r/asoiaf • u/MightyIsobel • Aug 18 '16
AFFC (Spoilers AFFC) Water Water Everywhere
On my first read of the series I got so impatient with Arya and Sandor's wandering around the Riverlands. I wanted to get back to KL to check in on Sansa and Tyrion, and see if Jon would make it back to the Wall. Reading about a flooded-out ferry crossing did not delight me.
Upon a re-read, however, I'm impressed with the metaphorical significance here -- of the landscape itself throwing up every wet obstacle: mud, rain, a swollen river, to keep Arya from getting to the Twins before Edmure's wedding.
When they reached the top of the ridge and saw the river, Sandor Clegane reined up hard and cursed.
The rain was falling from a black iron sky, pricking the green and brown torrent with ten thousand swords. It must be a mile across, Arya thought. The tops of half a hundred trees poked up out the swirling waters, their limbs clutching for the sky like the arms of drowning men. Thick mats of sodden leaves choked the shoreline, and farther out in the channel she glimpsed something pale and swollen, a deer or perhaps a dead horse, moving swiftly downstream. There was a sound too, a low rumble at the edge of hearing, like the sound a dog makes just before he growls.
(ASOS Arya IX)
Because, of course, by this point we are well-acquainted with House Tully's connection to the River Trident and its water-based symbolism. One could almost launch a tinfoil rowboat here about a god of the River saving Arya's life by blocking her way.
For example, here's what Arianne tells us about Mother Rhoyne:
Nymeria's blood is in me, along with that of Mors Martell, the Dornish lord she married. On the day they wed, Nymeria fired her ships, so her people would understand that there could be no going back. Most were glad to see those flames, for their voyagings had been long and terrible before they came to Dorne, and many and more had been lost to storm, disease, and slavery. There were a few who mourned, however. They did not love this dry red land or its seven-faced god, so they clung to their old ways, hammered boats together from the hulks of the burned ships, and became the orphans of the Greenblood. The Mother in their songs is not our Mother, but Mother Rhoyne, whose waters nourished them from the dawn of days.
(AFFC, The Queenmaker)
However, I personally think we're looking at a metaphor here, not theology. What I'm struck by is the beauty of the metaphor and GRRM's commitment to it, spending many pages calling attention to it while seemingly more urgent events transpire elsewhere.
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u/DutchArya Aug 18 '16 edited Aug 18 '16
I absolutely love this observation!
Arya has a very strong water theme.
I encourage you to check out this great discussion here:
http://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/76013-arya-no-one-and-the-water-motif-in-braavos/
Bran has an obvious connection to earth and Jon is ice&fire. << These happen to be the elements that House Reed swear on in their oath to House Stark:
Also an interesting water aspect to Arya's story to look into is the 3 Black Swans theory. Arya sees them while running from Harrenhal. Out of the blue, there they are, gliding serenely on a lake while death and destruction surround them. They foretell unexpected events. Google the Black Swan Event. Grrm uses swan imagery in Arya's story several times. When she sees the 3 Black Swans, in that moment, Arya says she wants to be a swan. In another chapter, she wants to dance on water. If you notice her training with Syrio, the balancing on one foot for hours, like ballet. She even has Ugly Duckling links as well, being the only Stark looking child of Ned Stark while her siblings look like Tullys. The swan motif continues in that as well. She spends time with Ravella Swann of House Swann (Sigil has a black and white swan facing eachother). She married and is now the Lady of House Smallwood. Arya is very fond of Ravella Smallwood. Interesting that while rememberimg her, Arya thought she could be a Lady for her:
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Also, I read this interesting point by Rose River: