Valerie Estelle Frankel - Symbols in Game of Thrones: The Deeper Meanings of Animals, Colors, Seasons, Food, and Much More

Symbols in

Game of Thrones

The Deeper Meanings of Animals, Colors, Seasons, Food, and Much More

Valerie Estelle Frankel

Other Works by Valerie Estelle Frankel

Henry Potty and the Pet Rock: An Unauthorized Harry Potter Parody

Henry Potty and the Deathly Paper Shortage: An Unauthorized Harry Potter Parody

Buffy and the Heroines Journey

From Girl to Goddess: The Heroines Journey in Myth and Legend

Katniss the Cattail: The Unauthorized Guide to Name and Symbols in The Hunger Games

The Many Faces of Katniss Everdeen: Exploring the Heroine of The Hunger Games

Harry Potter, Still Recruiting: An Inner Look at Harry Potter Fandom

Teaching with Harry Potter

An Unexpected Parody: The Unauthorized Spoof of The Hobbit Movie

Teaching with Harry Potter

Myths and Motifs in The Mortal Instruments

Winning the Game of Thrones: The Host of Characters and their Agendas

Winter is Coming: Symbols, Portents, and Hidden Meanings in A Game of Thrones

Bloodsuckers on the Bayou: The Myths, Symbols, and Tales Behind HBO's True Blood

The Girls Guide to the Heroines Journey

Choosing to be Insurgent or Allegiant: Symbols, Themes & Analysis of the Divergent Trilogy

Doctor Who and the Heros Journey: The Doctor and Companions as Chosen Ones

Doctor Who: The What Where and How

Sherlock: Every Canon Reference You May Have Missed in BBCs Series 1-3

Women in Game of Thrones: Power, Conformity, and Resistance

Symbols in Game of Thrones is an unauthorized guide and commentary on A Game of Thrones and its related book series. None of the individuals or companies associated with this book or television series or any merchandise based on this series has in any way sponsored, approved, endorsed, or authorized this book.

All rights reserved.

Symbols in Game of Thrones

by Valerie Estelle Frankel

Paperback ISBN: 978-0692204627

Copyright 2014

Valerie Estelle Frankel

Smashwords Edition
LitCrit Press

Introduction

Animals

Bat

Bear

Birds

Cats

Dragons

Dragonflies

Eagle

Falcon

Goat

Griffon

Harpy

Horse

Hound

Insects

Kraken

Lion

Mockingbird

Ravens and Crows

Sphinx

Spider

Stag

Trout

Unicorn

Viper

Wolves

F OOD

Apples

Arbor Gold

Beets and Turnips

Blackberries

Blood Oranges

Boar

Bread and Salt

Chestnuts

Dates and Figs

Grapes

Lambs and Sheep

Lamprey

Lemons

Nuts

Olives

Onions

Peaches

Pears

Spicy Peppers

Persimmons

Pie

Pigeon

Pike

Plums and Prunes

Pomegranates

Red Wine

Seasons Sky and Weather

Autumn

Comet

Darkness

Dawn/Morning

Moon

Night

Rains of Castamere

Smoke

Spring

Storms

Summer

Sun

Winter

C OLORS

Black and White

Black

Blue

Brown

Gold

Green

Grey

Orange

Pink

Purple

Rainbow

Red

Silver

Symbols of Ice and Fire

White and Ice

Red and Fire

Ice and Fire

Weirwoods

Other Symbolism

Armor

Birth

Blood

Books

Candles

Chains

Chair Jostling

Circles

Credits

Crossbows

Cyvasse

Dagger

Dragon Eggs

Dragonglass

Game of Thrones

Gates

Hair

Hand

Hexagon

Horn

Iron and Bronze

Iron Throne

Magic

Needle

Pyramids

Rose

Sacrifice

Salt

Seven

Shadows

Skulls

Spear

Stone

Straw Men

Swords

Three

Towers

Twins

Underground

Valar Morghulis

The Wall

Water Gardens

Weddings

What is Dead Will Never Die

Appendix

Actors and Creators

Episode List

When asked whether people should analyze his writing, George R.R. Martin , author of A Game of Thrones , replied:

I think every writer appreciates attentive reading of his work. We labor over these books for years, after all. Then they come out, and the readers gulp them down in days or even hours. Which is very gratifying, in one sense, but can also be frustrating, if we feel that they are missing all the grace notes and little subtleties and clever allusions and ironies and turns of phrase that we sweated blood over for so long. I try to write books that will stand up to rereading, so that every time you go through you will find more to appreciate ... and therefore Im thrilled when readers tell me that they do reread the books. (So Spake Martin, C90, P15)

In fact, his series contains many clever homages, as well as items with deeper meaning. In a Kings Landing puppet show, t he Lion of Lannister defeats the Stag of Baratheon, while the Dragon of House Targaryen is returning to consume that lion. The Dothraki consider their horses part of themselves, Varys is a spider, the list goes on and on. With dogs, wolves, ravens, blood flies, and so many more, animal symbolism is endlessly significant.

Cersei loves to eat boar after one kills King Robert just as in Celtic myth, boars frequently heralded the deaths of noble warriors. Martin s ravens are straight from Norse myth, as are Krakens. Daenerys seeks to establish herself as good queen of Slavers Bay, even while destroying their harpy that depicts the feminine as evil.

The animals of heraldry have much meaning when viewed through a medieval lens. It was the Normans who formalized heraldry and by the twelfth century many Norman lords had a recognized coat of arms. In heraldry, the horse is a symbol of speed, intelligence and masculinity, much like Drogo the khal (Mounet Lipp). The Tully Trout are loyalty and prosperity; Baratheon antlers represent strength and fortitude.

Martins endless banquets brim with symbolism as well. Popular dishes include bloody beef, blood sausages, blood melons, blood oranges, red wine, pomegranates, blackberries, cherries, grapes, and beets, underscoring the dripping red violence of the series. Characters to be sacrificed eat lambs, rich parasites eat lamprey, Arya catches pigeons as she adapts to an urban life in the slums of Kings Landing. Frightening things are hidden in pies, and those characters covering fish in a thick crust or sauce are just as quick to hide their intentions. Daenerys tries hopelessly to plant olive trees in Meereen as the violence there escalates. Every dish seems to have a double meaning. And some feasts appear to have one purpose but reveal much darker motivations that often end in disaster and death (Kistler 133).

Seasons too have deeper meanings. Theres the red comet that heralds war, violence, and dragons , with a different meaning for each character. Characters progress from being youths and the untried knights of summer through the tragedies of autumn and doom of winter to, one hopes, the resurrection of spring . The War for the Dawn is coming, as are the Rains of Castamere .

Colors have a section as well, from the blue of Daenerys s dress, casting her as the Virgin Mary , to the Black Brothers and White Cloaks. In heraldry , r ed represents martyrdom and a warriors courage, while gold signifies glory, faith, constancy, and wisdom (Shepherd 343). Jojen Reed has the greensight, an ancient power of nature and the Old Gods. Ser Barristan and Brienne serve the realm humbly, as shown by their colors. Of course, there are the symbols of ice and fire: Stark children with red hair and blue eyes or swords of red and grey. Chief among these are the weirwood trees, red and white above black pools, with black ravens in their branches.