Daenerys

On there ride to the city of Vaes Dothrak, Daenerys sees all the fallen cities and their old statues. Visery still talks down on them in the common language they do not understand and Daenerys hopes no one catches on. On the way Jorah tells Daenerys a lot about there city, their customs belief and many more different things about their ifestyle. Daenerys is fascinated by it all. Jorah also tells her that Visery will not get his "gift" until it is time not when he wants to. Daenerys argues back with him for awhile and decides she will do whatever she can to help him get it sooner because he is still her king and brother regardless of the wrong he has done. Daenerys sees it that Visery gets new clothing and a fine meal he will enjoy. Visery comes to her upset that she has demanded him again and calls her out her name and tries to harm her. Again Daenerys reminds him who she is by striking back at him and reminding him what happened last time. He storms off and Daenerys decides  to rest and think about how great her son will be. This chapter is important because we see Daenerys continuing to grow and we learn about the city of Vaes Dothrak. I chose it because I like how Daenerys is growing and I dislike how resistant Visery is and how he is treating his sister.

Game of Thrones Blog #4

Daenary's Chapter:

In this chapter Daenary goes to the city of Vaes Dothrak to receive a prophecy for the baby she is carrying. She is told to eat to a stallion heart because it is said to make the baby stronger. The elderly women of Dothraki tell her that her baby will be " the stallion that mounts the world." Later in the chapter Visery's came to the feast drunk and Daenary is ashamed of his behavior. She disowns him but later gives him a gift which he rejects.

I chose this chapter because I talked about Dany in my last blog and thought that it be befitting to carry on with her. This chapter is important because it foreshadows what is going to happen with the child of Daenary. By the elders telling her that her child will be he stallion that mounts the world it is saying that he will be a great leader; possibly king. This chapter shows how she has gotten stronger and has built on to her character. Daenary is no longer the scared girl as we thought in the beginning of the book. Talking about Dany could add to the discussion the topic of how women are taking on bigger positions in life which reflects how Dany stood up to her brother.

GoT Blog #4 Dany (489-500)

Summary: In this chapter Dany who is in Vaes Dothrak gets her prophecy about her unborn baby from the elder women of the Dothraki. It is prophesized that her son will be the "stallion that mounts the world", which presumably foreshadows that he will become king. Later after failing to steal one of his sister's eggs, Viserys storms into a feast where he eventually draws his sword and points it at Dany demanding that Drogo and his warriors win him back his crown. Drogo and his warriors then pour molten gold onto Viserys' head killing him.

Analysis: There is a ton that is revealed in this chapter with the death of Viserys being the most critical. His death means that Dany would become queen instead of him which adds a very interesting twist on the story. She also adds that he couldn't be a dragon, since dragons can't die from fire, which i personally thought was pretty cool. I think that this chapter frees Dany from the ties of her brother and will allow her to become who she really wishes to be and act how she wants. I predict that Dany will become a very well respected and powerful queen after the events of this chapter. Also the fact that the elder women of the Dothraki foretold that her son would basically rule the world seems very significant and i think that he will also play a major role once he is born. 

Dany (409-418)

Summary of Chapter:
In this chapter, Dany eats the raw, bloody, heart of a stallion so as to ensure her child's masculinity, power, and sex. If Dany couldn't finish the heart, or threw it up, her baby would either be a stillborn, deformed, weak, and/or a girl. After she eats the heart, she goes to cleanse herself in a lake called "the Womb of the World" for more good luck. Also in this chapter, one of the rules of Vaes Dothrak is that "No one may carry a blade here or shed a man's blood" (page 414),which Viserys blatantly ignores because he wants (again) what is owed to him: his army and crown, and if he doesn't get it he'll take Dany back and cut her child out himself. Khal gives him his crown... by pouring melted gold on his head which obviously kills him.

Overarching Theme and Personal Thoughts:

I'd just like to start off my personal thoughts with YAAAAS! Finally, Viserys is killed in the most fitting way possible. I chose this chapter because Dany is my favorite character throughout the whole book and I've enjoyed seeing her develop more, also because I hate Viserys and he finally died. The theme of this chapter has a lot to do with tradition and following the rules. This is true because Dany had to complete the horse heart eating ritual, and Khal followed the rules of Vaes Dothrak by killing Viserys with the melted gold and not shedding any blood. This ties in with the book thus far in the fact that pretty much everything is based on tradition (unless someone gets upset). For example, the rightful heir to the throne in each family is the first born son. Counterexample for my own example, Sam is the rightful heir to his family's throne, but he is fat, awkward, and cowardly, and his father told him he'd either kill him and say it was an accident, or he could "take the black" so his younger (second born) son could take the throne. Also, I've enjoyed the mutual respect that Khal Drogo and Dany have had since their marriage. At first I thought I'd hate Khal because he seemed very cold, but he's gentle towards her and he protects her. Dany eventually sees Viserys for what he really is. When Viserys died, Dany thought "He was no dragon....fire cannot kill a dragon" (page 418). This quote shows that Dany realizes that Viserys is not as big and powerful as he claims to be, but he is just an undeserving coward. I still hate him. 

Eddard Chapter

After reading the assigned chapters, I have found that Eddard’s chapter starting from 400-408 was the most important. To begin with, Stark finds himself in a tough position on what to do with the new information he has found. With this in mind, he decides to secretly meet with Cercei in the godswood and discuss some matters. In summary, Stark shares with the queen his acknowledgments of her secret relationship with Jaime. To top it all off that the 3 children: Joffrey, Myrcella and Tommen were theirs, not Roberts. In conclusion, he advises Cercei to exile their family and move somewhere safe where the king won’t harm them once Stark informs him on everything.

Given these points, it is noticeable how crucial this chapter is. Finally, the loose ends of why Jon Arryn was killed are tied. Simply, Arryn found out exactly what Stark has regarding the children being fathered by Jaime instead of Robert. Cercei even admits to trying to kill Bran for finding out about their secret affair. I was really shocked about most of what occurred in this chapter. I honestly did not see thing coming and I fear that Stark will be in great danger in the near future. It’s obvious to see Cercei will not go down without a fight and her pride is too big to simply run off and lose her power as the queen. Right before the chapter ends, Cercei states, “When you play the games of thrones, you win or die.” Definitely an important quote, the title of the book is stated and seems as though this is a threat to Eddard. One is going to win and the other die and we all know the Lannisters are devious people and winning is everything to them.

