them have a vast capacity for caring: In Cat’s chapters, we see her thinking about how she will make all the Lannisters pay, but then also see her incredible concern for Arya. She thinks that maybe the Lannisters aren’t parading her in court and this almost seems like she is naively thinking that her daughters are being treated well, but then she thinks how in fact the Lannisters may have killed her. but “Catelyn shoved the thought away. “ She's desperately hoping that Arya is safe.

Cat also refers to her maybe being “safely out of sight” which at the moment in Harrenhal she is, to a greater extent than she has been previously.

We also see the connection between Arya and Jon again in terms of them having the Stark looks.

We also have a parallel in this chapter with Brienne pledging fealty to Cat and Jaqen promising to the Old gods to Arya.

Cat and Brienne

Brienne stared at the ground and shuffled her feet. “I do not know your son, my lady.” She looked up. “I could serve you. If you would have me.” Catelyn was startled. “Why me?” The question seemed to trouble Brienne. “You helped me. In the pavilion . . . when they thought that I had . . . that I had . . .”“You were innocent.” “Even so, you did not have to do that. You could have let them kill me. I was nothing to you.”

“Then I am yours, my lady. Your liegeman, or . . . whatever you would have me be. I will shield your back and keep your counsel and give my life for yours, if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.”

Arya and Jaqen

“A man’s sire is long dead, but did he live, and did you know his name, he would die at your command.”

“Swear it,” Arya said. “Swear it by the gods.” “By all the gods of sea and air, and even him of fire, I swear it.” He placed a hand in the mouth of the weirwood. “By the seven new gods and the old gods beyond count, I swear it.”

Both Brienne and Jaqen are in service due to Cat and Arya risking themselves to save them. They both swear oaths to them.

Black and White Imagery

There is a lot of imagery of Arya in the dark and in the moonlight, again connecting her to the House of Black and White. I also noticed these references from this and the previous chapter, which may have an element of foreshadowing and references to the FM:

“About his neck he wore a chain made of linked coins of many different sizes, shapes, and metals, and his horse was one of the strange black-and-white ones.

“You don’t want to know that lot, Weasel,””

I took the “You don’t want to know that lot, Weasel,” as not just a comment on the Bloody Mummers, but also a subtle nod towards the FM and getting involved with them.

“Their armour glinted pale in the moonlight, and she saw a pair of striped black and white zorses. The Bloody Mummers. Arya withdrew a little deeper into the shadows.”

Again more Black and White and Darkness and Moonlight, the Zebra/Horse crossbreeds providing even further black and white symbolism. Indeed while the Mummers by the end of the chapter have gone from Lannister to Stark, which is a change of stripes, yet they are they same group.

Gendry

“Would m’lady permit? Could I shoe your horses for you, and make swords for your lordly brothers?”

Soooooo Gendry. There will be this Lady Stoneheart…you might work for her. And then there may possibly be this Sword called Lightbringer…..or at least a task involving reforging a defiled Stark blade……and then Arya may indeed have this brother, Lord Snow, who may just be AA. Not sure, but given there has already been Gendry Sword and Fire foreshadowing, this line stuck out on the re-read.

Syrio = Jaqen

So in this chapter we also have Jaqen reveal that he knows who she really is. While he may have known the entire time, or worked it out as he is an FM, the knowledge of it coupled with his somewhat protective nature of her, does remind me of Syrio. He is also teaching her lessons. Only instead of mantras and fighting, it is about Death and the Gods.

The Godswood

This is the first proper Godswood with a face carved Weirwood Heart tree since Winterfell and it is in this massive twisted and angry forest in the confines of Harrenhal. The wind and leaves, the voices of the old gods rage through the courts and the woods. As commented about the last chapter and the howling in the wailing tower when the wind comes from the North, the presence of the old gods seems quite strong in Harrenhal. The sensation of being in the wood makes Arya feel at home and is a place where she can defeat her enemies with ease.

It is where she can vent she hate, which ties into the face on the tree:

Arya stared at the face carved into its’ trunk . It was a terrible face, its mouth twisted, its eyes flaring and full of hate.”

“There, beneath rotting wood and twisted splintered branches, she found her hidden sword.”

