The Real Monster in “Game of Thrones” Is Its Hidden Reactionary Ideology

I've just read a very thoughtful analysis of the overarching theme of Game of Thrones.

I quit reading the books sometime during the third book because of the style (or lack therein) of the writing. But I have watched the series because of the beautiful production values. I do know the two versions have different plot lines.

While this may not have been the intent of RR Martin during the writing of the books, this analysis is a very good metaphor for the current state of US society. Mr. Martin tends to call his work a metaphor for climate change whereas, this author see's the work as a, (hmmm - don't know the right word), defender of status quo captialist (white) society:

The story, in its ideology, is reflective.

It is reflective of the United States at this particular historical conjuncture.

It is not a critique of the status quo, asserting a transcendent hope or possibility. It is a reactive argument in favor of it through a mirroring effect representing our ideological landscape in inverted form.

You can have Black people close to power — but not in power. The Black man (Grey Worm) must be literally castrated to be “good,” to be safe. Pulled from the dregs, freed by whiteness, Black men can’t pose a sexual threat to white women. They must be thankful.

The Black woman, Missandei, must bear European standards of beauty — be light, non-threatening, sexually desirable, submissive. When she is executed, it is purely as foil in furtherance of the plot demand to energize the coming confrontation between two visions of white supremacy, the Lannisters and the Targaryens. She is a tool to further white supremacy and to ideologically reinforce it.

Much like the Wildings, the Dothraki and the Unsullied — particularly reprehensible representations of the role of poor peoples of colors’ obligation to function as imperial cannon fodder — Missandei’s continued role in the narrative was dependent on her willingness to follow the leadership of an idealized white hero.

The opinion is a very thought provoking read:

truthout.org...

... and I am very interested in your thoughts on the piece.

Thoughts?

This is what grrm said

There’s a certain parallel there…. The people in Westeros are fighting their individual battles over power and status and wealth. And those are so distracting them that they’re ignoring the threat of “winter is coming,” which has the potential to destroy all of them and to destroy their world.

Some how the author of this article twisted those words ..

Which never said anything about climate change into a metaphor for white supremacy..


It's click bait..


Edited to add:


,

Dowd: I wonder how “Game of Thrones” provides insights into the mind-sets and strategies of modern-day geopolitics?

Martin: I’ll pass on that one.

No white supremacy

Manjoo: Many observers have pointed out that “Game of Thrones” offers a perfect metaphor for understanding climate change. What do you think of this interpretation?
Martin: It’s kind of ironic because I started writing “Game of Thrones” all the way back in 1991, long before anybody was talking about climate change. But there is — in a very broad sense — there’s a certain parallel there

Climate change became an issue AFTER he started writing the books..

The author of that article is disingenuous in my humble opinion.








You asked


Respectfully,
~meathead

a reply to: FyreByrd

I've never watched an episode but the way I understand it, season eight has been a slap in the face to the people that have grown to love the show.

Other than that when my friends talk about the show my eyes just glaze over and I go to my happy place.

I hope you get some input from real fans...

Well, as an ‘old white guy’ myself, I can say with 100 percent honesty that I have no interest in taking the Iron Throne.

I can also say, that we just had a black guy in power, in fact, arguably the worlds highest power, and quite frankly I was not all that impressed. In fact I would say I was a bit disgusted by that guy and his husband....I mean ‘wife’.

I would much rather an original story from an author instead of all the ‘reflection of the times’ stuff they usually talk about. There’s enough politics in the world.

The only parallel between Game of Thrones and modern political ideology is that they both take place in a fantasy world.

originally posted by: Mike Stivic
Thoughts?

This is what grrm said

There’s a certain parallel there…. The people in Westeros are fighting their individual battles over power and status and wealth. And those are so distracting them that they’re ignoring the threat of “winter is coming,” which has the potential to destroy all of them and to destroy their world.

Some how the author of this article twisted those words ..

The author, Timothy Malone, did not address Martins intended theme for his work but the unconscious theme that evolved.

You are being far to literal in your assessment of the piece and I suspect that the story was not designed as a statement of anything in particular.

Why must you see this as an attack, it isn't. Personally, I think it is rare for an author to sit down with 'an agenda' in writing a novel - I think these works take on a 'life' of there own and can't help but comment on contemporary life. The more universal the theme(s) that shine through the more powerful the work.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Fantastic find that article is! Kudos!

I've never watched GOT but that article really well sums up and addresses a "meme" I'm seeing more and more in connection with analysis about the phenomenon of the Trump election; how his white supporters, base, see the world and their place in it.

You can read a similar analysis at: www.nytimes.com...

According to a Pew Research Center analysis of race/ethnicity and sex among validated voters in the 2016 presidential election, white men were the only group in which a majority voted for Donald Trump — 62 percent — although a plurality of white women did also — 47 percent. We are living through a flagrant display of a white male exertion of power, authority and privilege, a demonstration meant to underscore that they will forcefully fight any momentum toward demographic displacement, no matter how inevitable the math. The fear of white male displacement is a powerful psychological motivator and keeps Trump’s base animated and active.

I find this topic fascinating. Apparently any and all white people who voted for Trump are, at their core, frightened white supremacists. Its as though its not enough to be able to hate them because, well, their white, but worse they can be hated because they're trying desperately to hold onto power.

Obviously whites are a fading demographic and will naturally lose much if not all of their control of power structures going forward. But that phenomenon raises two important questions.

First, and we're already starting to see this happen, as whites lose control of the governmental and financial power structures, the big question comes up................who will actually take over and are they actually qualified to do so?

