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.
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