She finds her sword. It may be a make shift wooden one, but her connection to her sense of self through the Godswood and reclaiming a hidden sword may have meaning for future Braavos chapters and potentially for possible swords hidden in the crypts of Winterfell.

Her prayer, Make me a water dancer and a wolf and not afraid again, ever.” also seems to be of a foreshadowing nature.

Dragon Reference?

“The light of the moon painted the limbs of the weirwood silvery white as she made her way toward it, but the five pointed red leaves turned black by night.”

Again we have the symbol of red turning to black and I wonder if this hints at the Targs and the Blackfryre attempted takeover through FAegon.

The Ruins

There is an extremely Gothic feel to Arya’s time in Harrenhal. The people are living amongst the ruins of a deluded glory that fell crashing apart in hubris and flame. There are elements of terror, the supernatural and the power of destruction as well as the images conjured by the building itself. The gothic feel is created in many ways through the terror and majesty of the surroundings and given that “the sublime signals the limits of rationality – the ‘sleep’ of reason – and was best communicated by obscurity”*** then the idea of Arya becoming the Ghost in Harrenhal, gives her a gothic persona that will fit with the idea of Jaqen’s chapter end face change. What is normal – rational, in this instance is not. Harrenhal is a place of discord and non-logic.

There is also a running theme of ruins and caverns building up in Arya’s storyline and more obviously in Bran’s. In a GoT we see her hiding in the Dragon Skulls, the relics of the Targaryen dynasty, in the wrecked buildings in flea bottom, in the burnt out Castle of Dondarrion and then in the caverns underneath Harrenhal.

Certainly there is a sympathetic symbolism that House Stark is now in ruins, but there are other images corresponding to the aesthetics of ruins which relate to Arya and her sense of self and her future path. The ruin represents in many ways a place of death, for although it may be lived in, it’s time is past. Arya is not living in the present but moving through the afterlife of buildings whose initial inhabitants have moved on from. She is now a ghost, in the same way that the building is a husk of it’s former glory. Anyway, there is more to write up about the ideas behind this and I shall expand (and hopefully make some sense about this), when we get to the re-thinking threads.

Arya and the symbolism in Norse Myth

The seems to be a lot of corresponding links between Arya and the concept of the Valkyries and the Norns, at least one of whom, Skuld was also a Valkyrie. Their selection of the dead, has overtones that may differ from the FM ideals, relate to Arya’s death list and also to her insistance to return to find Yoren and her burying his body. He was the worth dead that she selected for a proper burial.

Similarly the Valkyries have strong associations to horses and wolves and ravens. They also take the form of Swan’s to come to earth to then change into human form to swim. They have to do this unobserved as they should not be seen and this reminded me of a couple of chapters ago, where Arya sees the Swan and wants to swim, but can’t as the others will then discover she’s a girl.

There are a number of other things in the Norse myths that seem to fit with Arya’s story, but as we are not at the relevant chapters, I shall hold back.

Weasel

Arya’s choice of name has some symbolism of its own which I though I'd post:

“Dreams involving weasels carry different symbols and have numerous interpretations. A weasel in a dream can betray a secretive subconscious, it can highlight the person's loner characteristics or it can display a sly and cunning streak in the dreamer. Weasel dreams have been interpreted as a means trying to circumvent a problem through planning and cunning, rather than meeting the problem head on. Other symbols conjured by weasels in dreams include ruthlessness and ferocity and, conversely, maternal instinct."

Read more: Meanings of Dreams About Ferrets or Weasels | eHow.com

***"The Gothic", by Nick Groom

Edit: forgotten bits and grammer.

[Daphne23]

Thanks for the excellent write-up Rapsie!

This is a fascinating chapter, and one I've always really enjoyed reading. Arya's strengths are showcased heavily here - from her initial observation that there is a warhorn blowing when Hot Pie doesn't hear a thing, to her ingenious idea of saying Jaqen's name. The fact that her release of the northmen turns out ultimately to be pointless is a typical move from GRRM, and emphasises the limitations of Arya's knowledge - she had no way of knowing what the larger issues were at play here - but Arya's cleverness in managing it in the first place is still evident.

Arya is still struggling to adapt her instincts about class and social status to the reality of the world, as evidenced in her conversation with Gendry; she is thrilled by the idea that they might escape together to Winterfell, but he rightly points out that such a plan has no real benefits for him: 'Why should I wager my feet for the chance to sweat in Winterfell instead of Harrenhal?'