Second, for those who have suffered as a result of the 200 year history of power structures that have benefited and made the white population wealthy, is taking over really enough? As an example, Trump can be removed as President, either by some extra-judicial method or by way of election. But what about his wealth? Shouldn't the oppressed get a sizeable portion of that wealth before his heirs can scamper off with it? How much is enough?

Thanks for a great and thought provoking OP.

Here are the thoughts of almost a million "fans."

Remake Game of Thrones Season 8 with Competent Writers

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss have proven themselves to be woefully incompetent writers when they have no source material (i.e. the books) to fall back on.

This series deserves a final season that makes sense.

Personally, I've never seen a single episode.

This is going to get like all those arguments over which political "side" is represented by which faction in The Hunger Games isn't it?

The point of those books isn't to paint either side as anything. The fact that any of us can pick up the story and find ourselves identifying with the characters and the situation says that the author did her job which is to write something that speaks to us as people.

Game of Thrones should be aiming to be the same way if it's to stand the test of time.

All the very best stories are like that. They speak to conditions that are eternal to the human condition and thus recognizable and applicable to a reader no matter when they read the story. This is why Shakespeare is still so powerful even now. We all recognize his characters and plots in ourselves and our lives.

Making these stories politically relevant and immediate limits their lifespan, and no really good author is trying to go there.

a reply to: FyreByrd

I don't see it as an attack .I see it as an author trying to force a narrative that simply isn't there.

No offense friend, my critique was of the author, not you or your thread.



Respectfully,
~meathead

a reply to: FyreByrd

I hate to be dismissive but this analysis is hokum, based on nothing but the author's ideological scorn.

Read this nonsense:

The story betrays our obsession with walls, not just the southern border wall, but “other” walls as well — walls that “other.” In other words, “Game of Thrones” is also a show about our relation to the prison, our obsession to disappear people, who, once on the other side of the wall, are not “people” anymore. The wall represents the boundaries of “us” as a nation, and those who are not “us” and must be excluded: the criminal and the immigrant.

The book and the show started long before Trump ever started speaking about walls. It's just stupid.

originally posted by: FyreByrd

originally posted by: Mike Stivic
Thoughts?

This is what grrm said

There’s a certain parallel there…. The people in Westeros are fighting their individual battles over power and status and wealth. And those are so distracting them that they’re ignoring the threat of “winter is coming,” which has the potential to destroy all of them and to destroy their world.

Some how the author of this article twisted those words ..

The author, Timothy Malone, did not address Martins intended theme for his work but the unconscious theme that evolved.

You are being far to literal in your assessment of the piece and I suspect that the story was not designed as a statement of anything in particular.

Why must you see this as an attack, it isn't. Personally, I think it is rare for an author to sit down with 'an agenda' in writing a novel - I think these works take on a 'life' of there own and can't help but comment on contemporary life. The more universal the theme(s) that shine through the more powerful the work.

'Unconscious theme'? Puhlease.

So now we are to believe Martin unconsciously wrote this all with climate change and white supremacy in mind? (Unconsciously?)

What hyperbole. Why do people obsessed with social justice and climate issues obsess so much that they see imaginary are parallels in everything, even if there clearly are none?

Moving on.........

a reply to: nightbringr

We're supposed to forget that the show out-paced what Martin has actually written a bit ago which is, I suspect, why the show has started to fall off in quality.

originally posted by: Mike Stivic
a reply to: FyreByrd

I don't see it as an attack .I see it as an author trying to force a narrative that simply isn't there.

No offense friend, my critique was of the author, not you or your thread.



Respectfully,
~meathead

And again - this analysis is not about narrative - it is about theme.

a reply to: FyreByrd

And a theme is something you start to think about before you start writing.

So none of this was a thing back then when Martin started writing.

originally posted by: ketsuko


Making these stories politically relevant and immediate limits their lifespan, and no really good author is trying to go there.

And yet it doesn't limit their lifespan. When universal themes are evident (say one race/religion/class dominance over all others) (male dominance) (the 'other') literary works hold up for centuries.

originally posted by: nightbringr

'Unconscious theme'? Puhlease.

So now we are to believe Martin unconsciously wrote this all with climate change and white supremacy in mind? (Unconsciously?)

What hyperbole. Why do people obsessed with social justice and climate issues obsess so much that they see imaginary are parallels in everything, even if there clearly are none?

Moving on.........

Because a huge percentage of what we do and say is unconsious...

Finally, the unconscious mind comprises mental processes that are inaccessible to consciousness but that influence judgements, feelings, or behavior (Wilson, 2002).

According to Freud (1915), the unconscious mind is the primary source of human behavior. Like an iceberg, the most important part of the mind is the part you cannot see.

www.simplypsychology.org...

Also, this article is not arguing about Martin's intent in writing the novels, nor the television's show runners but about the possible audience perceptions (conscious and unconscious) of the story.

originally posted by: ketsuko
a reply to: FyreByrd

And a theme is something you start to think about before you start writing.

So none of this was a thing back then when Martin started writing.

A topic perhaps, a plot and or characters - but themes develop.

a reply to: FyreByrd

Also, this article is not arguing about Martin's intent in writing the novels, nor the television's show runners but about the possible audience perceptions (conscious and unconscious) of the story.

Perhaps, then, this analysis is more indicative of the change in "perception", and not any actual themes in the story.

a reply to: FyreByrd

A theme is a big idea around which your planned narrative coalesces. You very much do have it in mind before you start working.