Ice and Fire animal project: Wolves

[ARYa_Nym]

Part 5

More examples of Arya’s blood thirst:

“Ser Gregor, she thought. Dunsen, Raff the Sweetling. Ser Illyn, Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei. Her morning prayer. Or was it? No, she thought, not mine. I am no one. That is the night wolf’s prayer. Someday she will find them, hunt them, smell their fear, taste their blood. Someday. “

It should be noted that she separates her wishes for vengeance from no one. Revenge is for the night wolf.

The Cherokee Indians did not hunt wolves because they believed a slain wolves’ brothers would exact revenge.

http://facts.randomhistory.com/interesting-facts-about-wolves.html

“She dreamt of home; not Rivverun, but Winterfell. It was not a good dream, though. She was alone outside the castle, up to her knees in mud. She could see the grey walls ahead of her, but when she tried to reach the gates every step seemed harder than the one before, and the castle faded before her, until it looked more like smoke than granite. And there were wolves as well, gaunt grey shapes stalking through the trees all around her, their eyes shining. Whenever she looked at them, she remembered the taste of blood.”

One time she dreams of Winterfell. She can’t get home but there are wolves around and they remind her of blood.

“She dreamed of wolves that night, stalking through a wet wood with smell of rain and rot and blood thick in the air. Only they were good smells in the dream, and Arya knew she had nothing to fear. She was strong and swift and fierce, and her pack was all around her, her brothers and sisters…And when the moon broke through the clouds, she threw her head back and howled.”

“Their blood was hotter, and one of her sisters had snapped at one as it took flight and caught it by the wing. It made her want a crow herself. She wanted to taste the blood, to hear the bones crunch between her teeth, to fill her belly with warm flesh instead of cold.”

“Enough slaps, and she might stop chewing on her lip. Arya did that, not the night wolf….”…I can see the truth in yours. You have the eyes of a wolf and a taste for blood.” Ser Gregor, she could not help but think. Dunsen, Raff the Sweetling. Ser Illyn, Ser Meryn, Queen Cersei.”

Arya embraced the smell and taste of blood and her pack.

Going back to berserkers:

Among the ancient Germans the predator-warriors were called berserker, associated with bears, literally 'warriors in the body-covering [serkrj] of a bear.' They were also known as itqkedhnar, 'wolf-skin men.' The bronze plaque from Torslunda shows a warrior disguised as a wolf. From all this, two facts emerge:

1. A young man became a redoubtable warrior by magically assimilating the behavior of a carnivore, especially a wolf;

2. He ritually donned the wolf-skin, either to share in the mode of being of a carnivore or to indicate that he had become a 'wolf.'

What is important for our investigation is the fact that the young warrior accomplished his transformation into a wolf by the ritual donning of a wolf-skin, an operation preceded or followed by a radical change in behavior. As long as he was wrapped in the animal's skin, he ceased to be a man, he was the carnivore itself: not only was he a ferocious and invincible warrior, possessed by the furor heroicus, he had cast off all humanity; in short, he no longer felt bound by the laws and customs of men.

http://cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=5310.0

It’s interesting that to become a warrior they must effectively skinchange into a wolf. They cast off all humanity and feel unbound to the laws of men.

“When you slew the singer, you took god’s powers on yourself. We kill men, but we do not presume to judge them. Do you understand?” No, she thought. “Yes,” she said. “You lie. And that is why you must now walk in darkness until you see the way. Unless you wish to leave us. You need only ask, and you may have your eyes back.” No, she thought. “No,” she said.”

In the death thread I compared Arya to Antigone. One of the similarities between them is that Antigone was like Arya and Brandon Stark in the sense that she did not fear death more than she desired to help a family member. Also, like them she ignored the law in order to do what she felt was right.

The wolf’s blood in both of them may have helped Arya and Brandon in the moment when they wanted to harm the crown princes.

As she appears to sense, however, she will not die alone. Her "tomb" will also serve as her "bridal bed," Antigone ultimately bringing Haemon with her to the grave.

^The series has aspects of the lone wolf dying but also the wolf blood causing other people to go down with them (Rickard in the case of Brandon).

The FM feel that their god is more powerful than the laws of men so they work outside the law.

Casting off humanity can relate to the things Varamyr said in the prologue.

In addition, during a warg’s second life they truly become the beast and their humanity fades.

“He would leave this feeble flesh behind, become one with them, hunting the night and howling at the moon. The warg would become a true wolf.”

Night- Wolves have the ability to see well in the dark. This keen night vision, along with their superior senses of smell and hearing, make them well-equipped for nocturnal hunting.

Arya calls herself the Night Wolf.

ADWD:“The hour of the wolf. The blackest part of the night, when all the world’s asleep.”

When she is water dancing in the trees while at Harrenhal she says:

“Night was the best time; no one ever bothered her at night.”

“How long must I be blind?” she would ask. “Until darkness is as sweet to you as light,” the waif would say,”

Syrio had told her once that darkness could be her friend.” She was trained to embrace the dark from even before her time with the FM. She was blindfolded and her lessons helped her when she was in the dark tunnels in AGoT. Bran was also told to embrace the dark by BR.

“The strongest trees are rooted in the dark places of the earth. Darkness will be your cloak, your shield, your mother’s milk. Darkness will make you strong.”

“She was blind. A water dancer sees with all her senses, she reminded herself.”

She imagined that her wolf was with her in the darkness.

“…blind and lost, pretending that Nymeria was padding along beside her in the darkness. At the end she was knee-deep in foul-smelling water, wishing she could dance upon it as Syrio might have…”

Wolf pups come into this world blind, with their eyelids almost totally glues shut. After about ten or so days, the eyelids begin to open.

A wolf's hearing is at least 16 times sharper than a human's. Wolves can hear a sound as far as six miles away in the forest and ten miles away in open country.

Wolves start off blind and must learn later to develop their senses. This is a theme in Arya’s arc.

“Just so. Opening your eyes is all that was needing. The heart lies and the head plays tricks with us, but the eyes see true. Look with your eyes. Hear with your ears. Taste with your mouth. Smell with your nose. Feel with your skin. Then comes the thinking afterward, and in that way knowing the truth”

The night is a source of comfort for her. While blind her wolf dreams were the light she had. The light provided by the moon.

"For the night is dark and full of terrors," they prayed. Not for me. Her nights were bathed in moonlight and filled with songs of her pack., with the taste of red meat torn off the bone, with the warm familiar smells of her grey cousins. Only during the day was she alone and blind."

Wolves display a keen intelligence and an ability to learn through observation. Wolves are intelligent and observe. Arya must sharpen her observation skills with her instructors Syrio and the KM. She must use all of her senses. Arya was naturally observant as Arya Underfoot.

“Arya had loved nothing better than to sit at her father’s table and listen to them talk. She loved listening to the men on the benches too; to freeriders tough as leather, courtly knights and bold young squires, grizzled old men-at-arms...Fat Tom used to call her “Arya Underfoot” because he said that was where she always was.”