The worrying trend of Arya turning to violence first to solve any problem in her way, or instantly indulging in violent thoughts and threats, also continues. At the end of the Gendry scene:

Arya's hands curled into helpless fists... She had to flee, or else she would have started hitting him. He probably wouldn't even feel it if I did. When they find who he is and cut off his stupid mulehead, he'll be sorry he didn't help.

Her courage is, at least partly, related to her power to kill:

Jaqen made me brave again. He made me a ghost instead of a mouse.

Arya is too scared of Shagwell to tell him not to talk about the weasel soup, but she thinks:

He better shut his mouth or I'll put him on my list with the rest

Arya's thoughts here skip between delusion and the frightening reality that she did, via Jaqen, have the power to strike down three names from her list. It is also saddening to see her moving further away from Hot Pie and Gendry; as Rapsie notes, the two are settling down in the castle and so their paths and Arya's are inevitably diverging, but Arya also distances herself from them to an extent with her incomprehension as to why they won't help her, deliberately focusing on their negative qualities to mask her pain: she thinks re. Gendry that 'She was better off without him anyhow. He was the one who got her caught at the village' and re. Hot Pie that 'For a moment she thought maybe she should tell him [about her plan] but then she remembered the village and decided not to. He'd only yield again.'

[Lummel]

...Both Brienne and Jaqen are in service due to Cat and Arya risking themselves to save them. They both swear oaths to them...

hmmm, yeah, I see Jaqen as swearing to up hold his promise to give her three deaths not as swearing an oath to Arya as Brienne does to Catelyn. Brienne swears her sword and service to Catelyn who swears she will not require Brienne to do anything dishonourable. It's a personal loyalty oath. The swearing between Jaqen and Arya is specific to his promise to my mind.

...Syrio = Jaqen

This is the one crackpot that gets my goat and does horrible things to it everytime I see it! For many it has a sadly wonderful power of seduction :(

Syrio and Jaqen are both part of the chain of mentor figures that Arya gets to have. maybe it's worth looking at how the different mentors teaching support or contradict each other?

The Godswood

This is the first proper Godswood with a face carved Weirwood Heart tree since Winterfell and it is in this massive twisted and angry forest in the confines of Harrenhal. The wind and leaves, the voices of the old gods rage through the courts and the woods. As commented about the last chapter and the howling in the wailing tower when the wind comes from the North, the presence of the old gods seems quite strong in Harrenhal. The sensation of being in the wood makes Arya feel at home and is a place where she can defeat her enemies with ease.

It is where she can vent she hate, which ties into the face on the tree:

Arya stared at the face carved into its’ trunk . It was a terrible face, its mouth twisted, its eyes flaring and full of hate.”

“There, beneath rotting wood and twisted splintered branches, she found her hidden sword.”

She finds her sword. It may be a make shift wooden one, but her connection to her sense of self through the Godswood and reclaiming a hidden sword may have meaning for future Braavos chapters and potentially for possible swords hidden in the crypts of Winterfell.

I thought this weirwood was very interesting. First her scampering about on it like a squirrel reminded me of Bran in ADWD recognising something about his sister in the figure of Leaf.

Also her thought about Gendry and the sword implies that she had asked him to make or give her a sword. Too stubborn to give her a sword or too sensible? The anger of the tree is interesting. Anger is what I get from Arya too, ever since, er well, events on the Trident. The faces on weirwoods are always either angry or sad. Is this the outlook of the old gods on life?

And then when threatened drawing her wooden sword...but what is a wooden sword - it is no true defence.

Weasel

Arya’s choice of name has some symbolism of its own which I though I'd post:

“Dreams involving weasels carry different symbols and have numerous interpretations. A weasel in a dream can betray a secretive subconscious, it can highlight the person's loner characteristics or it can display a sly and cunning streak in the dreamer. Weasel dreams have been interpreted as a means trying to circumvent a problem through planning and cunning, rather than meeting the problem head on. Other symbols conjured by weasels in dreams include ruthlessness and ferocity and, conversely, maternal instinct."

Heh, well she does weasel out of things this time round.

I like this chapter, although it is pretty horrible in terms of its content.

