What is the deal with Winter anyway?

[AegonSnow]

Throughout Literature and Media, Winter is a BIG DEAL

All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all those who wander are lost;

The old that is strong does not wither,

Deep roots are not reached by the frost.

From the ashes a fire shall be woken,

A light from the shadows shall spring;

Renewed shall be blade that was broken,

The crownless again shall be king.

-J.R.R Tolkien

Deep Roots - Brynden Rivers

From the Ashes -

A light from the shadows-

Blade that was broken - Lightbringer

Crownless again shall be king - one of the Targaryen dynasty?

It's very strange how much this relates to ASoIaF.

Now is the winter of our discontent

Made glorious summer by this sun of York;

And all the clouds that lour'd upon our house

In the deep bosom of the ocean buried.

WINTER! And ASoIaF does have a lot of tie ins already to the War of the Roses.

Does anyone else see anything non-ASoIaF stuff that might relate to the series?

[Corvo Attano]

The deal with winter is that its coming.

[The Dornishman's Wife]

The deal with winter is that its coming.

And it's high time for that:

The internet is negative about summer, but positive about winter.

Democracy at work.

[Morienthar]

Winter in the north(In our world) has always stood for hardship,Just the way summer stands for hardship in the south.

[TheBlackViper]

It's freaking cold, that's what.

The Western take on seasons is an agricultural one. Winter is traditionally a time for hardship (stealing from Morienthar), when you can't work the land, nor reap its benefits. Agricultural activities take place from Spring to Autumn. In Spring, after the hard (and cold) Winter, you usually plant the fields anew, which is why Spring is usually considered a season of change and new hope. You reap the benefits in Autumn, the season of plenty. In Winter there is nothing to do but go inside your home and wait for Spring. Summer is a season for frolicking, swimming in cool streams and eating fruit :)

Also, Winter is pretty freaking cold.

[Turin Turambar]

Winter -> cold -> freezing, starvation -> death (big deal)

[TheMysteriousOne]

Winter: Death, darkness, cold, freezing, hardships etc.

[Ser Greg of House House]

Winter in the north(In our world) has always stood for hardship,Just the way summer stands for hardship in the south.

What? No hardship in summer here in the south. We love summer :) I do, at least. I hate winters. And our winters are nothing like a real winter. It's like 15 celsius here and I'm freezing already.

[Thor Odinson]

Maybe because they didn't have heaters during the middle ages? That might have something to do with it...

[Lion of Judah]

I'm a Florida boy born and raised so I don't know how people can enjoy the cold. What are the positives to winter?

[Leto]

What? No hardship in summer here in the south. We love summer :) I do, at least. I hate winters. And our winters are nothing like a real winter. It's like 15 celsius here and I'm freezing already.

Well people love winter as well, skiiing n stuff.. Historically though, the sun was as feared in a lot of southern cultures as the cold was in the northern. Scorching sun meant dead crops and no drinking water.

[jarl the climber]

I'm a Florida boy born and raised so I don't know how people can enjoy the cold. What are the positives to winter?

You can work outside all day without sweating a lick. If you live in the real North, winter opens up all kinds of new activities(skiing, hockey, skating, etc).

[Lion of Judah]

You can work outside all day without sweating a lick. If you live in the real North, winter opens up all kinds of new activities(skiing, hockey, skating, etc).

Those are some activities you never see around my parts, unless we jet ski.

[Pootie Tang]

The deal with winter is that its coming.

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