Arya’s secondary animal cats are also active at night and see well in the dark. They are associated with the moon.

“Cat sat with her legs crossed, fighting a yawn and trying to recall the details of her dream. I dreamed I was a wolf again. She could remember the smells best of all: trees and earth, her pack brothers, the scents of horse and deer and man, each different from the others, and the sharp

acrid tang of fear, always the same. Some nights the wolf dreams were so vivid that she

could hear her brothers howling even as she woke, and once Brea had claimed that she was growling in her sleep as she thrashed beneath the covers. She thought that was

some stupid lie till Talea said it too. I should not be dreaming wolf dreams, the girl told

herself. I am a cat now, not a wolf. I am Cat of the Canals. The wolf dreams belonged

to Arya of House Stark. Try as she might, though, she could not rid herself of Arya. It made no difference whether she slept beneath the temple or in the little room beneath the eaves with Brusco’s daughters, the wolf dreams still haunted her by night . . . and sometimes other dreams as well.”

[ARYa_Nym]

Part 6

Fighting Style-

Wolves, like many other hunting animals, depend on stealth and speed. This is reflected in their way of moving. They are able to step silently and quickly because they move on their toes with the back parts of their feet raised - unlike bears and primates, which take flatfooted steps.

Wolves in northern climates sometimes chase their prey into deep snow, which may slow the animals’ movements and place them at a disadvantage. Wolves are light and quick enough to be able to run on top of layers of ice and snow.

Adult wolves have been known to skillfully select hidden approaches when entering their dens, using bushes, wind-fallen trees, stumps, and other natural structures to conceal their approach.^[130]

· The stalk: The wolves attempt to conceal themselves as they approach.^[141] As the gap between the wolves and their prey closes, the wolves quicken their pace, wag their tails, and peer intently, getting as close to their quarry as possible without making it flee.^[142]

If we look back at Syrio’s words we will find: “…swift as a deer, quick as a snake, quiet as a shadow, light as a feather…”

“Just so. Now we will begin the dance. Remember, child, this is not the iron dance of Westeros we are learning, the knight’s dance of hacking and hammering, no. This is the bravo’s dance, the water dance, swift and sudden. All men are made of water.”

Wolves run on their toes, which helps them to stop and turn quickly and to prevent their paw pads from wearing down.^e

In the water thread it was discussed how Syrio had Arya hone her balance skills by balancing herself on her toes.

Cats also depend on stealth. Stealth is as most know what assassins fight with.

“Jaqen H’ghar stood so still in the darkness that he seemed one of the trees.”

This applies not to just kills but to spying and gathering information.

“Father, they were talking about killing you! Not the monsters, the two men. They didn’t see me, I was being still as stone and quiet as a shadow, but I heard them.”

Wolves also hunt a lot during the winter. Arya will be killing (hunting) through winter according to Jon.

Wolves can swim distances of up to 8 miles (13 kilometers) aided by small webs between their toes.^b

Wolves are good swimmers. Arya is a very good swimmer herself and Nymeria got Catelyn out of the river.

"She splashed noisily through the shallows and threw herself into the deeper water, her legs churning. The current was strong but she was stronger. She swam, following her nose. The river smells were rich and wet, but those were not the smells that pulled her. She paddled after the sharp red whisper of cold blood, the sweet cloying stench of death."

A wolf den is often near a river or lake so the mother wolf does not have to go far to get water. Dens are located in deep riverbanks, rock outcrops, a hollow log, or under upturned roots.

A little tidbit is that in the water thread we compared the environments of WF, the HoB&W and Bran’s cave. They all have black water and other similarities especially the latter. Anyways, Arya is usually compared to Lyanna of the she-wolves but I thought Bran’s flashback was interesting:

“…a woman heavy with child emerged naked and dripping from the black pool, knelt before the tree, and begged the old gods for a son who would avenge her.”

A Stark woman emerges from a black pool and prays for vengeance. It’s a similarity to Arya.

Strength-“Yes, it’s you who ought to run, you and Lord Tywin and the Mountain and Ser Addam and Ser Amory and stupid Ser Lyonel whoever he is, all of you better run or my brother will kill you, he’s a Stark, he’s more wolf than man, and so am I.”

“He snatched the sword from her fingers, and dealt her a stinging slap with the back of his hand…For a moment she had been a wolf again, but Weese’s slap took it all away and left her with nothing but the taste of her own blood in her mouth.”

I had mentioned previously that she sees being a wolf as being strong. Other things such as being a captive, a mouse, a little girl, a lady, etc. she sees as a position of weakness for her to be in.

“The wolf dreams were the good ones. In the wolf dreams she was swift and strong, running down her prey with her pack at her heels. It was the other dream she hated, the one where she had two feet instead of four. In that one she was always looking for her mother, stumbling through a wasted land of mud and blood and fire. It was always raining in that dream, and she could hear her mother screaming, but a monster with a dog’s head would not let her go save her. In that dream she was always weeping, like a frightened little girl. Cats never weep, she told herself, no more than wolves do. It’s just a stupid dream.”

She said cats never weep and said something similar about wolves before. Comparably, Bran is another who feels ashamed of tears.

“Wolves never cry, she reminded herself again.”

“I’m a wolf. I’ll howl.” Alone, she slid through the shadow of the Tower of Ghosts. 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.

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

“Salty is a stupid child, she told herself. I am a wolf, and will not be afraid.”

As I said a good portion of her story is about the change from the hunted to the hunter.

Her brother also resents being the weak one or broken and would rather be the hunter.

"It shamed him. He was only a few years younger than Robb; if his brother was almost a man grown, so was he. He should have been able to protect himself. "

“Princes should be allowed to sail the sea and hunt boar in the wolfswood and joust with lances.”

“Summer never bit anyone.” “Summer ripped out a man’s throat in this very chamber, or have you forgotten? The truth is, those sweet pups…have grown into dangerous beasts…I’d sooner be wolf. Then I could live in the wood and sleep when I wanted, and I could find Arya and Sansa. I’d smell where they were and go and save them, and when Robb went to battle I’d fight beside him like Grey Wind. I’d tear out the Kingslayer’s throat with my teeth…”

Arya used to be jealous that her brother was allowed to hunt.

"Her father had hunted boar in the wolfswood with Robb and Jon. Once he even took Bran, but never Arya, even though she was older. Septa Mordane said boar hunting was not for ladies, and Mother only promised that when she was older she might have her own hawk..."

[ARYa_Nym]

Part 7 (Final).

Syrio and Jaqen are two people who have helped her become a wolf beyond the sense of being a Stark. They helped her to defend herself better and introduced her to the means of becoming a predator.

“The rain had washed the guard’s blood off her fingers, she wore a sword across her back, wolves were prowling through the dark like lean grey shadows, and Arya Stark was unafraid. Fear cuts deeper than swords, she whispered under breath, the words that Syrio Forel had taught her, and Jaqen’s words too, valar morghulis.”

“She took out the coin that Jaqen H’ghar had given her and curled her fingers around it as she lay beneath her cloak. It made her feel strong to hold it, remembering how she’d seen the ghost in Harrenhal. She could kill with a whisper then.”

Right before he tells her to give him names she was dreaming of wolves.

“Arya was dreaming of wolves…when a strong hand clamped down over her mouth like smooth warm stone, solid and unyielding…”A girl says nothing,” a voice whispered close behind her ear…”

She prays to the gods to make her a wolf and wonders if Jaqen was the answer to her prayers.

“She clasped her hands together. Help me, you old gods , she prayed silently. Help me get those men out of the dungeon so we can kill Ser Amory, and bring me home to Winterfell. Make me a water dancer and a wolf and not afraid again, ever.”

“A man knows,” he said again. “My lady of Stark.” Maybe the gods had sent him in answer to prayers.”

Her identification with the wolf also represents freedom.

While with the Hound: “I wish I could change into a wolf and grow wings and fly away.”

“Standing there with the flagon in her hands, she dreamed she was a wolf, running free through a moonlit forest with a great pack howling at her heels.”

Nymeria acts as an alpha male. Queen Nymeria did something similar with being one of the very few queen regnants in the series. Arya is with the FM and the KM said they don’t like to have female recruits.

“If the Mummers catch us, I’ll tell them that I’m Ned Stark’s daughter and sister to the King in the North. I’ll command them to take me to my brother, and to do no harm to Hot Pie and Gendry.”

When Brienne mistakes Willow for Arya she compares her to a queen:“Gendry was the closest thing to a man grown, but it was Willow shouting all the orders, as if she were a queen in her castle and the other children were no more than servants. If she were highborn, command would come naturally to her, and deference to them…”

Queen Nymeria was a warrior queen but more of a commander. She gave orders and was subordinate to no one prior to coming to Westeros. Arya wanted to command Gendry and Hot Pie and Nymeria wants to be in charge as well.

Identity-“Who are you?” he would ask her every day. “No one,” she would answer, she who had been Arya of House Stark, Arya Underfoot, Arya Horseface. She had been Arry and Weasel too, and Squab and Salty, Nan the cupbearer, a grey mouse, a sheep, the ghost of Harrenhal . . . but not for true, not in her heart of hearts. In there she was Arya of Winterfell, the daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn, who had once had brothers named Robb and Bran and Rickon, a sister named Sansa, a direwolf called Nymeria, a half brother named Jon Snow. In there she was someone . . . but that was not the answer that he wanted.”

Arya is usually compared to Hel but this was posted in a thread recently:

Arya's connection isn't quite so straightforward. And that's largely because Hati, one of Fenrir's two sons, doesn't have quite so large a role as Fenrir does in the mythology. But, Hati, whose name means "He Who Hates", is said to chase the moon through the night's sky, and will swallow it come Ragnarök. This is represented, firstly, by the intense hatred Arya displays for her enemies, as she recites a list of names of the people she wants to murder each night before she goes to bed, and secondly, by her quest to join the Faceless Men (FYI: a moon is carved on the door of the House of Black & White, where the Kindly Man trains her to become an assassin). So, in attempting to become a Faceless Man she is "chasing the moon", and in becoming one, she will have caught it (which is a sign that Ragnarök has begun).

And, because Sköll & Hati are brothers/counterparts, I theorize that Arya's death will mirror Robb's. Meaning, if Robb's death (i.e. his "catching the sun") is a sign of Ragnarök, then Arya's death (i.e. her "catching the moon") should be the same. So, I'm guessing she'll be killed in her sleep at some point down the line by the Kindly Man after getting inducted into the Faceless Men (i.e. catching the moon), while inside her wolf dream. And, her death will run counter to Robb's in this sense -- Robb was unable to warg into Grey Wind when he was killed, but Arya will be connected to Nymeria via the wolf dream, and will gain her "second life" on the Trident, with a pack of thousands of wolves at her back (the pack she's always dreamed of --]… This may have been foreshadowed on the most recent episode of Game of Thrones, The Rains of Castamere, when Sandor tells Arya, "You're very kind. Someday it will get you killed" (i.e. someday the Kindly Man will kill her).

Death of Arya (Hati ) could be more symbolic ,she is starting to lose her identity us a Stark and Kindly Man is responsible for that. By "catching the moon"getting inducted into the Faceless Men persona of Arya Stark could die , and second life maybe isn't connected to her warging ability .She still can use her connection to Nymeria for inducting vengeance in Westeros after her return (or rather the new her :P )

http://gameofthronesandnorsemythology.blogspot.com.au/2013/06/direwolves-wargs-stark-children.html

[Mini Ghost]

@Arya_Nym :bowdown:

[Isildur's Mane]

@Arya_Nym just finished reading your posts, great work. I don't have much to add at the moment (it is getting late here) but i will post something in the morning once I have slept on it. Just wanted to say I have read it and commend you on it.

[Alia of the knife]

Part 7 (Final).

Syrio and Jaqen are two people who have helped her become a wolf beyond the sense of being a Stark. They helped her to defend herself better and introduced her to the means of becoming a predator.

“The rain had washed the guard’s blood off her fingers, she wore a sword across her back, wolves were prowling through the dark like lean grey shadows, and Arya Stark was unafraid. Fear cuts deeper than swords, she whispered under breath, the words that Syrio Forel had taught her, and Jaqen’s words too, valar morghulis.”

“She took out the coin that Jaqen H’ghar had given her and curled her fingers around it as she lay beneath her cloak. It made her feel strong to hold it, remembering how she’d seen the ghost in Harrenhal. She could kill with a whisper then.”

Right before he tells her to give him names she was dreaming of wolves.

“Arya was dreaming of wolves…when a strong hand clamped down over her mouth like smooth warm stone, solid and unyielding…”A girl says nothing,” a voice whispered close behind her ear…”

She prays to the gods to make her a wolf and wonders if Jaqen was the answer to her prayers.

“She clasped her hands together. Help me, you old gods , she prayed silently. Help me get those men out of the dungeon so we can kill Ser Amory, and bring me home to Winterfell. Make me a water dancer and a wolf and not afraid again, ever.”

“A man knows,” he said again. “My lady of Stark.” Maybe the gods had sent him in answer to prayers.”

Her identification with the wolf also represents freedom.

While with the Hound: “I wish I could change into a wolf and grow wings and fly away.”

“Standing there with the flagon in her hands, she dreamed she was a wolf, running free through a moonlit forest with a great pack howling at her heels.”

Nymeria acts as an alpha male. Queen Nymeria did something similar with being one of the very few queen regnants in the series. Arya is with the FM and the KM said they don’t like to have female recruits.

“If the Mummers catch us, I’ll tell them that I’m Ned Stark’s daughter and sister to the King in the North. I’ll command them to take me to my brother, and to do no harm to Hot Pie and Gendry.”

When Brienne mistakes Willow for Arya she compares her to a queen:“Gendry was the closest thing to a man grown, but it was Willow shouting all the orders, as if she were a queen in her castle and the other children were no more than servants. If she were highborn, command would come naturally to her, and deference to them…”

Queen Nymeria was a warrior queen but more of a commander. She gave orders and was subordinate to no one prior to coming to Westeros. Arya wanted to command Gendry and Hot Pie and Nymeria wants to be in charge as well.

Identity-“Who are you?” he would ask her every day. “No one,” she would answer, she who had been Arya of House Stark, Arya Underfoot, Arya Horseface. She had been Arry and Weasel too, and Squab and Salty, Nan the cupbearer, a grey mouse, a sheep, the ghost of Harrenhal . . . but not for true, not in her heart of hearts. In there she was Arya of Winterfell, the daughter of Lord Eddard Stark and Lady Catelyn, who had once had brothers named Robb and Bran and Rickon, a sister named Sansa, a direwolf called Nymeria, a half brother named Jon Snow. In there she was someone . . . but that was not the answer that he wanted.”

Arya is usually compared to Hel but this was posted in a thread recently:

Arya's connection isn't quite so straightforward. And that's largely because Hati, one of Fenrir's two sons, doesn't have quite so large a role as Fenrir does in the mythology. But, Hati, whose name means "He Who Hates", is said to chase the moon through the night's sky, and will swallow it come Ragnarök. This is represented, firstly, by the intense hatred Arya displays for her enemies, as she recites a list of names of the people she wants to murder each night before she goes to bed, and secondly, by her quest to join the Faceless Men (FYI: a moon is carved on the door of the House of Black & White, where the Kindly Man trains her to become an assassin). So, in attempting to become a Faceless Man she is "chasing the moon", and in becoming one, she will have caught it (which is a sign that Ragnarök has begun).

And, because Sköll & Hati are brothers/counterparts, I theorize that Arya's death will mirror Robb's. Meaning, if Robb's death (i.e. his "catching the sun") is a sign of Ragnarök, then Arya's death (i.e. her "catching the moon") should be the same. So, I'm guessing she'll be killed in her sleep at some point down the line by the Kindly Man after getting inducted into the Faceless Men (i.e. catching the moon), while inside her wolf dream. And, her death will run counter to Robb's in this sense -- Robb was unable to warg into Grey Wind when he was killed, but Arya will be connected to Nymeria via the wolf dream, and will gain her "second life" on the Trident, with a pack of thousands of wolves at her back (the pack she's always dreamed of --]… This may have been foreshadowed on the most recent episode of Game of Thrones, The Rains of Castamere, when Sandor tells Arya, "You're very kind. Someday it will get you killed" (i.e. someday the Kindly Man will kill her).

Death of Arya (Hati ) could be more symbolic ,she is starting to lose her identity us a Stark and Kindly Man is responsible for that. By "catching the moon"getting inducted into the Faceless Men persona of Arya Stark could die , and second life maybe isn't connected to her warging ability .She still can use her connection to Nymeria for inducting vengeance in Westeros after her return (or rather the new her :P )

http://gameofthrones...k-children.html

Awesome work!! :bowdown:

The one thing I'd observe about the difference between the European wolves and their North American counterparts and why NA wolves appear more timid is that the Native Americans have a long tradition of respect for the wolf.

The wolf in Native American tradition is the symbol of family and provision, so they tried to emulate the spirit of the wolf. In that sense, the relationship between man and wolves were more peaceful, therefore the North American wolf didn't learn to fear Man.

Of course the societies are different.

I don't think Europeans were deliberately cruel, it's just that European societies were more "Nation-State," agricultural/farm based permanent communities whereas Native American were largely nomadic, so they looked to the wolf as "guides" and teachers as they did with most of nature.

The reason Native Americans wear "feathers" for example is because they consider the feather as a spiritual tether to the birds soul.

But as always, great work. :bowdown:

[ShadowCat Rivers]

Greatly detailed work, highlighting all aspects of Arya’s connection to Nymeria and the wolf identity. Congrats!

For me, Arya is this generation’s Wild Wolf.

Looking past gender, she displays amazingly many common traits with her uncle Brandon. But, as this generation of Starks is connected to the wolf in a more than symbolic way, Arya’s wilderness -the “wolf blood”- runs much deeper. Nature claims its priority over nurture, as it does with Nymeria.

Nymeria, just like Arya, was merely a pup when she was released in the Wild, as the aftermath of a tragedy. The effects of the domestication process are soon eclipsed and the Direwolf’s primal instincts prevail. As a result, Nymeria grows to become the leader of a huge pack, to reclaim the lands that Man took from the Wolf and to challenge the long established order of the food chain.

“It’s said that direwolves once roamed the north in great packs of a hundred or more, and feared neither man nor mammoth, but that was long ago and in another land. It is queer to see the common wolves of the south so bold.”

“Terrible times breed terrible things, my lord.”

As Nymeria marks the return of the direwolf of old times, Arya embodies the spirit of the Starks of Old, “men hard as the land they ruled”.

Mladen, in the last part of his awesome OP, wrote:

The wonderful parallel between North back then and North at the beginning of ASOIAF, gives Ned Stark. In the crypts of Winterfell, Ned senses the strength, cruelty and harshness of ancient Kings. […] They were direwolves just like the animal on their sigil. […] But, just like uncompromising direwolves, their reign ended. […] Their sons shall be called the Lords and Wardens, and they shall be called the wolves. For wolves they were. […]

And just like in our world, men, with their intelligence and cruelty, were victorious over wolves.

I believe that throughout the story we are witnessing a turn of cycle. The harshest winter for millennia is about to come, and the reign of "men" is at peril. A time for Direwolves is coming again. In the Riverlands, it has already come.

All this leads me by association to the Wolf’s Den story:

When old King Edrick Stark had grown too feeble to defend his realm, the Wolf’s Den was captured by slavers from the Stepstones. They would brand their captives with hot irons and break them to the whip before shipping them off across the sea, and these same black stone walls bore witness.

“Then a long cruel winter fell,” said Ser Bartimus. “The White Knife froze hard, and even the firth was icing up. The winds came howling from the north and drove them slavers inside to huddle round their fires, and whilst they warmed themselves the new king come down on them. Brandon Stark this was, Edrick Snowbeard’s great-grandson, him that men called Ice Eyes. He took the Wolf’s Den back, stripped the slavers naked, and gave them to the slaves he’d found chained up in the dungeons. It’s said they hung their entrails in the branches of the heart tree, as an offering to the gods. The old gods, not these new ones from the south. Your Seven don’t know winter, and winter don’t know them.”

Winterfell, the iconic den of the Starks, fell when “the old wolf’s dead and young one’s gone south to play the game of thrones”. The north was left undefended, its people enslaved by squids and flayed men.

But the long cruel winter will soon befall upon everyone, and the Wild Wolf, the third child of the Old Wolf, will go out to hunt. She will find them, hunt them, smell their fear, taste their blood. The North remembers, and so does Arya.

[Alia of the knife]

Greatly detailed work, highlighting all aspects of Arya’s connection to Nymeria and the wolf identity. Congrats!