There's a bit of a transmigration of souls going on here, from mouse to ghost to weasel. Is it a bit much to say that Arya is going through cycles of reincarnation hopefully to be reborn as a human (so far she has reached 'cat' I don't know how much karma she needs to accumulate to reach the next level).

I'm very fond of the intersection of the folk tale/fairy story with three wishes with Vargo Hoats Realpolitik. Jaqen is exactly the same as the fairy godmother, or other magic creature that we are familiar with from children's stories. Arya nods to this herself with her memory of Old Nan's grumpkin stories. There's also a pact and exchange element to these stories, there is a cost to be paid. GRRM inverts this, Arya saving three men wins her three deaths, or does he invert this - with the appearance of the iron coin maybe there is an element of the Faustian pact here too. Jaqen tempts Arya with things she wants - complete transformation and vengeance. She succumbs to the temptation. "Sweet girl, kind and gentle" - oh the irony. The kind, gentle and sweet girl watches Loach's death by bear (at least as per ADWD honey was not involved) with equanimity. Something else that inclines me towards the Faustian pact is that the hot Weasel soup is all for nothing. Hoat was already fixing to betray Lorch. The castle would have fallen to Bolton in any case either that night or the following morning as the ultimate hangover cure (caution - do not self administer decapitation to relieve a hangover as side effects are non-reversible).

(ETA - also, with a nod to Ragnorak, the conversation between Jon and Aemon in AGOT when Jon is feeding the ravens with blood on his hands - the business of taking responsibility for your actions. Jaqen deliberately smears Arya's shift with blood, which is in the same spirit as Aemon's words. You are involved, you are accountable (always before your conscience), you have responsibility for your part in events - this is stark contrast to Lord Baelish's mentoring of Sansa with his emphasis on 'clean hands' and deny-ability. I think this ETA needs a 'caution - theme alert' sign personally, but then I'm biased. :) )

In terms of reincarnation there is also repetition with variation from Wease to Pinkeye, from Mistress Annabel to Bolton. Similar situations and offers but a variation in her behaviour.

I suppose the 2nd Nymeria reference should be acknowledged ;). Bolton doesn't remark on her choice of name but it seems a bit grand for somebody who is meant to be a servant. Don't know.

"Frequent leechings are the secret of a long life. A man must purge himself of bad blood". Lovely. Fills me with the dark desire to write the modern leech guide for health in today's busy world. Learn how to loose weight - permanently, cope with stress and improve family relationships through frequent leechings. But enough of my wish to cozen the book buying public :)

[1234567]

hmmm, yeah, I see Jaqen as swearing to up hold his promise to give her three deaths not as swearing an oath to Arya as Brienne does to Catelyn. Brienne swears her sword and service to Catelyn who swears she will not require Brienne to do anything dishonourable. It's a personal loyalty oath. The swearing between Jaqen and Arya is specific to his promise to my mind.

The oaths are very different but I thought the way in which Cat and Arya had both acted to inspire these oaths was similar. They both perform an altruistic act of saving someone and later use their leverage to exact what they want from them. We see Arya get Jaqen to do as she wishes via his oath because she says his name and to a lesser extent later on we see Lady Stonehear demanding the Brienne kill Jaime and using Pod as leverage.

This is the one crackpot that gets my goat and does horrible things to it everytime I see it! For many it has a sadly wonderful power of seduction :(

:lol: Yeah this one can be devisive and it is seductive. Though not as seductive as nedbert.

Syrio and Jaqen are both part of the chain of mentor figures that Arya gets to have. maybe it's worth looking at how the different mentors teaching support or contradict each other?

Excellent Idea. As it is a point for dispute and there is "evidence" for it both ways, comparing the two men might indeed be a good idea. At the begining of the re-read we said we would look out for any of Syrio's characteristics in Jaqen. The major Syrio teth clicking thing for example, is never done by Jaqen you'll be pleased to know.

The anger of the tree is interesting. Anger is what I get from Arya too, ever since, er well, events on the Trident. The faces on weirwoods are always either angry or sad. Is this the outlook of the old gods on life?

Indeed. Arya has many reasons to be angry.

Also the Weirwoods have been cuts down in most of the South, the cold winds are rising, the Others are returning and everyone seems to be playing silly buggers over an Iron Throne in the South. If I was the old gods, I'd be anger too.

