A Song of Dan and Josh: Jon IX (A Game of Thrones)

Welcome to A Song of Dan and Josh, the show where myself and FanSided’s Josh Hill walk through each and every chapter of A Song of Ice and Fire, one at a time.

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Today, we’re reading Jon IX from A Game of Thrones, the final Jon chapter from the book. And begin!

Some of our talking points:

• At the beginning of this chapter, Jon flees Castle Black. Why? What’s his dilemma here?
• 15-year-old Jon has some seriously melodramatic internal monologue during his flight. What does this say about him?
• “Is the Night’s Watch a cult?”
• Partway through the chapter, Jon goes back to Castle Black. Why? What’s his dilemma here?
• Why is deserting the Night’s Watch such a huge deal? Why is it so important to honor oaths in this world? I babble about law and order in Westeros for a minute.
• Lord Commander Mormont is key to convincing Jon to stay with the Night’s Watch. What is the nature of their relationship? Is Jeor Mormont the fake dad Jon’s real fake dad could never be?
• We briefly touch on the idea of the Starks as a mystical family. Is there anything to the idea that the direwolves are extensions of the Stark kids? Is that literal or metaphorical?
• This is the final Jon chapter in A Game of Thrones. What function do Jon’s chapter serve here? Is his story the reason to read this book?

We’ll be back next week with Catelyn XI, the final Catelyn chapter in A Game of Thrones. Time flew by! Watch us live on our Facebook page at 4:00 p.m. this upcoming Wednesday.

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