For me, Arya is this generation’s Wild Wolf.

Looking past gender, she displays amazingly many common traits with her uncle Brandon. But, as this generation of Starks is connected to the wolf in a more than symbolic way, Arya’s wilderness -the “wolf blood”- runs much deeper. Nature claims its priority over nurture, as it does with Nymeria.

Nymeria, just like Arya, was merely a pup when she was released in the Wild, as the aftermath of a tragedy. The effects of the domestication process are soon eclipsed and the Direwolf’s primal instincts prevail. As a result, Nymeria grows to become the leader of a huge pack, to reclaim the lands that Man took from the Wolf and to challenge the long established order of the food chain.

As Nymeria marks the return of the direwolf of old times, Arya embodies the spirit of the Starks of Old, “men hard as the land they ruled”.

Mladen, in the last part of his awesome OP, wrote:

I believe that throughout the story we are witnessing a turn of cycle. The harshest winter for millennia is about to come, and the reign of "men" is at peril. A time for Direwolves is coming again. In the Riverlands, it has already come.

All this me by association to the Wolf’s Den story:

Winterfell, the iconic den of the Starks, fell when “the old wolf’s dead and young one’s gone south to play the game of thrones”. The north was left undefended, its people enslaved by squids and flayed men.

But the long cruel winter will soon befall upon everyone, and the Wild Wolf, the third child of the Old Wolf, will go out to hunt. She will find them, hunt them, smell their fear, taste their blood. The North remembers, and so does Arya.

That last follow-up, "The North Remembers, and so does Arya," almost made me collapse. :bowdown:

[ShadowCat Rivers]

That last follow-up, "The North Remembers, and so does Arya," almost made me collapse. :bowdown:

Thank you! I'm glad you liked it :)

[Mladen]

Arya_Nym, as the OP, I would like to thank you for the wonderful and detailed essay. It has truly been an honor to read this and have such amazing piece written for this thread. I`ll reply in 2 parts focusing on different aspects of your 7-pieces-long essay.

Part 1 observations:

1. Death and golden eyes. I thought that practice in Ancient Greece was also to close eyes with golden coins, and that those coins would serve as payment to fairymen. Nymeria with those golden eyes truly represent death seen from perspective of men

2. Lupus in fabuli/Speaking of the devil. For me this idiomatic transformation of famous Latin sentence is a great indicator how wolves has become symbols of a devil. Uniting that with all that is said about Nymeria, he truly represents unleashed wrath of not just Arya, than somehow of all her siblings. Nymeria is truly out of cotrol, and reek of death GHH felt on Arya must have in a way came from Nymeria

Part 2 observations:

1. Wolf and sheep. I like this Biblical reference, because it can be used as pure opposite of phylosophy in Satrk sisters. While Arya is for sometime perceived as wolf in sheep's clothing, Sansa is quite oposite she is perceived as sheep in wolf's clothing. But, more than that. While Arya represents scavangeruous nature of wolf, Sansa is the maternal wolf type... As much as there are parallels between sisters, one thing is certain. They are both wolves, just not the same animal...

2. Alpha male and alpha female. We discussed this. Arya wants to be alpha male, while Sansa is certain in her position as alpha female. There is a big difference here, and Arya's refusal to obey society norms meant a lot when she was alone in wilderness. As a nomad wolf, Arya showed exceptional strength and ability to survive. In her entourage, she as smallest and female, became alpha. Because for wolves, size truly doesn`t matter. And Arya is living proof of that.

Part 3 observations

1. Martell's philosophy and Arya. The story about Queen Nymeria and Martells are very known. She was a fierce warrior that burned all the bridges between her and old homeland. In a way, just like the those ships burned, death of Arya's family severed the connection between her and Winterfell and just like Nymeria was chased away, to never return home. But more than that, Arya hows great similarities as a human being to Martell Princesses and Queens of old. Myriah Martell, faced with dragons, simply answered: Unbowed, unbent, unbroken. The Dornish sun in Starks could be replaced as moon and Stark words about winter is another testimony of endurance. Arya's wolf shows great quality of Martell words. And Arya through all pain, sufferings and troubles, get out stronger each time... And both Arya and Nymeria remained unbent and unbroken to this day.

I'll deeply analyze the other parts tomorrow. But, this was such astonishing piece. You have truly enrichened this project with this great essay. Congratulations and once more, thank you in the name of the thread...

[Winterfellian]

:wideeyed: Wow that was a long read, but I finally finished! Arya Nym congratulations on the splendidly detailed essay. You did such a thorough job with the essay that I don't really have anything much to add. I will only like to comment on this line that caught my attention:

that she wants to be as strong as Robb who after Ned died would have been the alpha male.

I can't help but see a connection to something Butterbumps wrote on her previous essay about Jon and Ghost:

From Arya I, it appears that Nym considers Ghost an alpha, or at least a leader: Nym approaches Ghost warily at first, but Ghost walks over, nips her ear and they settle. When Jon and Ghost walk away, Nym follows them rather than Arya at first.

We discussed Robb before and his inability to thoroughly culminate the process to alpha male, yet as Arya Nym notes, for Arya he seems to be the embodiment of the alpha. Given that Robb/Greywind didn’t truly become the true alphas of the pack (Jon/Ghost tends to exhibit more of these characteristics IMHO), what does this say of Arya? Is she chasing the wrong approach of the role of alpha by unwarily wanting to be like someone who never truly reached that status within the pack?

Snip

I really like your post. Winter will bring a time for wolves indeed.

[ARYa_Nym]

Thanks for reading everyone. Sorry I know it was tl:dr. I tried to cut it down as much as I could. I wasn't sure how well it would turn out because I'm used to discussing Arya's feline nature more.

Awesome work!! :bowdown:

The one thing I'd observe about the difference between the European wolves and their North American counterparts and why NA wolves appear more timid is that the Native Americans have a long tradition of respect for the wolf.

The wolf in Native American tradition is the symbol of family and provision, so they tried to emulate the spirit of the wolf. In that sense, the relationship between man and wolves were more peaceful, therefore the North American wolf didn't learn to fear Man.

Of course the societies are different.

I don't think Europeans were deliberately cruel, it's just that European societies were more "Nation-State," agricultural/farm based permanent communities whereas Native American were largely nomadic, so they looked to the wolf as "guides" and teachers as they did with most of nature.

Thanks. I wasn't aware of that. Thank you for that addition. It explains very well the difference in their behavior.

Greatly detailed work, highlighting all aspects of Arya’s connection to Nymeria and the wolf identity. Congrats!

For me, Arya is this generation’s Wild Wolf.

Looking past gender, she displays amazingly many common traits with her uncle Brandon. But, as this generation of Starks is connected to the wolf in a more than symbolic way, Arya’s wilderness -the “wolf blood”- runs much deeper. Nature claims its priority over nurture, as it does with Nymeria.