Jon (pages 444-451)

Summary:
          Jon's chapter takes place at the Wall, and begins with Ser Allister Thorne announcing which eight people will assist the Lord Commander. The beginning/middle includes Jon speaking with Sam about his worries for him, and voices his concerns to Pyp after him and Sam's talk. After, Jon decides to ride a mare with Ghost from Castle Rock to any destination that he ended up at. While on this ride, he begins thinking about how easy it would be to leave the Night's Watch and travel back to Winterfell by the time the, "...moon was full again". However, as he thinks about his brothers, Jon reminds himself that Robb and Bran are his "half" brothers, and how unwelcome Catelyn Stark would be to his arrival. At the end of the chapter, Jon visits Maester Aemon to voice his concerns for Sam, saying in so many words that while Sam lacks physical strengths and typical male skills, he is able to read and write. Jon also mentions Sam's approachable nature to animals, and with Jon's comments in mind, Maester Aemon ends the chapter with a declaration for sleep.

Analysis/Reaction:
          This chapter in Game of Thrones emphasizes Jon's character multiple times throughout. Readers are able to see deeper into the Jon's feelings, and just how big his heart really is. For example, we see his feelings when he rides with Ghost and mutters to himself, "I have not sworn yet." This statement regards Jon's previous comment about how, "...the Wall would be his home until he was old as Maester Aemon." An example for Jon's compassionate nature is evident when Jon speaks with Maester Aemon about his concerns for Sam, which shows how compassionate he is to the odd man out. This section displays Jon's character development mostly through his scene with Maester Aemon because that's when Jon's leadership quality really shines through, especially in this quote, "'The Night's Watch needs every man . Why kill one, to no end? Make use of him instead." As for the big picture of Game of Thrones, I feel that Jon is going to be a leader of some sorts either in the Night's Watch or with Robb. The reason I chose this chapter is because Jon is one of my favorite characters, and I love how his personality shines through in this section. His desire to improve Sam's time at the Wall is admirable and tells a lot about his character.

Ashley Misuraca Daenerys Chapter

Ashley Misuraca    Daenerys Chapter (beginning with “The Horse Gate of Vaes Dothrak…”)

In this chapter, Dany and Khal Drogo are traveling to their kingdom with Viserys in tow on the cart deemed as a shameful cart. Dany reveals to Ser Jorah that Viserys wants his reward for giving her to Khal, but Ser Jorah insists that it would be unwise for him to demand a price. Ser Jorah explained that in the beginning, it was frightening to live among Dothraki, but after witnessing their immense power and bravery, he knew that they would be difficult to beat in any battle. Dany tried to make amends with Viserys after shaming him in the grass by inviting him to dinner and gifting him with clothes and food that would make him look less like a beggar and more like a king. He reacted with anger (shocking) and told Dany that she would rue the day that she embarrassed him like this.

This chapter brought Dany back under the pressures of her brother, constantly trying to please him. That’s probably the prime reason that I didn’t like this chapter as much. She was making so much progress in becoming an independent from her brother. She was doing her best to make amends with him after shaming him, and he made her look just as weak as she was in the beginning of the book. It’s surprising that Khal isn’t more protective of Dany, especially since she is carrying his child. Then again, I can see why he would be so passive toward him considering she was technically “gifted” to her. If anything, Ser Jorah seems more protective over Dany than Khal or Viserys will ever try to be. The only thing that made this chapter a little uplifting was the connection she felt between the dragon egg and her unborn child. It made it seem like she would not let Viserys claim to be the dragon if her baby would be a more suitable ruler. 

GOT Discussion 4

I chose Ned's chapter on pages 480-488. Ned had just broken his leg and is a great deal of pain from it. However, he has very important decisions to toil over to distract himself from the pain. He is worried about how Robert, Cersei, and Lord Tywin will react to his decision to kill The Mountain. Ned asks for help in going outside (where the gods can see) and calls upon Cersei to come outside and talk with him. In their conversation, he reveals to her that he knows that none of her children are from Robert (due to the fact that the Baratheon coal-colored hair did not overcome the Lannister gold) and tells Cersei to leave. Cersei is a horrible person and is unimpressed and definitely doesn't really care.

This chapter gives us the famous quote, "when you play the game of thrones, you win or you die." This is just absolutely crucial and, coming from Cersei, is a very important point in the story. This chapter reveals to us new information about why Jon Arryn died and what the big secret and purpose of research was about. I personally thought that the children were Jaime's as soon as I knew him and Cersei were so gross together. I just think the confirmation of this and the way Cersei reacts is a big moment of foreshadow. Cersei does not even flinch when Ned reveals what he knows. She thinks she is untouchable and, honestly, the Lannisters kind of are. It goes to show how sneaky and resourceful they are and a lot of it is due to their abundance of wealth. I believe this chapter is just a pretty big turn of events because we start to think Ned might have the upper-hand but the way she accepts his warning with her own warning is telling us that it just can't be that simple. Ned will either win or die, but when you play with the Lannisters, you really don't have much of a choice of which occurs.

Game of Thrones Blog 4

Summary:

       For this week's blog, I decided to review Daenares' last chapter, as I'm sure many will.  In this chapter, it starts with Dany about to eat a stallion heart for a tribal ritual.  It is supposed to make her baby a strong leader, but she is nervous to do it.  She eats it, and the book is extremely detailed in describing it.  As she is eating it, she periodically looks at Khal, and she thinks that he is proud of her for doing it.  The elders give a prophecy as to what her son will be like, and they say he will be a powerful leader.  She declares that she will name him Rhaego and there is cheering and chanting as Drogo leads here from the pit.  Drogo asks where she came up with that name and she says that her brother's name was Rhaegar and that he died before she was born.  She bathes and her and Drogo have sex.  She then talks to sir Jorah, and asks where her brother was.  He said that he saw him that morning, and that he was looking for wine.  He also reminds her that they are in a sacred city where blood may not be shed.  Her brother then shows drunk, and in a rage.  He then threatens Dany with a blade, and demands his crown from Drogo.  Drogo calls out to his men who break his wrist and bind him.  Khal takes the medallions off of his belt and puts them in a cooking pot to melt them.  He pours the molten gold over Viserys' head, killing him.  