I'm very fond of the intersection of the folk tale/fairy story with three wishes with Vargo Hoats Realpolitik. Jaqen is exactly the same as the fairy godmother, or other magic creature that we are familiar with from children's stories. Arya nods to this herself with her memory of Old Nan's grumpkin stories. There's also a pact and exchange element to these stories, there is a cost to be paid. GRRM inverts this, Arya saving three men wins her three deaths, or does he invert this - with the appearance of the iron coin maybe there is an element of the Faustian pact here too. Jaqen tempts Arya with things she wants - complete transformation and vengeance. She succumbs to the temptation. "Sweet girl, kind and gentle" - oh the irony. The kind, gentle and sweet girl watches Loach's death by bear (at least as per ADWD honey was not involved) with equanimity. Something else that inclines me towards the Faustian pact is that the hot Weasel soup is all for nothing.

Fairy Tales do have a moral but also instructive nature and of course not all fairy tales have happy endings (unless its a Disney movie) and can be incredibly gruesome and in their original versions. Often the wishes are done as in this case, where death is the result of the hero getting his wish. Another element is often the protagonist outwitting the bad fairy godmother as in the Tinder Box, where the hero cheats the witch after she has rewarded him and then on the way to execution, escapes death by summoning the three large dogs who proceed to devour those who would harm him. Another example would be Rumplestiltskin where the Heroine agrees a price, but cheats Rumplestiltskin out of his prize. Perhaps this bodes well for Arya's future outside of the FM.

The three wishes and the faustian nature of making deals with bad fairies or witches, however nice they seem, does, as you say, seem to be an element of Weasel Soup. In the end Arya's gambit was a waste as those men would have escaped anyway and those who were saved by transferring sides without knowing it, were Rorge and Biter. Their continued survival could be the negative end of the deal, but then we see Jaqen give Arya the coin. A bit like the Witch in so many fairy tales, the Coin ( or apple, ribbon, slipper, tinder box etc) is a false gift and one that leads to destruction.

I suppose the 2nd Nymeria reference should be acknowledged ;). Bolton doesn't remark on her choice of name but it seems a bit grand for somebody who is meant to be a servant. Don't know.

Her connection to Nymeria may have been growing during this time. We see her hearing appears better than others and there are hints that her senses are better. As we know from Varamyr when someone wargs, the spirit of the animal also goes into them. We see Arya pray to the Gods to Make me a water dancer and a wolf and not afraid again, ever. and when Jaqen calls her evil she thinks I am a direwolf, and the ghost in Harrenhal. and then by the end of the chapter she is calling herself Nymeria. Despite the distance between her and her wolf, the thought of Nymeria and the inner confidence we saw her feel when she was with Nymeria in her first chapter appears in her desire to be a Wolf. She is a Stark and she wants to be a wolf not a mouse and mice are not named Nymeria.

As for the name, I'm not so sure it would be too unusual for one of the smallfolk to name their child after someone from history, but then again, with Roose, you never know.

Edited: For terrible grammer and sentence structure.

[Elaena Targaryen]

Great write up Rapsie!

Black and White Imagery

There is a lot of imagery of Arya in the dark and in the moonlight, again connecting her to the House of Black and White. I also noticed these references from this and the previous chapter, which may have an element of foreshadowing and references to the FM:

“About his neck he wore a chain made of linked coins of many different sizes, shapes, and metals, and his horse was one of the strange black-and-white ones.

“You don’t want to know that lot, Weasel,””

I took the “You don’t want to know that lot, Weasel,” as not just a comment on the Bloody Mummers, but also a subtle nod towards the FM and getting involved with them.

I really think you have noticed something quite interesting here! Since you brought this to my attention I see another possible connection here, the coins. Coins are very connected to Arya's story in Braavos and the Faceless Men/House of Black and White. Cat learns to cut purses for coins, Blind Beth uses a begging bowl for coins and in No One's first FM hit she sees the target always counting coins so she uses Blind Beth to cut purses to plant a poisoned coin to kill the coin counting man. But I find the strongest connection with this “About his neck he wore a chain made of linked coins of many different sizes, shapes, and metals" is when Arya attends to the dead at the HoBaW coins are always mentioned...

