PlotOverview

AbouttheAuthor

AGameofThronesbyGeorgeR.RMartin
takesplaceinafantasyworld.Thisworldfindsitself
primarilyoverseenbyHumanswithamedieval,
feudalistsocialstructure.Thebookitselffocuseson
theviewpointsofagroupofcharacters,specifically
thehouseofStark.ThesecharactersareEddard
Stark,BranStark,SansaStark,AryaStark,Catelyn
Stark,RobbStark,DaenerysTargaryen,andJon
Snow(StarkBastard),andTyrionLannister.
Throughthesecharacterstheaudiencegains
insightondifferentperspectivesofthisworld.
MainlyweseetheStarks,Lannisters,andtheir
supportersinvolvedinruthlesspoliticalpower
strugglesthroughoutthecontinentofWesteros.In
thenorthernmostregionsofWesteros,JonSnows
taleonthewallunfolds,wherehetakestheblackto
defendtheworldfromfarworsethanmortalmen.
AcrosstheNarrowSea,totheeastofWesteros,
Daenerysbeginsherjourneyofawakeningthe

dragon
withinher,rallyingarmiesandmaking
allies.WhileWesterosbattleswithinternalturmoil,
hordesofwarriorsmasstotheeast.Asallforces
withinWesterosstir,itquicklybecomesapparent
thatonlyonewillwinthegameofthrones.

BornonSeptember20,1948,GeorgeR.RMartin
startedwritingatanearlyage.Hehadinterestsin
booksandcomics,whichleadtohisfirst
professionaltitlepublishmentofTheHeroin1971.
Georgethenwentontoachievemastersand
bachelorsdegreesinjournalism,andendedup
writingparttimeduringhisemploymentasa
journalisminstructorthroughoutthe1970s.By
1975,Georgewasmarried,butin1979,divorce
cameabout,andGeorgebecameafulltimewriter.
Fromhereon,doorwaysintoHollywoodopenedfor
George,hewroteandproducedmanylargetitles
from1986to1993.Manyawardshavebeen
grantedtoGeorgeduetohisskillinwriting,suchas
BestForeignNovelof2002forAGameof
Thronesandaplentitudeofbestfantasynovel
awards.

NovelNotes

AGameof
Thrones

GeorgeR.R
Martin

HistoricalContext

AGameofThronesrevolvesaroundaworld
similartothatofourmedieval,feudaltimes.The
socialstructurestandsonthefoundationofhouses
thatareextremelysophisticated,whichruleover
thelowerclasses.Thesehousesdisplaymany
diplomatictraditionssimilartothoseofmedieval
times,suchaspoliticalmarriageandhouse
inheritance.Unlikeourmedievaltimes,currency
appearstobelessfocusedonland,asitremains
amongthehouses,instead,moneyholdshigh
value.Lannistercoininparticularhasanhefty
influenceovertheworldsevents.AGameof
Thronesstraysfromhistorythroughfantasy
elements,suchaswights,dragons,andGods.

TylerWilson

9/25/15,Period:6

EssentialQuotes

Whenyouplaythegameofthrones,youwinor
youdie.Thereisnomiddleground

(GeorgeR.RMartin).

Winteriscoming
(GeorgeR.RMartin).

WorkCited:AGameofThrones

CharacterAnalysis

EddardStark
Speech:
CourageplaguesEddardstongue.He
strivesforhonorandtruth.Hisdecisiontospeak
andactagainstthecomingLannistertyrannyleads
himtobecomingamartyr.
Thoughts:
Eddardaimstoensurethepeaceofthe
realmandfulfillhisdutiestohisfriendandking,
Robert.
Effects:
Asthesayinggoes,theroadtohellis
pavedwithgoodintentionsdespitehisgreatest
efforts,EddardplungesWesterosintoturmoil.
Action:
BytakingthepositionofHandtoKing
Robert,Eddardtakespartinthepoliticalbattleof
KingsLanding.
Looks:
Inhismidthirties,Eddardbearsdarkeyes
andhairwhichaddtohisseriousstature.
DaenerysTargaryen
Speech:
Atfirst,Daenerysfollowsherbrother,
completelysubmissivetohiswill.Thischanges
quicklyafterViserysendureshis
coronation.
Thoughts:
Daenerysgoesthroughstagesofmind
throughoutthestory.First,shefollowsViserys,then
KhalDrogo,andintheend,herself.
Effects:
Daenerystakesthesidelineformostofthe
story,butasthedragonawakens,herrealrolein
theworldbecomesclear.
Action:
Inthebeginning,DaenerysmarriesKhal
DrogoinanattempttoprovideherbrotherViserys
thearmyheneedstoconquerWesteros.Later,she
takesupthemantleofleader,butonlybriefly
beforethetransitionintothenextbook.
Looks:
Despiteherdecisivenessinlaterchapter,
Daeneryshasbarelyreachedtheageofbeingable
tobearchildren.Herageresultsinherarranged
marriagetoKhalDrogo.

Themes

TheprimarythemeofAGameofThrones
comesdowntothepoliticalpowerstruggleof
Westeros.SimilartomedievalEurope,innerbattles
takeplaceineverycornerofthecontinent.
Thousandsofyearshavebroughtchangingtimes,
andseparatedthepopulationintoaplentitudeof
differentgroups.Throughcommoninterestsand
loyalties,thesehousescometogetherasthenorth
andsouth,resultinginafullscalewar.
Atfirst,AGameofThronesappearstobeonly
mildlyfantasy,buttheappearanceofdragonsand
wightsquicklysecuresitsplaceasahighfantasy
novel.ItisnotshownwhetherornottheOldGods
orthethegodsofTheFaithoftheSevenexist,but
theyarementionedfrequently.Interestingly,The
FaithoftheSevenappearstobebasedoffofthe
JapaneseSevenGodsofFortune(
).

MotifsandSymbols

Winteriscoming
.Thisrecurringphrase
foreshadowstheterribleeventsunfoldinginthe
realm.Onlyknowingtheeventsofthefirstbook,it
isdifficulttodecidethemeaningofthisquote.
PerhapsManceRayderstirsbeyondTheWall,or
somethingevenmoresinister?

LannisterBanner
:Thegoldenlionofthe
Lannistersrepresentsnotonlytheirbluntferocity,
buttheirsupremewealth.

Birds:
Unlessanarrowfindsthem,Ravensand
Crows,observetheworld.Brandreamsofacrow
whichguideshim,andshowshimthepathtolife,
whiletheWildlingsrefertotheNightsWatchas
Crows.

Symboloftheseven.

TheSevenGodsofFortune

Guidingcrow