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Chapter 4: Eddard
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in A Game of Thrones, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Politics and Power
Climate Change and Collective Action
Gender and Power
Honor and Integrity
Identity
Summary
Analysis
Jon Snow watches the proceedings of the welcome feast for Robert from the benches of a table at the back of the hall, away from Ned’s other children. The procession marches right past Jon’s seat. Jon is unimpressed by Robert. Ned had described him as a fearsome warrior, but he looks like a bloated, drunken man to Jon. Jaime Lannister looks more like what Jon imagined a king would look like. People call him “Kingslayer” behind his back. Jaime’s brother Tyrion follows Jaime. Tyrion is a dwarf with one eye that is green and one that is black. The royal children enter next, accompanied by the Stark children. Jon feeds his direwolf pup, Ghost, under the table.
Again, Jon has a much lower status because he was born out of wedlock. His lower social status forces him to suffer almost daily indignities, which will gradually take a toll on him. Jon’s observations about Robert point to power as a corrupting force. In this case, it seems that power has transformed Robert from a fearsome fighter into a complacent king who is more concerned with personal gratification than leadership.
Active
Themes
Ben, Ned’s brother who serves in the Night’s Watch, comes over to talk to Jon and asks why he’s not eating with the family, as he usually does. Jon says that Catelyn thought it might offend the king and queen if they were joined by a “bastard.” He then tells Ben that he wants to join the Night’s Watch. Ben says he should give it some time. Men on the Night’s Watch take an oath to not have families or father children. Ben says Jon should try fathering a few “bastards” of his own before he commits to something so momentous. Jon yells that he’ll never father a bastard and then notices that the whole table is listening. He bursts into tears and runs outside. Outside, Jon runs into Tyrion, who advises Jon to make who he is his strength. That way his identity can never be used against him.