Good points and thank you. I believe Ned brought up Lyanna to put in more clues towards R+L=J so readers can make that Arya-Lyanna-Jon connection but the best example Ned could have used in the lecture on what happened with Mycah is Brandon because he did something similar. I won't add Cregan Stark because I don't know the details of his fight with the Dragonknight.

1. Martell's philosophy and Arya. The story about Queen Nymeria and Martells are very known. She was a fierce warrior that burned all the bridges between her and old homeland. In a way, just like the those ships burned, death of Arya's family severed the connection between her and Winterfell and just like Nymeria was chased away, to never return home. But more than that, Arya hows great similarities as a human being to Martell Princesses and Queens of old. Myriah Martell, faced with dragons, simply answered: Unbowed, unbent, unbroken. The Dornish sun in Starks could be replaced as moon and Stark words about winter is another testimony of endurance. Arya's wolf shows great quality of Martell words. And Arya through all pain, sufferings and troubles, get out stronger each time... And both Arya and Nymeria remained unbent and unbroken to this day.

Thank you. I've proposed in the water thread that Arya's connection to Queen Nymeria will stop when it comes to the Martells.

GRRM has said that Queen Nymeria would be most similar to Dany. They both had that long journey and were foreign queens. Queen Rhaenys failed with Dorne and Dany will too I presume. I think the series shows us that to succeed with Dorne one must marry the Sun (Martells).

Queen Nymeria has a natural water connection. The Rhoynar were river faring people, they had to have been a naval power before, the city Ghoyan Drohe had canals, the river deity (Mother Rhoyne), etc.

I don't believe that Arya will marry Trystane Martell so this is the point where I think the parallels between Arya and Queen Nymeria will stop.

I know it's been proposed that the Stark girls will take on switched roles of Rhaenys and Visenya to help Jon in his Aegon role but I've never agreed with that. There are Targaryens Arya is far more similar to than Visenya (Daena, Aegon V) and if she were to help Jon with Dorne and succeed where Rhaenys failed it would be following Nymeria's example of marriage.

ETA: However, I think even though I don't see a connection forming between Arya and the Martells beyond the (Spoiler: theory that she will kill Elia and take her place which I'm still not sold on) they can still be compared personality wise. I do agree that there are similarities.

On the alpha males I think both Nymeria and Arya want the dominant position but at the same they're doing the same rejection as with the alpha female. Both alpha positions are parental roles.One is the father and the other is the mother. Nymeria and Arya are rejecting the position of the parent. It's true that with her friends she stepped up to the dominant position despite being smaller.

We discussed Robb before and his inability to thoroughly culminate the process to alpha male, yet as Arya Nym notes, for Arya he seems to be the embodiment of the alpha. Given that Robb/Greywind didn’t truly become the true alphas of the pack (Jon/Ghost tends to exhibit more of these characteristics IMHO), what does this say of Arya? Is she chasing the wrong approach of the role of alpha by unwarily wanting to be like someone who never truly reached that status within the pack?

Thanks. Hmm IDK. Nymeria does that before she goes off on her own and takes the dominant role so I don't know what she would do if she saw Ghost now.

Sansa and Bran I believe said that they wanted to be as brave and courageous as Robb. Arya wanted his strength. At the time she said that Robb was being a great warrior and winning every battle.

[Mladen]

Part 4 observations:

1. Wild trio - Brandon, Lyanna and Arya

I always understood when people compared Arya to Ned's siblings. We found out how exactly wild Brandon is, and we knew thing or two about Lyanna. The similarities between Brandon and Arya are undoubtable, but when it comes to Lyanna, it's, at least for me, a bit more complicated. Lyanna show great deal of wilderness, but also one very tender and emotional side that is so rarely seen in Arya. You could say that her first instinct was violence at Harrenhall, but it was more protection. We knew how emotional she was when Rhaegar played his harp, and we knew how she begged Ned, not mentioning possible running away with Rhaegar. For me, Lyanna is much more emotional than Arya, that doesn't exclude Arya's ability to feel, but it brings some new POV on Lyanna people usually miss.

2. Dog/cat contrast in Arya

Dogs are usually perceived as man's best friends, and not mentioning how social wolves are. And then we have cats, who are so alienated from each other, who dwell alone and fight alone and aren't accustomed to have one master. Unlike dogs, cats are almost untrainable and their loyalty as pets is always questionable. This is what makes very interesting Arya's staying with FM. From wolf she was, loyaly animal to Starks, she has become Cat, most likely symbolizing that her time with FM isn't whole-heartedly as we think. She is conflicted in a way. Wild social wolf during nights, and solitary cat during days. The fact she warged cat during practice talks a lot about dettachment from FM, but also from her family. But unlike FM, her family in her has anchor in her wolf dreams.

3. Symbolism of crescent moon and wolves

The crescent moon originates indeed from Ancient Greece and Rome, but in medieval ages, it transformed into part of iconography of Ottoman Empire and Islam. If we look at crescent moon as recurring symbol of Arya's hunting story, we could use it to connect her storyarc in Braavos with Islamic ideology of wolves. And it basically fits perfectly with dreams Arya have. Wolves in Islamic symbolism represent scavanger, bloodthirsty predators, and were used sometimes to describe Balkan nations (due to common use of the wolf in names and surnames). So, crescent moon of Artemis is connected with both imagery of Arya as huntress, and islamic version for vicious predator.

Part 5 observations:

1. Wolf eyes

I have discussed how color-blindness has made Robb's battle far more difficult. Now we have this. In a way, Arya's blindess is a sign of rebirth, she is reborn as a new wolf, something far different than she was, or perhaps some enhanced version free of inhibitios she had. Wolf dreams from ASOS and from AFFC, are not different in some great way, but certainly, those in AFFC are far bloodier. The fact Arya says in her first meeting with KM that she is hugry, but not for food, says a lot about trajectory of her wolf dreams in House of Black and White.

Part 6 observations:

1. Fighting skills

Here we go again about dog/cat contrast in Arya's story. Wolves indeed stalk their prey, but that primarily is the weapon of wild cats. And where wolves count on speed and endurance, wild cats count on element of suprise. That's why endurance is so connected with Starks, and traps with Lannisters. At the beginning, we can argue that Syrio's lessons were more about speed, quick reflexes and calmness. All of this are common for both wild cats and wolves. But, she evolved and now we see how much more she is a cat as person, than a wolf. While wolf hunts and tires the prey, wild cats use speed and one bite. Arya is more like that. She needed only one stab with pointy end to kill the boy in KL, she hid behind Jaquen and killed people as Ghost of Harrenhall, and now she is being taught skills that are far more similar to fighting skills of cats than one of wolves.

Arya_Nym, again, this was one very great essay, and it was really pleasure to read and honor to have it on my thread. The only thing i would change is the size of the font. I had some troubles reading it, and it would be best for all of it to be written in 14. But, nevertheless, this was one interesting essay...

