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.