"The corpses were laid out in the vault. The blind girl went to work in the dark, stripping the dead of boots and clothes and other possessions, emptying their purses and counting out their coins. Telling

one coin from another by touch alone was one of the first things the waif had taught her, after they took

away her eyes. The Braavosi coins were old friends; she need only brush her fingertips across their faces to recognize them. Coins from other lands and cities were harder, especially those from far away.

Volantene honors were most common, little coins no bigger than a penny with a crown on one side and

a skull on the other. Lysene coins were oval and showed a naked woman. Other coins had ships stamped onto them, or elephants, or goats. The Westerosi coins showed a king’s head on the front and a dragon on the back."

[Lummel]

...Fairy Tales do have a moral but also instructive nature and of course not all fairy tales have happy endings (unless its a Disney movie) and can be incredibly gruesome and in their original versions. Often the wishes are done as in this case, where death is the result of the hero getting his wish. Another element is often the protagonist outwitting the bad fairy godmother as in the Tinder Box, where the hero cheats the witch after she has rewarded him and then on the way to execution, escapes death by summoning the three large dogs who proceed to devour those who would harm him. Another example would be Rumplestiltskin where the Heroine agrees a price, but cheats Rumplestiltskin out of his prize. Perhaps this bodes well for Arya's future outside of the FM.

The three wishes and the faustian nature of making deals with bad fairies or witches, however nice they seem, does, as you say, seem to be an element of Weasel Soup. In the end Arya's gambit was a waste as those men would have escaped anyway and those who were saved by transferring sides without knowing it, were Rorge and Biter. Their continued survival could be the negative end of the deal, but then we see Jaqen give Arya the coin. A bit like the Witch in so many fairy tales, the Coin ( or apple, ribbon, slipper, tinder box etc) is a false gift and one that leads to destruction.

I was thinking too of those stories were a simple person outwits the Devil, though as you say the coin is a sting in the tale.

As for the name, I'm not so sure it would be too unusual for one of the smallfolk to name their child after someone from history, but then again, with Roose, you never know...

No, you're quite right, it could easily be the equivelent of somebody calling their son George or William in the UK.

...Since you brought this to my attention I see another possible connection here, the coins...

To make a point of the obvious coins are all about buying and selling. Value is converted to price. Jaqen giving Arya this iron coin is pulling her into a very distinctive cash nexus. When she takes the coin and when she uses it she doesn't know how much it is going to cost her. The price, forgive me for ancipating, when we get to hear it in AFFC is really, very, very high.

Which takes me back to my Faustian pact idea, Arya can't comprehend at this stage the contract she is entering into.

[Lyanna Stark]

Great write up Rapsie. :thumbsup:

Regarding the theme of power vs powerlessness, something I reacted to when reading this chapter initially was Arya's violent and angry reaction to Gendry not helping her freeing the northern captives. After all, Gendry is the realist here, and he puts it plainly that he doesn't want to risk his limbs for very little gain. After what they've seen so far in the Riverlands, it stands to reason that he'd like to keep his current, pretty safe, position, instead of trying to be some sort of hero with little chance of success.

Arya's reaction is to get really angry and wish violence on Gendry, just like she's done with Hot Pie previously. Initially, I thought this was really out of order. Why is Arya so angry? But then it dawned on me that the passage just after where she gets angry at Gendry has the answer. She remembers just after getting angry at Gendry how powerless she was in the barn where All for Joffrey died, and how she was a sheep and then a mouse and could do nothing. She realises that all her power relies on Jaqen, she cannot project it without him. (This is also an interesting look on power and projecting power: that often the people holding real power aren't the ones with personally holding the big swords, necessarily.)

Arya is reminded of her feelings of powerlessness with Gendry. He is realistic about it, while Arya has access to Jaqen's superpowers and feels strong because of it, but is then reminded that those powers are not truly hers. She can "borrow" them for a limited time only. It's then no wonder that Arya wants to join the Faceless Men since the only real power she has projected during her journey through Westeros was either through Jaqen, or later through personally killing people (the guard in Harrenhal and later the squire at the inn). Hence I think the utter feeling of powerlessness is what drives Arya. That is what she wishes to avoid. It's also clear in her prayer to the Gods:

"Make me a water dancer and a wolf and not afraid again, ever".