Discussion:

       In the larger scheme of things, this chapter does a good job of tying off some of the questions the reader is asking.  For example, in Dany's 2nd to last chapter it mentions that the elders will give a prophecy to see how her baby will be, and in her last chapter it answers it.  Also in that chapter, she hits her brother and tells him that Khal will kill him if he learns of his disrespect, and this turns out to be foreshadowing.  I chose this chapter to write about because it is so easy to write about because so much happens.  I really enjoyed this chapter because it went several places in the span of just 10 pages or so.  It could open the discussion for the role of women in modern day society vs. that of women in medieval times.

Eddard's chapter starting with "He was walking through..."

Ned awakes to loud knocking at his door.  He is informed Robert has been seriously injured during his hunt by a boar. He will likely die.  Ned then goes to see Robert and Robert asks for everyone to leave him and Ned alone for a moment.  Robert has Ned write down his last saying of who he passes the throne too.  Ned is now in charge of the realm until his heir is of age.  Ned makes sure not to put joff by name because he is really not his heir.  Littlefinger then asks Ned to take action against the Lannisters and Ned knows this is a bad decision.  He asked Littlefinger for his help in getting the backing of the city guard and he promises his cooperation.
This chapter shows the corruption that takes place in this time.  Ned realizes that if the Lannisters get control of the throne they will not be wise with their rule.  In this time in history family was large regarding a throne.  Ned knows that Joff is not the true heir and tries to make Roberts bastard son the next in line for the throne after Ned knows he is of age.  This era in history has been known for secrets and plots against higher powers.  Ned does a good job of realizing this and understands what will happen if he makes certain actions.  The whole story will change after this chapter.

Daenarys Pgs 489-500

       This chapter begins with Dany eating a horse heart raw to give her son strength. She has been practicing and completes the task with some effort. After the dosh khaleen tell Dany her son will be "The stallion who mounts the world" (491) Which means he will rule the world essentially, she names him Rhogo after her husband and brother. Dany then washes in "The womb of the world (493) a lake that is sacred to the Dothraki and Drogo rakes her there. At the feast Viserys comes in drunk makes a scene then draws his sword. Dany disowns him as a brother and Drogo melted down is belt and in an in a sad way finally gave Viserys his throne.

      I chose this chapter because it is huge for Dany, but also because the Eddard chapters in this section are so painful to read even though they're major to this book I'd rather focus on Dany. In this chapter we find out that Rhogo will become the ruler of the world. Everything is going perfectly for Dany in this chapter she has a strong son and husband but Viserys continues to weigh her down and create trouble for her. The difference is this is the final straw for Dany, where she no longer can even recognize Viserys as her own blood and he just becomes "The man who had been her brother". This drunken display horrifies and enrages others the Dothraki. This is seen as such a unforgivable act that the only sentence is death and Drogo knows the way to do it. Drogo uses liquid gold to kill Viserys because it wont spill blood and offend the gods yet will kill Viserys giving him what he has been asking for, a golden crown.

Eddard's chapter beginning with "Pain is a gift from the gods..."

Eddard's chapter beginning with "Pain is a gift from the gods..."
Littlefinger and Eddard discuss the Hound's surprising reaction to Eddard sending men to behead Gregor (although he dislikes his brother, the Hound is angry that Eddard had sent men to kill him). Eddard later meets with Cersei, who blatantly admits to having something to do with Bran's injury. Eddard warns her to leave because when Robert returns he intends to tell him the truth of her children (they are not Roberts!)
This chapter is important in the larger context of the story because it uncovers a lot of information. We finally find out the meaning of Jon Arryn's last words, "the seed is strong." Arryn had discovered the truth of the Kings "children." Eddard also reflect on the men in his life continuing the idea that few can be trusted. I chose this chapter because of the conversation between Cersei and Eddard. Previously I didn't feel like I had heard a lot from Cersei and I was very surprised that she was so upfront about her affair with her brother. This chapter develops on the idea of medieval life. For example, Eddard choses to meet Cersei in the godswood "so the gods [could] see." Cersei's openness of her relationship with her brother and explanation of how common it was to "wed brother and sister." Both of these are examples of how different medieval society is from our own.

Game of Thrones Post 4 Jon

In this chapter Ser Allister Thorne promotes Jon and the other boys to become men of the night watch but he doesn't think they will last long. The boys are all excited they finally have made it and drinks wine and have a special meal to celebrate. They are all talking about what each of the might become like a rider or a builder but Jon has his mind on something else. He notices that Sam, the fat boy, isn't at the feast which is unusual because he loves to eat and tell the other boys that it must be because he wasn't promoted like the rest of them and is now frightened that his friends are leaving him behind. Later Jon takes a horse and goes on a ride through the night with his direwolf Ghost. He thinks about how he have not sworn to becoming a night watch member yet and that he can still leave if he wants but then realize that Winterfell isn't his home anymore. So instead he rides back with another plan on his mind. Jon visit Maester Aemon's house in the middle of the night to convince the old man that Sam should be promoted to becoming a member of the night watch too. He tells Maester Aemon that just because Sam can't fight it doesn't means he is useless. Jon tells the Maester that Sam knows how to read, write, and do math which is someone that the night watches needs on their team. Maester Aemon tells Jon that he will think about it but seems to like Jon's idea.

What made me like this chapter is how Jon is finally becoming known as someone other than Eddard Stark's bastard, but as a member of the Night Watch in which he worked hard to achieve. Even though he was finally becoming a member, he wasn't all the way happy because he knew one person from his crew didn't make it. Jon knew that with the new recruits coming his friend Sam would eventually be killed which would sadden him so he found a way so that he wouldn't be left behind. This shows that Jon is very caring and the way he went to the Maester to convince him to promote sam with the rest of the boys show that he will make a great leader also. Jon shows how much of a good person and friend he is in this chapter. I also like how Jon is keeping hope that his Uncle Ben is still alive and is not believing what everyone else is assuming had happened to him. I hope one day his Uncle comes back and so that he can prove everyone wrong.