OP notification: Next essay will be just an Other's about Bran. We made this arrangement so my three essays about Sansa would go one after another. I hope you'll all enjoy in what just an Other has prepared for us, for he certainly raises quite interesting points all around the board

[Motley Wearer]

Best thread on this entire foeum.i cant wait for the rickon-shaggydog essay

[WinterKing]

I can't believe I missed this the first time!!

Excellent analisys, I am left speechless by this.

[Mladen]

Best thread on this entire foeum.i cant wait for the rickon-shaggydog essay

Thank you very much... I am deeply humbled with this compliment, as all of our regular contributors must feel when they hear these praises

I can't believe I missed this the first time!!

Excellent analisys, I am left speechless by this.

As the OP and chief organiser, I am so happy about Arya_Nym's analysis, as I was with Manderlay's and butterbumps'. It feels so great when you know people are doing their best and that other posters are appreciating that...

[ARYa_Nym]

Part 4 observations:

1. Wild trio - Brandon, Lyanna and Arya

I always understood when people compared Arya to Ned's siblings. We found out how exactly wild Brandon is, and we knew thing or two about Lyanna. The similarities between Brandon and Arya are undoubtable, but when it comes to Lyanna, it's, at least for me, a bit more complicated. Lyanna show great deal of wilderness, but also one very tender and emotional side that is so rarely seen in Arya. You could say that her first instinct was violence at Harrenhall, but it was more protection. We knew how emotional she was when Rhaegar played his harp, and we knew how she begged Ned, not mentioning possible running away with Rhaegar. For me, Lyanna is much more emotional than Arya, that doesn't exclude Arya's ability to feel, but it brings some new POV on Lyanna people usually miss.

Even the tender moment is contrasted with harshness when she pours a drink on Benjen. In terms of being violent for protection Arya does do that in certain instances. Her attack on Joffrey was in response to him threatening Mycah who was of lower birth like Howland was to Lyanna only much more. She saw herself as protecting herself and her friends when she killed that guard in order to escape Harrenhal.

There are some tender things that they do have in common like Arya is noted to like flowers in AGoT and she does want a man to be loyal to his wife.

Lyanna has far more romantic feelings but Arya is unlike all her family members in that excluding possibly the Blackfish but we really don't know what the deal is on him. He could have some feelings like say Ser Barriston had but we just don't know about it unless we had his POV.

2. Dog/cat contrast in Arya

Dogs are usually perceived as man's best friends, and not mentioning how social wolves are. And then we have cats, who are so alienated from each other, who dwell alone and fight alone and aren't accustomed to have one master. Unlike dogs, cats are almost untrainable and their loyalty as pets is always questionable. This is what makes very interesting Arya's staying with FM. From wolf she was, loyaly animal to Starks, she has become Cat, most likely symbolizing that her time with FM isn't whole-heartedly as we think. She is conflicted in a way. Wild social wolf during nights, and solitary cat during days. The fact she warged cat during practice talks a lot about dettachment from FM, but also from her family. But unlike FM, her family in her has anchor in her wolf dreams.

I tried to show that there's a difference between wolves and dogs and Arya is far more like a wolf. I found that wolves are not advisable to keep as pets because of training problems that aren't as apparent with dogs. For example, wolves can't be fully trusted around children (in story Nymeria was rumored to have snatched a baby) and it's not strange for them to turn on their owner.

Cats also have issues. We all know they can be solitary and moody or what have you. I think they are far easier to break in than wolves though at least domesticated cats not wild bigger ones.

It's true that the wolf dreams help her attachment to her family or at least to Nymeria.

3. Symbolism of crescent moon and wolves

The crescent moon originates indeed from Ancient Greece and Rome, but in medieval ages, it transformed into part of iconography of Ottoman Empire and Islam. If we look at crescent moon as recurring symbol of Arya's hunting story, we could use it to connect her storyarc in Braavos with Islamic ideology of wolves. And it basically fits perfectly with dreams Arya have. Wolves in Islamic symbolism represent scavanger, bloodthirsty predators, and were used sometimes to describe Balkan nations (due to common use of the wolf in names and surnames). So, crescent moon of Artemis is connected with both imagery of Arya as huntress, and islamic version for vicious predator.

Interesting. T4p.

1. Fighting skills

Here we go again about dog/cat contrast in Arya's story. Wolves indeed stalk their prey, but that primarily is the weapon of wild cats. And where wolves count on speed and endurance, wild cats count on element of suprise. That's why endurance is so connected with Starks, and traps with Lannisters. At the beginning, we can argue that Syrio's lessons were more about speed, quick reflexes and calmness. All of this are common for both wild cats and wolves. But, she evolved and now we see how much more she is a cat as person, than a wolf. While wolf hunts and tires the prey, wild cats use speed and one bite. Arya is more like that. She needed only one stab with pointy end to kill the boy in KL, she hid behind Jaquen and killed people as Ghost of Harrenhall, and now she is being taught skills that are far more similar to fighting skills of cats than one of wolves.

Wolves also use the element of surprise because as I mentioned they like to hide themselves first then attack their prey.

She would still have to use speed and endurance in the moments where she would have to fight someone like Jaqen was against those men. It's a last resort but still a necessary skill to have in case something goes wrong or like Jaqen if she is in a situation where it is called for.

Thanks to another poster I already had to do a much shorter comparison of Arya to cats and I found that:

At the same time, there is a grain of truth to this. "A deadly game of cat and mouse" is often a very real situation; cats not taught to hunt properly by their mothers often appear to clumsily toy with their prey before killing it, and even veteran mousers will play with their quarry before killing and consuming them, in order to avoid being bitten, since the saying is correct that "even a cornered mouse will snap at a cat" (but only when the mouse is aware of the cat; meanwhile, a cat that ambushes a mouse by surprise will kill it instantly, which is why cats are experts at hunting by stealth and secrecy). Cats are also among the few predators known to hunt and kill for fun, even when they're not going to eat the prey (though given that among the other animals known to do this are humans, we don't really have much room to give ourselves grief).

Cats kill for sport and are known to play with their prey first. That sounds more like Ramsay Bolton than Arya even though he's associated with dogs. However, he does have a normal dog association too in that there are certain breeds of dogs who have been trained to hunt wolves like his have.

ETA: I had to add because I don't want to make cats sound as bad as Ramsay but they do it for different reasons. Like not knowing what to do with their prey or wanting to weaken their prey first before killing it.

Arya is not one to play with her prey. She goes in for the quick kill. I wouldn't say she's kills completely like a cat because that is a big difference.

Cats also differ between them. For example, she'd be more like a tiger than say a lion. The reason why a tiger will usually trump a lion in a fight is that a tiger hunts alone and because of that will go straight for the kill. Lions usually hunt with their pride.

The conservation charity Save China's Tigers stated, "Recent research indicates that the tiger is indeed stronger than the lion in terms of physical strength. Lions hunt in prides, so it would be in a group and the tigers as a solitary creature so it would be on its own. A tiger is generally physically larger than a lion. Most Experts would favour a Siberian and Bengal tiger over an African lion."^[21]

"Lions are social where tigers are not, so just in growing up, lions are going to play-fight a lot because they are training to fight over the rights to be in a pride, whereas a tiger can go its whole life without an encounter," he said.

