A Song of Ice and Fire - A Chapter a day discussion
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07/27/15 - Chapter 7: Bran 2
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Dani, Stormborn, the Unburnt, Khaleesi and queen
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Jul 27, 2015 06:18PM
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It's fine. I was afraid I was going to be late again (I have family visiting from out of town) so I'm glad I'm not the only one! 1. Interesting how the king wanted to feast on wild boar on their last night in Winterfell... *SPOILERS FOR UPCOMING CHAPTERS IN GAME OF THRONES*(view spoiler)
2. Jon and his wolf were nowhere to be found... I'm curious as to why? "Jon seemed to be angry at everyone these days." I wonder if Bran is the only one who perceived this, or if the whole castle can tell. I just don't think Bran realizes how shunned Jon feels. And he wouldn't; he's a 7-year-old trueborn boy.
3. "...when brother fought sister in the war the singers called the Dance of the Dragons." This is *similar* to the title to the fifth book, to make note. Brother and sister fought? I want to know more about this!
4. Ser Arthur Dayne was a member of the kingsguard. I don't know if that was mentioned earlier, but it caught my eye now. So Ned killed a member of the kingsguard... for king Aerys. Makes me wonder what sort of man Ser Arthur was. Ser Barriston is the current Lord Commander of the kingsguard. That's interesting to note. I forgot how eager Bran is to go to King's Landing to see the knights and stuff. And of course it has to be the last day too, before he falls from a great height. :(
5. And now Bran is crying... he already misses Winterfell, and he hasn't even left yet! So many crying Starks...
6. Bran can't think of a name for his direwolf. He does seem to approve of Grey Wind for Robb's wolf, and he really likes the name Ghost -- but that name's already taken, and his wolf is not white so it wouldn't make sense. I like how he puts a lot of thought into this. How he seems to take his time coming up with the perfect name.
7. Why does everyone avoid the pool nearby the heart tree? Interesting how Bran is afraid of the heart tree and doesn't see why they need to have eyes.
8. "A strange chill ran through him." As his wolf howls at him. Forewarning! His wolf knows something he doesn't! I didn't even notice this the first time reading this.
9. Of Winterfell: "The place had grown over the centuries like some monstrous stone tree, Maester Luwin told him once, and its branches were gnarled and thick and twisted, its roots sunk deep into the earth." There again about the trees. I wonder if the castle itself is somehow connected to the godswood?
10. "...the silence of the godswood..." Hmm...
11. With it being a castle, which sounds like a large one, you'd think the brothers wouldn't need to share a room. Still, it's endearing. It fits the medieval era, when family members often slept in the same bed for warmth and safety.
12. "It was almost like being invisible." Hmm... again.
13. In the dictionary, an eyrie (also spelled aerie) is an eagle's nest, or, "a dwelling on a height." However, here the "eyrie" is just the place where birds, particularly crows, have their nests on the rooftops.
14. Interesting Cercei was "certain" Ned would refuse Robert.
15. I confess I am still confused about the whole Lysa Arryn thing, even after reading it again. What do the Lannisters have to do with it? Or are they truly involved, like Lady Lysa said? *SPOILERS FOR A STORM OF SWORDS, BOOK 3*(view spoiler)
16. Still don't understand why Jaime bothered to ask how old Bran was before pushing him off the tower window to his presumable death. Sounds like it was Cersei who wanted him dead, not Jaime. Perhaps he was going to ask the boy more questions, then thought better of it. But of all the questions to ask...
I think Bran a little more now (not that I didn't like him before, but I didn't love him). Reading about how he adores climbing, and how excited he was to meet the knights and be one was so sad. I forgot how much he wanted to go.The conversation between Cersei and Jaime was really interesting. About your point 15 *SPOILERS FOR A STORM OF SWORDS* (view spoiler).
I believe too Cersei was the one who wanted him death, but I don't see how they could have made Bran stay quite about it. So the only solution he saw was pushed him.
Funny how Bran (we discover that also Jon and maybe all the Stark children) has this perspective of The wall... He was going with Uncle Ben to the wall, to join the Night's Watch. That was almost as good as going south with the king. Robb was the one tehy were leaving behind, not Jon.
I think Old Nan hasn't been telling the right stories to these kids... more is the contrast compared to the times when they have to face "winter" and all the horrible things that come with it.
@Ruben, yes I noticed that too but forgot to write it down! I think the only kinds of stories they hear about the Wall are the adventures that happened a LONG time ago, probably so the kids would continue to look with pride at what their ancestor, Brandon the Builder, built (and what they are charged with maintaining, since the Wall is technically part of the Northern kingdom and Ned is the one who personally executes Night's Watch traitors). It's sort of like history class in elementary schools in America. Teachers tell their little pupils all about how amazing George Washington and Abe Lincoln were, the glorious battles of the Civil War, and how great democracy is. They don't tell 7-year-olds about how corrupt the White House is now. But you'd think that someone in Winterfell should have told Jon, who is now 14, at least a little truth of what he is going to have to deal with. He's not 7 anymore, like Bran, who is still impressionable. Someone should have given Jon a reality check. Then again, maybe it IS fitting Old Nan tells them the old stories, the ones where the Wall successfully defended itself from the Others. All stories are based on some truth. They could be very useful to Jon in the future.
And I just had another thought. Ned ought to know the state of things on the Wall. But instead of fearing for his bastard son, he tells himself that even bastards can rise high in the Night's Watch. So if Ned is aware how shabby the Night's Watch has gotten, he doesn't seem to think Jon will fail. Quite the opposite. I kind of really, really like that! The faith he has in Jon.
you are right, that was exactly was I was thinking about, your comparison with USA's history classes is really accurate, I had not thought about it.