Mather Hoyt Game of Thrones 4

Daenerys (V)
    This Chapter begins with the elder Dothraki women telling Dani that her son is going to be the "the stallion who mounts the world." Dani is finally getting accustomed to the Dothraki lifestyle, and is starting to enjoy it. In previous chapters she was dreaming of "home", and I think that her home is anywhere with Khal Drogo and The Dothraki. On the other hand, Viserys is exiling himself more and more. Later in the chapter, a drunken Viserys storms into the feast, and demands the Dothraki men to go and win back his crown. Then Viserys stupidly draws his sword toward Dani. Immediately Drogo says Viserys will have his crown, and his men pour melted gold over Viserys' head, causing him to die. This chapter reveals that Viserys was no true dragon, since fire cannot kill a dragon.
    I chose this chapter because of course Daenerys is my favorite character. This chapter reveals to the audience that in fact Dani is the true dragon. Although it was not hard to guess that this is how it turns out, it is still exciting to see Dani start to make her own decisions without her nagging brother. I also chose this chapter because without the dead weight of Viserys I think Dani and her Dothraki army will start to make a lot more moves to reclaim the throne.
    This chapter can be related to the theme of gender roles. From the beginning many characters, and even audience members believed Viserys when he said he was the true dragon, simply because of his sex. Sadly, it is hard to believe that a women could possess all of that power. Dani is the perfect example of a women breaking gender roles. Even as a 16 year old girl she is controlling an army of strong, angry, and viscous men. 

Blog Entry 3 (Eddard)

Eddard Stark’s chapter on page 256 was very eventful and quite shocking. The chapter starts off with handling Hugh’s death to Stark convincing King Robert not to fight in the melee. Previously, he had drunkenly gotten in a quarrel with his wife about wanting to join in on the tournament. Later on, Stark finds out some shocking news given to him by Varys. Apparently, the queen wanted Robert to fight that day, all apart of her and her brother Jaime’s devious plan to kill him. As well as, how Jon Arryn died which was by poison served to him by Hugh.

            This chapter might be one of the most important chapters we have read so far for many reasons. First of all, Eddard finally gets a few of his questions answered and one step closer to exposing the Lannister siblings for their wrongdoings. There are many plot twists in this novel and for once we finally have an idea as to what happened on the horrible day Jon Arryn was murdered. Also, you see King Robert showing us more of how actually unhappy he is. For example, his excessive drinking and admitting to Stark that he doesn’t want the throne anymore.  I really liked this chapter because I did not want to put the book down; I was intrigued and needed to know more. Especially, finally getting closer to information of the deceit that comes with wanting full power from the queen. The main topic it introduces is the medieval life they thrive in. The very descriptive events of the tournament show how different entertainment has changed. As a social event, crowds appear to watch men fight and even one die in front of their own eyes. I was shocked at how the death of the men didn’t faze many of the audience members. All in all, I thought this was a wonderful chapter to represent the eventful story line.

Eddard (pg. 295-300)

Summary of Chapter:
In this chapter, Ned defends Dany and her child's right to live against Robert. Robert wants Dany's and her child dead so if she does birth a son, he cannot rule. Ned is also trying to flee back to Winterfell because Robert is mad at him for giving up his place as the King's Hand.

Overarching Theme and Personal Thoughts:

The main idea in this chapter is that people are not really who you think they are. Ned wished Robert to be a better person than that, and Robert wished Ned to be more loyal than that as well. I picked this chapter because I enjoyed the comment "At the moment, I cannot think of anyone whose company I desire less than yours." I also really admire Ned's defiance to King Robert, and how he doesn't just throw his value and beliefs out the window for him. 

Eddard (Page 351-378)

Summary
  Daenerys is pregnant. Barristan Selmy and Eddard vote against the plan that Robert want to murder Daenerys and Visery. Eddard feels so strongly that he insults the king and resigns the office of Hand. He prepares to leave the city (and we're totally behind him); but Petyr comes to tell him that he's found another of Jon Arryn's clues: Arryn and Stannis visited a brothel and Petyr will take Eddard there if he stays a little longer in the city.

Reaction:
  First of all, I think the end of that part is very interesting because there have a question about visiting one more brothel and how will Eddard explain that to his wife. This question have made me a sense to want to keep reading next chapter.

Arya (pg. 181-189)

Summary of Chapter:
There's going to be a jousting in the King's name, but he does not approve of it. Arya and Sansa are not getting along, which only puts more stress on the King. The King finds Arya with the sword she calls Needle that she got from Jon, but she doesn't rat him out because she didn't want to betray him "not even to their father". The King is at first disappointed in his daughter who is supposed to be taking etiquette lessons, but is instead taking a liking to swords. He later gets her lessons with Syrio so she can learn to use the sword.

Overarching Theme and Personal Thoughts:
The main idea in the chapter is really just showing how Arya is defying the odds and not playing into her set gender role as a Princess. She is expected to be prim and proper, while all she wants to do is become like one of her father's men. I enjoyed this chapter because it shows how Arya is a Tom-boy, and I was also a Tom-boy when I was growing up. I like how she does not feel like she has to hide her true feelings and can speak her mind, for example, when Septa told her to stay at the table and clean her plate and Arya yelled back "You clean it!".




>oops sorry this is super late

Eddard

Now both Hugh and Jon Arryn are dead Eddard's information is limited to finding out the truth. Robert also confesses a lot in this chapter after Eddard stops him from joining the melee because no one would ever hit the king and that would be like assassinating someone. Robert confesses again how he doesn't want to be king and hasn't left the throne because he doesn't want Cersei and Joff to run things. Robert is thinking about leaving Cersei and remarrying. He also confesses that he knows his son lied about the sword fight between Arya and him and his is ashamed of him. Later that night Varys visits Ned and now since Ned has gained his trust Varys tells Ned that Hugh poisoned Jon Arryn becausen of the questions he asked about Roberts kids and the Lannisters are playing to kill Robert.This chapter is important because Eddard finds out how even more corrupted the throne is and how no one is to be truly trusted nor over looked. I chose this because a lot of secrets get revealed in this chapter and I like that because things are beginning to make a little more sense . However, the new insights aren't adding up and I still had a lot of questions afterward.

Mather Hoyt Game of Thrones 3

Sansa (II)
    During the Hand's tournament, Sansa enjoys the royal scenery around her. It is clear that Sansa is having the most fun, despite the fact that the rest of the Starks are not enjoying it. During the jousting match  Gregor kills Jon Arryn’s former squire, but Sansa is not disturbed. Throughout the feast, Joffery courtesy captivates Sansa, but immediately after Robert’s drunken outburst Joffery abandons her and orders the Hound to bring her to her room.
    I chose this chapter because Sansa is by far my least character. She is unlike the rest of the characters from Winterfell. Sansa is the foil character to Arya. Although they come from the same mother, they couldn't be more opposite. Sansa is the only Stark so far that actually seems to fit in King's Landings. In a larger complex this chapter can show how Sansa is slowly switching here alliance with the Starks to the Lannisters. There is a clear shift that shows that Sansa wants to distance herself from the rest of her family. After this chapter it will be interesting to see the how Sansa and the Stark's relationship further develops. Another example of Sansa's shift was when her direwolf died. With the death of Lady, it almost foreshadows the complete abandonment of her house.
    This chapter can be related to inter-cultural marriage. Sansa is being forced to marry a Lannister. Although Winterfell and King's Landing are relatively close, their cultures are very different. It is interesting to see the interactions between the two cultures. Often times when two cultures that are polar opposite collide there are problems. It will be interesting to see how the Stark's and Lannister's relationship plays out.