Normally, Arya is seen as active and badass and just never afraid, but here she confesses to being afraid, and indirectly to being powerless. She wants to be a water dancer and a wolf so she can have some power over her own life and not be afraid and powerless, a sheep, a mouse. So the only power Arya wields here, even up to and including weasel soup, is through Jaqen and through her action of doing a good deed by throwing him the axe.

The default view is to see Sansa as traumatised, but I think in this case, Arya's trauma runs deeper. Sansa is abused, maltreated and stripped of all friends, relations, connections, but what Arya goes through is even worse. The pure distilled violence, rapes and death we see during her journey through the Riverlands are truly horrifying and deeply disturbing. In this, I think Sansa is able to bounce back easier than Arya, and that if any of the Stark sisters suffers trauma, it's Arya. She protects herself through anger and "righteous" killings of those who oppose her, but that is hardly an indication of a healthy state of mind, but of a protection mechanism, not very unlike that the Hound seems to employ, in a more articulated way (the weak should get out of the way of the strong, killing is the sweetest thing, etc etc). Being the top predator is a defence against powerlessness, which I think both Arya and Sandor realised. Both of them also due to Gregor Clegane's influence in their lives.

This may be a theme to look out for once we get to Arya ASOS and her interactions with Sandor.

Arya's first reaction on how to deal with the guards is also "to kill", which I think shows a certain desensitisation to death and killing, also not surprising considering what she's been through, but all the same hardly a "normal" reaction from a ten - eleven year old. In this light, her murderous reactions seem less "badass" and more of a reaction to her horrible experiences in the Riverlands.

[Lummel]

...Being the top predator is a defence against powerlessness, which I think both Arya and Sandor realised. Both of them also due to Gregor Clegane's influence in their lives...

I agree very strongly with this. It's the person who deals with fear of the dark by making themselves into the frightening thing in the dark.

[Blisscraft]

Arya's reaction is to get really angry and wish violence on Gendry, just like she's done with Hot Pie previously. Initially, I thought this was really out of order. Why is Arya so angry? But then it dawned on me that the passage just after where she gets angry at Gendry has the answer. She remembers just after getting angry at Gendry how powerless she was in the barn where All for Joffrey died, and how she was a sheep and then a mouse and could do nothing. She realises that all her power relies on Jaqen, she cannot project it without him. (This is also an interesting look on power and projecting power: that often the people holding real power aren't the ones with personally holding the big swords, necessarily.)

This idea regarding the "projection of power" reminds me of Varys' riddle.

Also, fantastic posts, everyone! So much to think about. . . My head may explode! :eek:

[Lyanna Stark]

Blisscraft & Lummel,

Well, I am glad you liked it since I felt a bit like a Traitor to Country when I questioned Arya's "badassness". :lol:

Or, more like I wanted to get to the bottom with why she is so "murderous", why it's what she wants to do and what mechanisms drove her down that path. The answer seems to lie in power vs powerlessness and in how she is able to project power, but also what she has seen as projections of power (Tywin, Gregor, Jaqen, et al). What Arya has experienced is also an exhibition in brute force and direct action, while Sansa gets to experience the more subtle side of politics (but not less deadly in itself) and is forced to try and understand it, while the power projections Arya sees are basically "murder, death, kill". It seems to influence her choice of methods to gain power, and it's not surprising given this that she chooses the path that she does.

Does that make her (and by extension I guess Sandor Clegane) less "badass"? I don't know, but what I do know is that it adds a certain tragedy to their characters, in that their strengths as killers have been forced out through horrible experiences. It also makes you question whether being "badass" is necessarily a good thing for the person in question. It's certainly not a choice made in happiness.

Arya wonders in this chapter why Vargo Hoat "The Crippler" isn't cutting off the feet of the northmen, which is an interesting thing to note, and I think points to Hoat already being in cahoots with Roose Bolton about switching sides. Arya also notes that she doesn't understand why Vargo Hoat isn't lopping off feet since he doesn't seem to be afraid or care for anything much, so why no lopping off of limbs? As we have seen with the weasel soup incident, Chiswyck and Weest, while Arya is good at arranging power projections of murder death kill, the overall political ramifications are something she is as of yet unawares.