Jon Snow In George R. Martin's A Song Of Fire

Of all of the most central characters in the A Song of Fire and Ice novels is Jon Snow who is a main point of view character in A Game of Thrones, A Storm of Swords, and the fifth book of the series A Dance of Dragons. In Martin’s fresh modern depiction of a world of fantasy, Jon Snow is the character who shares perhaps the most stereotypical character when it comes what happens to him. In the third book he is attacked by an eagle who claws his face. (Martin, SOS. 212-213) The attack by the bird leaves permanent deep scars over Jon's eye. However, rather than disfiguring him, characters within the books point out that they think it makes him ruggedly handsome. This is strange when compared to how Westeros is a gritty and realistic setting where instead of all of the main characters miraculously surviving …show more content…
Martin spent much of the books deconstructing or subverting traditional Fantasy literature stereotypes, making injuries actual affect them greatly. Both Jamie and Tyrion Lannister receive horrible disfigurements with outright loss of their sword hand and nose, respectively. In contrast, Jon Snow actually does behave like a traditionally heroic character but put in the dark setting of Westeros - and as a result, Jon does end up getting stereotypical handsome over his eye. Jon Snow is very similar to the Arthur presented in T.H. Whites The Once and Future King. Whites Arthur raised by Sir Ector and is unaware of his true parentage as the rightful King of England. He is raised to believe that he is the bastard son of Sir Ector opposed to his true born son Kay. Jon Snow is “one” of Lord of Winterfell Eddard Stark’s children but Jon does not have the Stark name because he is of bastard birth. Even though Ned Stark openly acknowledges Jon as his son and has raised him among his siblings. Jon is still illegitimate and because of his bastard status many consider him to have a dishonorable nature because of it and prevent him from advancing in his