Game of Thrones: Chapter 7: Arya & Middle Child Syndrome

This chapter starts off with Sansa and Arya doing needlework with Septa Mordane,Princess Myrcella, and a few others. Right from the beginning we start to see the differences between Arya and her older sister Sansa.

Sansa’s needlework was exquisite. Everyone said so. “Sansa’s work is as pretty as she is.” Septa Mordane told their lady mother once. “She has such fine, delicate hands.” When the Lady Catelyn asked about Arya, the septa had sniffed “Arya has the hands of a blacksmith.”

This not only serves to show some differences between the two, but also set the tone as well and foreshadow the fate of each of the Stark daughters. Sansa is destined to have more of a life in the royal court Arya is going to have a life that is more related to hard work and adventure. The differences become even more apparent when conversation moves to Jon and how Arya says he is their brother, and Sansa corrects her in that he is only a half brother. It shows Arya thinks of Jon as an equal while Sansa may not. It also shows that Sansa takes care to separate herself from those who would socially be considered beneath her station. While she isn’t outwardly mean about it she is adhering to the social norm.

This is also the first time we are introduced to Jayne Poole who will have a role that is also closely related to Sansa and Arya. More pointedly this is the first time we see Sansa and her social graces. Sansa carries herself well and deftly handles septa Mordane with words and tact while Arya becomes frustrated and runs from the room.

Arya being two years younger than Sansa notes that her older sister is better at her at nearly everything. In addition to being better she also notes that Sansa is very beautiful and takes after her mother's side with more classic Tully features, while Arya looks far more like the Stark side of the family. Arya notes that the only things she is more capable at is managing a household and riding a horse.

Perhaps the differences between the two are no more apparent than in the naming of the direwolves. Sansa named hers “Lady” while Arya named hers Nymeria. Funny enough this is a sort of foreshadowing in the names. Clearly Sansa has a more proper lady like destiny while Arya will end up traveling the world encountering trouble and dangers wherever she goes in much the same way Nymeria did when she lead her people away from Essos in search of a new home and eventually ended up in Westeros.

Eventually she finds Jon watching her brother and Prince Tommen spar in the practice yard. One thing she notes when speaking to Jon is that he is not allowed to practice against the Princes as he’s a bastard and not welcome. Perhaps it’s due to her closeness with Jon that she feels the world is unfair. In many ways Arya has a sense of progressiveness to her, that her sister seems to be lacking. She even argues that women are as important as men when Jon notes that Joffrey’s Coat of Arms has both the Stag of House Baratheon and the Lion of Lannister prominently displayed equally.

Jon suggests Arya should combine the sigils of Stark and Tully for her Coat of Arms and Arya says:

“A wolf with a fish in it’s mouth?”

Looks like it would be a cool Coat of Arms to me!

Funny enough later on in the story this actually happens as Nymeria pulls Catelyn from the River after the Red Wedding.

The scene continues with Bran defeating Tommen in the yard and Joffrey hurling insults at Robb in regards to not being able to use life steel blades in practice. While Robb is game the Master at Arms of Winterfell Ser Rodrik forbids it and Joffrey leaves while hurling a couple of insults at Robb and bruising his pride/ego. Notably this is also the first time we see Sandor Clegane and learn that he killed someone at the age of twelve.

This sets up the notion that Joffrey is not only spoiled but an ass. Jon even calls him a little shit.

The chapter ends with Arya returning to her quarters and finding not only Septa Mordane and her mother waiting for her.

I do like the way the chapter ended as I think most any reader can relate that sense of dread knowing you are in trouble when you were a kid and having to go home or to the principals office and face the music so to speak and having to see your parents.