Jon's Chapter - Andrew Hieken

Chapter Summary:
In this chapter, a boy name Samwell Tarly joins the Night's Watch and is brutally welcomed as he is fat, cowardly, and has no interest in violence of any sort.  Upon being fitted for armor (because he was too large for any of the armor already), master-at-arms, Alliser Thorne, has Halder spar with "Ser Piggy".  In a pitiful show, Sam is battered and beaten to the ground.  While watching, Jon steps in and makes Halder stop, to Thorne's disliking.  Jon, Pyp, and Grenn defend Sam as Thorne instructs three others to teach them a lesson.  In gratitude for their help, Sam introduces himself to Jon and his companions.  It is learned that Sam is the son of Lord Randyll, a wealthy bannerman of the Tyrells of Highgarden.  After supper, Jon walks with Sam to talk.  It is here that we learn why a "craven" like Sam took the black.  Sam tells the story of how on his fifteenth name day, his father said to him, "You have given me no cause to disown you, but neither will I allow you to inherit the land and title that should be Dickon's...you shall this day announce you wish to take the black," (Martin, 268).  His father then tells Sam that he will forsake all claim to his brother's inheritance and if he should defy his father, then he will be murdered.  Jon grows fond of Sam and their friendship grows.  To help protect Sam, Jon "persuades" the others to not hurt Sam during training.  Sam finds himself to belong more with the others and thanks Jon for what he has done.

Chapter Analysis:
 This chapter further develops Jon's story as a P.O.V. character by adding a new character/friend for Jon (Samwell Tarly).  Jon and Sam's relationship causes Jon to do many things other than acquiring a new friend.  Jon challenges the authority of Alliser Thorne, as well as forming his own sort of self appointed higher position over the other new members of the Night's Watch.  I chose this chapter because I found Sam's story and why he took the black to be interesting.  In the Night's Watch you find all kinds of people who don't belong in other places that can start new in the north.  Sam's character contrasts with Jon's and shows almost an image of an entirely different life, and I believe this to be part of what draws Jon to Sam. As a bastard, Jon had no claim to the Stark fortune, but Sam was heir and stripped of his claim to his inheritance for being a weak, cowardly boy.  Sam was forced into the Night's Watch where as Jon yearned for his chance to join.  In this chapter, many themes can be explored.  You can see alliances made by Jon and his companions and how they are important, or you can see how the gender role of being heir to a fortune plays an important part in the world of Westeros.

Joshua Brock GoT Blog #3

Eddard's Chapter (pgs 305-323)

Summary:
In this chapter there is many questions are answered but even more are raised. The tournament is still going on in the beginning of the chapter, but when a skirmish between the hound and his enraged brother takes place, the hound was named champion. Robert wishes to take place in the melee to which he is strongly encouraged not to and so he inevitably doesn't. Towards the end of the chapter it is revealed that the Lannister's are plotting to kill Robert and had intended to use the melee to do so. The eunuch Varys and Eddard have a secret meeting in which this as well as Jon Arryn's killer is revealed. When Eddard asks why Jon was killed, Varys responds with,"asking questions."

Analysis:
This chapter Eddard is constantly thinking about how to get Robert to see the sinister plot that the Lannisters have put into action. He begins to find hope in the fact that Robert might listen when Robert himself begins to proclaim how he doesn't necessarily favor the Lannisters himself. Robert wishes to be doing what he did in his youth but the thought of his son Joffrey on the throne and his mother giving him orders stops him from doing so, which is essentially a foreshadowing of events to come. Also Robert's bastard children are reflected on by Eddard when he is in his room and with the probable assassination of the king looming they might play some sort of role in the events to come though they have no true call to the throne. I think this chapter begins to set in motion key events that will have a very dynamic impact on the novel and storyline in general.

Game of Thrones Blog #3

Eddard's Chapter:

In this chapter Ned meets with the council and Varys finds out that Daenerys is pregnant. Robert then suggest that they kill Daenerys because if the baby she us carrying is born then it will ultimately start a war and cause many lives to be taken. Killing Daenerys right now would be better for everyone because then lives will be saved. The council goes on to think of ways that would be best for killing her; they mention poisoning but then Ned says that Robert do it since it was his idea.

This chapter is important because it sheds light on how the council feels about morals. The fact that Robert suggest that they assassinate Daenerys and the baby makes you think that he no longer has a sense of morality. Robert is very inconsiderate of others; he cares more about how thing will affect him, more than innocent lives. Ned seems to be the only one with a clear mind because the other council members agree with Roberts. They all just want power. This chapter of the book brings up the topic how poorly women were treated in order for others to gain power. The fact that the leaders of the kingdom think this way shows how corrupt things are.

Arya (pages 338-350)

     Chapter Summary:

          Arya's chapter begins with her trying to catch a black tomcat in the castle, and during her time chasing after the cat and finally catching him, she is found in front of Princess Myrcella and Prince Tommemen. When she is found with the cat in her arms, the prince and princess begin to question who she is and why she is her, but instead of referring her to a girl, they refer to her as a boy. Eventually, they both recognize her and the guardsmen began to run after. Panicked, Arya bounds through the castle and ends up in the dungeons. While in the dungeons and searching for the main part of the castle, she overhears two men speaking of a plan to kill a fourteen year old girl, and a plan to kill Arya's father Eddard. Once Arya finds her way out of the dungeons she ends up at a lake outside of the castle, washes her clothes and herself, and then heads back. Arya is brought to her father where she tells him what she had heard from the "wizard" and the "mummer", to which no avail, he does not believe her and sends her off to bed.

     Reaction/Analysis:

          First off, this chapter was very enjoyable. I feel that while we do see much of Arya, this truly showed just how tomboy and childish she is. In a way, her chapter adds a little more normalcy to the time period, and depicts the breach of gender norms for the female. In my opinion, I feel that George R.R. Martin wrote this chapter in order to not only highlight the nature of Arya, but to present new information in an interesting, yet cliche, way.  This also foreshadows events that are to take place in later chapters, while opening up a whole new plot twist to A Game of Thrones. At the end of this chapter Arya says with innocent observation, "'The Lannisters have more than fifty men."' I would say that this statement alone foreshadows a possible war later in the book.

          

Game of Thrones Blog 3

Summary:

       For this week, I decided to review Catelyn's first chapter.  In this chapter Catelyn and Rodrik are riding and headed north.  She reminisces about her childhood and enjoys the rain as Rodrik complains.  She mentions how there is an inn at the crossroads ahead.  They get to the inn, and the lady Catelyn remembers to be sweet and nice is bitter, and tells them that there's one room left, and that it is that room or nothing.  They take it and head down for dinner.  An arrogant singer approaches them and Rodrik tells him off (appropriately).  Later, Tyrion recognizes Catelyn, and she accuses him of attempting to murder Bran.  She takes him into her custody.   

Discussion:

       I chose this chapter because it is a chapter that has events that recur several times in this reading. For instance, this chapter relates to Tyrion's chapter when Tyrion is with them, and ultimately saves Catelyn.  This chapter is also brought up in the final chapter of the reading.  I honestly did not like this chapter that much, despite the fact that I selected it.  It was very easy to relate back to the bigger picture, but it lacked intensity.  This chapter is good to bring up the treatment of women.  I say this because unlike many of the other chapter, a woman stands to hold authority; that is, authority to arrest another man.

       

Game of Thrones Post #3

Arya

In this chapter Arya continues to train with Syrio Forel by learning how to catch cats so she can learn how to be quick, fast, and quiet. As she was learning Myrcella and Prince Tommen comes in and teases her. They didn't notice that she's one of Ned's daughters and mistakes her for a boy. As she tries to get away from them before they did notice her, her new training skill comes in handy as she quickly runs away from the guard that tries to grab her to bring her to them. Arya ends up somewhere underneath the castle where she overhears two men talking. She stays quiet as she moves closer to eavesdrop and hears the men talking Danerys son and how an attack won't likely be made until after he is born. One of the men also talk about how they don't like that Ned is getting closer to knowing the truth of what really happened to Jon Arryn. When Arya get backs to the castle she tells her father what she overheard and how they were planning to kill him and the book he had but Ned did not believe her and instead lectured her.

What I liked about this chapter was how Arya was continuing to learn new skills to become the fighter she seeks to be. She is not letting her being a girl or they way Septa Mordane is trying to raise her stop her from doing what she really wants. She is one of my favorite characters in the book. I wish Ned would have taken Arya more seriously about what she overhead and thought about what she was saying could be true instead of writing it off altogether. This could help be on the look out in the future by keeping one eye open. I also like how close Arya and Jon are and hope they are able to see each other soon or at least get a message to one another.

Eddard's Chapter Beginning with "Lord Arryn's death was a great sadness..."

Eddard's Chapter Beginning with "Lord Arryn's death was a great sadness..."

The chapter starts off with Grand Maester Pycelle recalling the events of Lord Arryn's death to Eddard. He tells him that days before he fell ill Jon came to him asking for a book, which Eddard later requests to look at. He tells Eddard that his final words were a blessing to his son, "the seed is strong, he said." When asked if he thought Jon's death was unnatural, Pycelle said he had not thought it unusual. Eddard runs into his daughter, Arya who is practicing to balance in her training to become a water dancer. She and her father discuss Bran's state and how he will not likely be a knight anymore. Eddard returns to his chambers to find Petyr who, because of Catelyn, warns Eddard of the many people constantly watching his every move and report them to Varys. In short, Petyr tells him there are few, to no, people he can trust.

This chapter throws a lot of information at the reader. It is important in the larger context because it  makes the reader wonder who are reliable characters. This chapter is important, not only because it is very informative, but because of the conversation that happens between Arya and her father. This chapter brought up the stereotypes and treatment of women in this society, but also of the stereotypes of cripples. Eddard says there is no hope of Bran becoming a knight, but he may become"the lord of a great holdfast" or do other respectable things in his life. However, this is very different from the few of cripples today who are defying what is thought possible of them. Then, Eddard tells his daughter that she "will marry a king and rule his castle," because that is what is expected of a lord's daughter.  However, throughout the rest of the reading she slowly inches herself away from those expectations by training to become a water dancer. I chose this chapter specifically because of this conversation between Ned and Ayra. I think this conversation shows how different expectations are in this medieval society compared to the real world.

Ashley Misuraca, Jon's Chapter

Jon's Chapter, beginning with, "Jon was showing Dareon how best to deliver a sidestroke..."

This chapter was about Samwell Harly from Horn Hill coming to the Wall to join the Night's Watch. He had to practice fighting with some of the other boys and he was severely beaten by most of them. Ser Alliser already doesn't like Sam because he is a rather larger boy and Alliser wants strong and brave boys to train. Jon befriends Sam to protect him from some of the other boys and they share stories of their past lives. Eventually, Sam is able to become friendly with Jon's friends and feels comfortable enough to laugh with them.

This chapter was really interesting because I saw a shift in Jon's attitude toward being a part of the Night's Watch. It was obvious that he really hated it, but after reading about him calling his friends in the Watch his "brothers," he is growing accustomed to the lifestyle. I think it was completely unfair for Ser Alliser to be picking on Sam because of his size, especially since the Night's Watch is a very unpleasant lifestyle. I can only assume that it is difficult to get people to want to do this job (even though Sam only had the choice between the Night's Watch and death). Not to mention the fact that training can be tiresome and the nights are long, dark, and cold. I understand that the purpose of this training is to toughen up the boys and make them strong defenders of the wall, but they are just kids, some barely past fifteen. Being taken away from their home at such a young age to pursue a life of lonliness cannot be easy, and the harsh conditions they are being put through both mentally and physically must be exhausting.

Third Blog Post

I chose Sansa's chapter 293-304. The chapter opens with Sansa soaking in all the glory that is this tournament thrown in honor of the King's Hand. She admires all the "heroes of a hundred songs" and names a few brave men she knows who will be jousting in the tournament. She describes the terrifying moment Ser Gregor's lance went through a young knight's throat and killed him, spilling blood everywhere. She enjoys a fun time at the banquet while Joffrey pretends to be a gentleman and everybody starts getting a little too into the wine. Joffrey, too lame to do it himself, calls upon Sandor Clegane to walk her back to her room where he scares the bejeezus out of her with a story about his awful brother.

I believe this chapter is important because it reveals some new information that opens our eyes. Sandor Clegane, or as Joffrey so eloquently calls him, "Dog", maybe isn't as terrifyingly awful as we thought he was. His brother is a bit of a psycho and caused a lot of issues in his life that turned him a bit hard to the world and, quite literally, scarred him. Though he went about this story in a creepy way, we are starting to see that he is a man who is devoted to his duty. We start to kind of feel bad for him even though we are still a bit afraid of him and I think his devotion to Sansa is something that will develop even further as the story goes. I also enjoy this chapter because it just gives a good look at the medieval lifestyle. The brave knights in their honorable cloaks and mail and mighty horses, the lush banquets and bountiful food and drink. This all goes to show how expensive this probably cost and is another point towards the debt Robert is putting himself in to the Lannister. Debt is obviously not good and the Lannisters are definitely people that like to be repaid.

Eddard pgs (351-358)

     This chapter starts in a small council meeting which King Robert is actually in attendance. We soon learn the reason for this is because Varys has heard from Ser Mormont that Dany is pregnant, which King Robert has not taken kindly to. The main conflict is over whether or not to kill Dany, even though it is very one sided. Eddard does everything in his power to try to convince the king not to kill Dany, yet Robert is so strong willed and positive it is the only solution he will hear none of it. The argument rages to a boiling point where Ned insults the King and oversteps causing the king to try to kick him out, but instead Ned resigns as the Hand of the King and storms out. While he is making plans to leave Littlefinger arives and incises that Ned stays if only for a few hours more.

     I chose this chapter for the small council meeting and the exchange between the King and Ned. In this argument we see who are essentially the two most powerful men the the Seven Kingdoms at each others throats. The way I see this argument is over the way the crown has poisoned Robert. I see him arguing with who he used to be and who the crown has made him and Ned knows this and it pains him. He even tries to remind Robert when he brings up how he treated ser Barristan after the trident but if anything that provokes Robert more. He knows he has changed and has been "Surrounded by flatterers and fools" Now that Ned is here and standing up for what is right, it infuriates Robert (even though thats why he wanted him there). Ned finally realizes that it is too late to save his friend and the kingdom and resigns as Hand. Last when Ned is leaving and you can finally breath a sigh of relief that he is getting out of that hellhole Littlefinger visits him and throws a wrench in the mix paining any rereader of the book who knows just how close this book was to not being incredibly sad.  

chapter 33, Eddard

The chapter starts off with Ned and the council.  Surprisingly Robert is there.  The councilmen begin to discuss Daenerys pregnancy.  Robert wants her and her brother killed.  Ned disagrees.  Ned believes that it is murdering 3 instead of two.  He believes if this were to happen then the baby is being murdered as well.  Robert in anger denies this and states if it is a boy they will have a much larger issue on their hands.  The council agrees with the King.  Ned then places the badge of the kings hand back on the table and Robert kicks him out and threatens him.  Ned then is upset, yet glad that he is returning to Winterfell.  Soon after Lord Petyr comes in and offers to take Ned to the brothel he has been suspicious about.

This chapter really goes against normal medieval character.  No one will argue with the king. Robert makes that very apparent to Ned and the small council.  Ned has dignity to believe that they ended the Targaryen rule because of their father.  Ned doesn't agree with the idea of murdering them over suspicion that it might be a boy.  This shows Ned is a ruler with class so to say.  In this time period you were told what to do and you did it without questions asked.  Ned knows Robert is a friend and thought better of him.  This is going to take a toll later in the book when the two meet again.  Robert has a hidden background which we are beginning to see.  Ned left in the right time before things began to get messy.  Things are beginning to unfold as they happen.  Robert will soon have trouble on his hands.

In this chapter Ned had just killed Sansa's dire wolf Lady and was worn out and hungry from the long day. However, Pycelle tells him there is a council meeting. Ned was irritable but went instead because this is his first council meeting as Hand of king. At the meeting he learned that the crown was six million gold pieces in debt and 3 million owed to the Lannisters. With Robert absent as always the council wanted him to decide who to borrow money from for the party Robert wanted to hold for Ned's arrival. Ned was overwhelmed and put the meeting on a standstill for a later time. Soon little finger tells him that his wife was here and with little to no belief Ned follows him to a property he is now in extreme disbelief that his wife would ever be at and thinks it is a set up. He then sees Ser Roderick and calms down. He learns from Catelyn that she was hurt and almost killed by a assassin sent for Bran. She also tells him that she thinks the Lannisters are behind it because of the weapon. Littlefinger promises to help them and in return has gained more trust from both Catelyn and Ned. Ned sends Catelyn back to Winterfell and is determined to find out who did this with hard evidence before he says anything. He also hopes Robert has nothing to do with this and is the man he thinks he is. This chapter is important because this is the first time both Ned and Catelyn are on the same page there drive to finding out the truth couldn't be any stronger. I chose this chapter because we find out a lot about the castles secrets and the characteristics of the people in it. I like that it makes me think twice about the people who they chose to govern their homes and I dislike how Baelish has spies on them yet acts so friendly.

Bran's Chapter

In this chapter, we have a first look as to what is going on in Bran's mind before he wakes up. He seems to be in a type of dream in which he just continues to fall. The crow tells Bran to fly but Bran does not believe he can. Bran can see all of Winterfell and the people in it and when the bird starts pecking at him, he wakes up.

I think this chapter is great because it is an extremely important emphasis on what's to come. It is almost mystifying and magical how we are able to see what will come but in this strange form. The birds tell of a cold winter coming and after this chapter, we can see some of the elders discussing this as well such as Ned Stark in King's Landing. The crow is the magical animal that reveals to Bran the evils that are approaching because it is that very evil that got him where he is now. I like how the crow emphasizes that it is up to Bran to fly. He can choose to live and prosper or die as is.

Eddard (page 153-159)

          Eddard's chapter sets in a castle south of Trident, and in this section it is all about the aftermath of the dispute between Joffrey and Arya. Throughout the chapter, Ned is trying to protect Arya from the wrath of Cersie and Joffry. In the beginning/middle, Joffrey claims that Arya and the butcher boy beat him with clubs, let Nymeria chew him, and that Arya threw the sword into the lake. Later, Sansa came into the room and said that Joffrey was telling the truth, even though he clearly wasn't. Both Robert and Ned come to the conclusion to punish both Arya and Joffrey by their own standards, however, Cersie is still hungry for justice and says that she will pay, "A hundred golden dragons for the man that brings me its skin." Robert then decides that he will not partake in her endeavors. After their banter, Cersie claims to have a wolf, but it's not Nymeria, it's Sansa's wolf Lady. Robert is leaves the hall unable to kill the direwold himself, so Ned takes it upon himself to kill Lady with ice and give her a proper burial. At the very end of the scene, as Eddard heads to his room to sleep, he sees riders carrying a cloak covered in blood over their shoulders. Ned thinks it is Nymeria, but it is actually the butcher's boy Mycah.

          While Arya doesn't hold much significance to the plot as of now, Eddard does and this shows the fatherly side of him. From the short time that we've seen Ned, he's usually serious and we haven't seen much interaction between him and his children. I feel this chapter is significant because it demonstrates the true personality of Eddard: that he is willing to do anything for his children. Eddard's chapter also displays the harsh personality of Cersie that we have heard about on several occasions, while also showcasing Joffrey's similar personality. For the record, I now hate Joffrey, but I had a feeling he wasn't going to stay sweet for long. Eddard's personality is serious, but he definitely has a good heart. I love how his character is developing and hope to see much more of him in our future readings.

Game of Thrones Blog 2

       For my chapter this week, I chose Catelyn's first chapter.  In this chapter, Catelyn is at Bran's bedside as he is in a coma.  Robb comes in and dismisses the servant; he tells Catelyn that she needs to help the rest of her family despite Bran's accident.  As Robb looked out the window, he saw the library tower was on fire.  As Robb went to see what was happening with the fire, an assassin appears to kill Bran.  Catelyn was there with him, so the assassin tries to kill them both, but Catelyn pulls the dagger from her throat and bites the man's hand.  Bran's direwolf comes and kills the assassin.  She realizes that the assassin had to do something with Bran's fall, and concludes that the Lannister family must be behind it.
       I chose this chapter because it has a great deal of importance throughout the story.  In Catelyn's next chapter, she is tracking down Ned, and telling him the news, so the end of her first chapter continues onto her next one.  Also, Bran's first chapter is in the perspective of a dream, so the point of view changes, not only from person to person, but in a different level of consciousness also.  In Jon's chapter, he is at the wall, but he is heavily concerned about Bran's well-being.  This shows how widely spread Bran's injury is throughout all chapters.  I like this chapter because it is one of the more fast paced chapters; that is, it holds the reader's interest better than any other chapter in this reading.

Game of Thrones Mather Hoyt 2

Game of Thrones Entry 2
Bran II

     In this chapter Bran has a dream that he is falling while a three-eyed crow tries to teach him how to fly. While he plummets he sees his mother in a ship heading directly toward a storm that they cannot see. He also sees Ned, Sansa, and Arya in King’s Landing, and Jon on the Wall. Both of his sisters are crying, and are surrounded by dark shadows. Then Bran looks north of the Wall and sees the end of the world. The three-eyed crow tells Bran that winter is coming, and now he must learn to fly or he will die. Bran reaches out his arms, and starts to fly. Bran is suddenly awoken from his coma. His direwolf jumps up onto the bed, and Bran realizes he cannot feel his legs, and is paralyzed.
     This chapter is very important because it is filled with foreshadowing. Just like the first chapter we read titled Bran, the mood is very creepy, and eerie. Bran first starts to realize his supernatural powers in this chapter. He can see through the crow's eyes even though he doesn't know how to control it yet. Also it foreshadows his mother Catelyn traveling towards trouble. This may mean that since she knows it was the Lannisters that attempted to kill her boy, that knowledge is going to hurt her eventually. Bran also dreams about Arya and Sansa being frightened, and surrounded in King's Landing.  This whole chapter sets up some scary plot lines to be fulfilled from Bran's dreams. I liked this chapter because it gave the readers insight on what is to come, and it makes Bran seem like an even more important character.
    This chapter can be related to supernatural beings and how they are portrayed in the media. Last blog I wrote about how Zombies and the undead, this week I am discussing how Bran has a Prophetic ability. Zombies are mentioned again when he looks north past the Wall and feels an intense horror. This chapter can also be related to violence in the media. Bran is basically predicting doom for all of his family members, however this violence can absolutely not be connected back to real life violence. Game of Thrones is a very violent book and show, no one is denying that, however the violence in it, is very unrealistic and almost expected. It is stupid to watch a medieval show, and not expect violence. Although Game of Thrones gets bloody, eerie, and extreme, it is impossible to connect this violence with real life violence.

Ashley Misuraca, Daenerys Chapter

Daenerys Chapter (begins with “‘The Dorthraki Sea,’ Ser Jorah Mormont said…”)

 

            This chapter was all about the moment Daenerys finally decided to take control of her own life and break free from her overbearing brother, Viserys. Daenerys and her party were traveling by horse through the countryside of Dothraki, her new home. She felt free out there riding her beloved horse and enjoying the tall grass. When her brother confronted her about giving him demands, she fought back and won over her freedom from him. She definitely grew as a character since the last time we read about her. She feels stronger and able to command her own decisions. Later, she finds out that she is actually carrying Khal Drogo’s child, which seems to have been her plan.

 

            I really enjoyed this chapter because it gave a sense of empowerment and it was exciting to see Daenerys finally take control of her own life. I think it is interesting that, even though women are seen as sex objects in the Dothraki society, Daenerys is still able to uphold a sense of independence in this chapter, regardless of her high-position in this particular culture. I like that this chapter gave a fairly accurate representation of what medieval life was like, and how barbaric these men and women were. In her previous chapter, it depicted women being raped in front of crowds and men being viciously killed. Based on historical texts, this is a pretty fair illustration of how some medieval cultures behaved. I feel this chapter is very important to the story because when Khal Drogo steps down from his throne, Viserys is suppose to take over and regain the family’s land and kingdom. However, Daenerys was so frightened by this idea that, presumably, she had sex with Khal Drogo so that there would be an heir to the throne besides Viserys. The only thing I didn’t like about this chapter was the inclusion of the legends of the dragons. Though I do think it will appear later in the novel again, I feel the chapter would have had a better flow without it.