Although combat experience would give veteran lions prowess, the social nature of these cats may ultimately be their biggest weakness in a brawl with a tiger. According to the Lion Research Center at the University of Minnesota, coalitions of two to three male lions usually fight as a group against territorial rivals, but tigers always go it alone. This difference affects the two cats' instincts.

"What I've seen from tigers, they seem to be more aggressive; they go for the throat, go for the kill," Saffoe said. "Whereas the lions are more, 'I will just pound you and play with you.' Lions can maybe afford to play around a bit more because they've got backup with other lions. Tigers can't. Maybe they are conditioned through their evolution never to depend on help from anyone else and always to go for the quick kill."

http://www.livescien...iger-fight.html

Lions don't go for the quick kill, cheetahs will knock the prey down then kill it, and many domestic cats will play with a mouse first before killing it, etc.

Thanks for the responses and inviting me to participate. I enjoyed doing the project.

[Mladen]

Lyanna has far more romantic feelings but Arya is unlike all her family members in that excluding possibly the Blackfish but we really don't know what the deal is on him. He could have some feelings like say Ser Barriston had but we just don't know about it unless we had his POV.

I always looked at Lyanna as somewhere between sisters. I mean she is more tender than Arya, but harsher than Sansa. Both sisters are mirroring Lyanna's story in some ways. It's not as people presume that only Arya is like Lyanna. but we'll deal with it when I am done with my essay pn the three of them. My conclusion is that there is more to Lyanna than it meets the eye, and you can see subtelties Ned made in his memories.

I tried to show that there's a difference between wolves and dogs and Arya is far more like a wolf. I found that wolves are not advisable to keep as pets because of training problems that aren't as apparent with dogs. For example, wolves can't be fully trusted around children (in story Nymeria was rumored to have snatched a baby) and it's not strange for them to turn on their owner.

Cats also have issues. We all know they can be solitary and moody or what have you. I think they are far easier to break in than wolves though at least domesticated cats not wild bigger ones.

Yes, you have made great case presenting differences in dogs and wolves, but for me cat vs. wolf(dog) is somewhat intruiging.

Since wolves and dogs basically have common ancestor, and cats are totally different family, I think that we are seeing that dogs vs cats in many aspects of Arya's story, and even in entire ASOIAF. We have Starks vs. Lannisters, we have Cat of Canals vs Nymeria in Arya. and it's so strange that Martin used an animal that is so different from what wolves are. You could say that Arya's desire for revenge made her closer to the enemy - Lannisters. Symbolically, losing Stark identity in Braavos due to FM policy is connected with cat imagery. I will add just that Braavos is ASOIAF's Venice, and that protector of Venice is St. Mark who is symbolically represented with winged lions.

Thanks for the responses and inviting me to participate. I enjoyed doing the project.

You welcome. It is indeed my honor of having such great analysis on my thread. I am glad you enjoyed working on it.

[ARYa_Nym]

I always looked at Lyanna as somewhere between sisters. I mean she is more tender than Arya, but harsher than Sansa. Both sisters are mirroring Lyanna's story in some ways. It's not as people presume that only Arya is like Lyanna. but we'll deal with it when I am done with my essay pn the three of them. My conclusion is that there is more to Lyanna than it meets the eye, and you can see subtelties Ned made in his memories.

Yes. She is more tender. You could say the same thing about Catelyn. She wants peace. She liked the love story of Jenny of Oldstones. & she dearly loved her husband and wanted to give him more children. These are all very unlike Arya.

Both women despite have similarities to Arya will have differences as Arya is her own person.

Since wolves and dogs basically have common ancestor, and cats are totally different family, I think that we are seeing that dogs vs cats in many aspects of Arya's story, and even in entire ASOIAF. We have Starks vs. Lannisters, we have Cat of Canals vs Nymeria in Arya. and it's so strange that Martin used an animal that is so different from what wolves are. You could say that Arya's desire for revenge made her closer to the enemy - Lannisters. Symbolically, losing Stark identity in Braavos due to FM policy is connected with cat imagery. I will add just that Braavos is ASOIAF's Venice, and that protector of Venice is St. Mark who is symbolically represented with winged lions.

Wolves and dogs are very different though despite being both canines. Jon said in ADWD that they are not each others' kind. & Nymeria kills dogs. Her "husband's" dogs would be an enemy for Nymeria.

I do agree that they have similarities but so do cats with wolves despite not being of the same family.

Cat and Nymeria don't necessarily conflict. After all in ADWD she's able to be Cat and still have wolf dreams. I wouldn't say her identity as Cat is a sever to her Stark identity. Varaymr's shadowcats did not conflict with his wolves. Bran's birds do not conflict with Summer. They are additional and secondary.

The inspiration for Cat of the Canals Molly Malone reminds me of Lyanna in the basic sense that the girl dies young and of a fever.

Cat of the Canals is the one identity where she is most similar to Arya Underfoot. She skinchanges cats so it's still a link to being a descendant of the First Men.

The cats also foreshadow something (as well as Casso the Seal)-they can still recognize her through her disguise because of her scent. Nymeria should be able to as well.

Cat and no one are two different people. The KM said she could be Cat forever but Arya did not want to give up no one so she said no. & also Cat is only a role.

Arya is supposed to be a small cat (domestic).

The biggest toms would seldom win, she noticed; oft as not, the prize went to some smaller, quicker animal, thin and mean and hungry. Like me, she told herself.

I've mentioned elsewhere that Bastet is the Egyptian counterpart to Diana and Artemis. She is the goddess of domestic cats. They do have ones for the bigger cats like Sekhmet.

To the Greeks, Bast's equivalent was Artemis, and to the Romans she was Diana

By the Middle Ages Diana was the name of the Queen of the Witches. The cat was then becoming linked with witchcraft and goddess worship.

http://www.likeacat.com/Cat-Symbolism_ep_56-1.html

On the Lannisters it's being Cat and no one that prevents her from likely ever being the one to kill them. While she is in Braavos they will be picked off by other people.

[Mladen]

Both women despite have similarities to Arya will have differences as Arya is her own person.

I agree with this. For me both Catelyn and Lyanna have something in common with Stark girls, but they are different person. And Arya certainly isn't Lyanna.

Wolves and dogs are very different though despite being both canines. Jon said in ADWD that they are not each others' kind. & Nymeria kills dogs. Her "husband's" dogs would be an enemy for Nymeria.

I do agree that they have similarities but so do cats with wolves despite not being of the same family.

I was thinking more of a families canines vs felines, dogs vs cats, wolves vs lions... Interestingly enough to see how Hound fits in Arya's storyline, and how in Sansa. Two different perspectives on one person... While in Sansa it's more of returning to her roots, for Arya is blossoming of the hatred that isn't quite Stark, but more of a Lady Stoneheart. Somehow Hound shifted the girls, and he brought the Starkness in Sansa and harsh 'Tullyness' in Arya.