Chapter Titles and Possible Significance

[Rhaegar's Love]

I'm not sure if this has been discussed before but I did a search and couldn't find anything.

I've been rather intrigued with how each chapter is titled. Now from AGOT-ASoS, the chapter titles were the name of the POV character.

Starting with AFfC, things get a bit different. Here are some examples:

The Prophet/The Drowned Man= Aeron Greyjoy

The Kraken's Daughter=Asha Greyjoy

The Queenmaker/The Princess in the Tower=Arianne Martell

The Soiled Knight=Arys Oakheart

The Captain of Guards= Aero Hotah

The Iron Captain/The Reaver=Victarion Greyjoy

It's even been done with the regular POV characters, such as Arya (Cat of the Canals) and Sansa (Alayne).

It is done in ADwD as well.

I know GRRM has spoken of the importance of identity and I understand why he does it for Arya and Sansa, since both have been going through some hefty identity crises and it'll impact the readers more.

What I'm not sure is why he does it with the new POV characters? Why not just use their names? Is it a tongue-in-cheek way of saying "Don't get too attached! They won't be around for long!"

Why go with a summation of their story in that chapter? For that matter, what would the titles have been like if this had started from the get-go?

I think the titles can have a fair amount of significance, but honestly, I can't be so sure of what it is, but I thought it was worth putting this out there.

[Mrs.Grumpy]

Uhm, Euron isn't a POV character :ack:

[Lady Nastja]

You could be getting at something, but I always saw the titles as a way to add more character to the chapter.

For me, writing is one of my favourite hobbies and I use titles for my characters often. I don't really see it as anything more than a healthy bit of character building/intrigue and I think its a nice touch, though I suppose I could be alone in this.

[RumHam]

The Reaver=Euron Greyjoy

If only.

[Steinnis]

It's been brought up before, and I think it's just how the POV percieve themselves at the time, The Reaver, The Iron Suitor and later just Victarion. Is a good example. Theon also goes from Reek, to Prince, to Ghost of Winterfell, then finally just Theon.

[King of Winters]

The one I think is a big significance is Asha's "The Sacrifice" one in ADWD.

The names of the POVs are named after the characters, so I always wondered what it's called "The Sacrifice" but Asha isn't the one sacrificed, instead it's some other men.

Fire Eater solved this for me and their theory is

that Theon will be taken to a Weirwood tree before the Battle of Ice, by Stannis and is about to behead him, as in Theon's TWOW sample chapter Asha says Stannis should sacrifice Theon like Ned would have done to please the Northerners, and also it's thought BranRaven wants Theon at the tree as well as there are ravens saying "tree" and "Theon".

So they want Theon as a sacrifice, but Theon will escape it when he remembers what Luwin said and requests to join the NW, so he's allowed.

This is where "The Sacrifice" title comes in. Asha will be killed in the Battle of Ice when she's cornered against a Weirwood tree, and killed. This is foreshadowed when she's nearly killed the same way in ADWD.

I also think that because the POV names are named after the POV character, Theon is the Ghost in Winterfell (Hooded Man) as that chapter is called Ghost in Winterfell.

[Rhaegar's Love]

Uhm, Euron isn't a POV character :ack:

:bang: Thanks for pointing this out. I have no idea why I remembered that poorly. It's been fixed now.

[Rhaegar's Love]

You could be getting at something, but I always saw the titles as a way to add more character to the chapter.

For me, writing is one of my favourite hobbies and I use titles for my characters often. I don't really see it as anything more than a healthy bit of character building/intrigue and I think its a nice touch, though I suppose I could be alone in this.

This is a very good point. I enjoy writing as well but have never used this particular technique. Perhaps I'll have to experiment with it. :)

It's been brought up before, and I think it's just how the POV percieve themselves at the time, The Reaver, The Iron Suitor and later just Victarion. Is a good example. Theon also goes from Reek, to Prince, to Ghost of Winterfell, then finally just Theon.

I'm sure you're right. I had a fleeting thought that with the death rate in the series, GRRM was saying "Eh don't even bother learning their names." lol.

The one I think is a big significance is Asha's "The Sacrifice" one in ADWD.

The names of the POVs are named after the characters, so I always wondered what it's called "The Sacrifice" but Asha isn't the one sacrificed, instead it's some other men.

Fire Eater solved this for me and their theory is

that Theon will be taken to a Weirwood tree before the Battle of Ice, by Stannis and is about to behead him, as in Theon's TWOW sample chapter Asha says Stannis should sacrifice Theon like Ned would have done to please the Northerners, and also it's thought BranRaven wants Theon at the tree as well as there are ravens saying "tree" and "Theon".

So they want Theon as a sacrifice, but Theon will escape it when he remembers what Luwin said and requests to join the NW, so he's allowed.

This is where "The Sacrifice" title comes in. Asha will be killed in the Battle of Ice when she's cornered against a Weirwood tree, and killed. This is foreshadowed when she's nearly killed the same way in ADWD.

I also think that because the POV names are named after the POV character, Theon is the Ghost in Winterfell (Hooded Man) as that chapter is called Ghost in Winterfell.

I never thought of that but that is so chilling with Asha!! Poor girl :frown5:

[Lady Nastja]

The one I think is a big significance is Asha's "The Sacrifice" one in ADWD.

The names of the POVs are named after the characters, so I always wondered what it's called "The Sacrifice" but Asha isn't the one sacrificed, instead it's some other men.

Fire Eater solved this for me and their theory is

that Theon will be taken to a Weirwood tree before the Battle of Ice, by Stannis and is about to behead him, as in Theon's TWOW sample chapter Asha says Stannis should sacrifice Theon like Ned would have done to please the Northerners, and also it's thought BranRaven wants Theon at the tree as well as there are ravens saying "tree" and "Theon".

So they want Theon as a sacrifice, but Theon will escape it when he remembers what Luwin said and requests to join the NW, so he's allowed.

This is where "The Sacrifice" title comes in. Asha will be killed in the Battle of Ice when she's cornered against a Weirwood tree, and killed. This is foreshadowed when she's nearly killed the same way in ADWD.

I also think that because the POV names are named after the POV character, Theon is the Ghost in Winterfell (Hooded Man) as that chapter is called Ghost in Winterfell.

Ah, yes. Very clever. Fire Eater solves yet another mystery.

I suppose I was partly wrong when it comes to the significance of titles. Thank you.

[Lady Nastja]

This is a very good point. I enjoy writing as well but have never used this particular technique. Perhaps I'll have to experiment with it. :)

You really should, it had never truly occurred to me prior to read the titles in ASoIaF. Since I've used it, my "beta readers" as they are, have told me that it adds more depth to the story, so please do experiment with it. :)

[King of Winters]

Ah, yes. Very clever. Fire Eater solves yet another mystery.

I suppose I was partly wrong when it comes to the significance of titles. Thank you.

When in doubt, just check to see if Fire Eater has solved it :D

Also nice to see you back :)

[Lady Nastja]

When in doubt, just check to see if Fire Eater has solved it :D

Also nice to see you back :)

Yes! :D That should be one of the laws in Boardology.

Thank you, its nice to be back. :)