Rasul V.

DSAT Reading & Writing practice materials

My notes from the podcast:

The moral of the drama lies on power and leadership of people from different backgrounds: kings, queens, bastards, lowkey unsullied soldiers or even wildlings. Game of Thrones illustrates that wise and lasting leadership requires rulers in specific and difficult situations to compromise their principles and ethics for the greater good of the people, the family, and the realm. For instance, just being heroistic and honorable alone is not necessarily enough to win the confidence and trust of people around you; we see it in the case of Ned Stark's death where the people who he trusted betrays all of a sudden, leaning towards the Lannisters who are the opposite of Starks. We witness with Joffrey Baratheon and Ramsey Bolton, and perhaps Cersei that leading with cruelty and fear is also not the route to a lasting reign. I liked the wisdom Tywin Lannister shares in the movie: In season four of the show, the Lannister family stands over Joffrey Baratheon’s body in the Great Sept of Baelor, after he was poisoned at his own wedding. “Your brother is dead. Do you know what that means?” Tywin Lannister asks his grandson Tommen Baratheon. Tommen responds that he it means he will be king. “What kind of king do you think you’ll be?” Tywin asks. “A good king,” replies Tommen. Tywin responds that he agrees, and asks, “But what makes a good king? Hmm?” They are still standing over Joffrey, who embodied the opposite. “What is a good king’s single most important quality?” Tommen lists a few qualities: holiness, justice and strength. Tywin dismisses each of them with an example of a bad king who embodied that quality. “What did they all lack?” Tywin asks. Tommen says wisdom. “Yes! But what is wisdom?” Tywin animatedly replies. “A wise king knows what he knows and what he doesn’t. You’re young. A wise young king listens to his counselors and heeds their advice until he comes of age. And the wisest kings continue to listen to them long afterwards.” So, The lesson I learned from Tywin is that every single Leader should surround himself with wise and smart friends, partners, and advisers and listen to them. “Those who seek power are less deserving of it.” The quote can also conclude the storyline. In my mind, there were only three people right for ruling and leading: Joh Snow (Aegon Targaryen), Bran Stark, Tyrion Lannister - the same people who did not want to be a king. As far as Joh Snow is concerned, he is the character that deserves special highlights, plus my role model. The King in The North, Lord Commander of the Night's Watch, the one who made alliance of Wildlings and North Men. He was named all of these, not because of his birthright, he had no birthright, he was a bastard, All the people in the North chose him as their leader because they believe in him. He faced all those things, he fought all of them - the real war, the terror of white walkers, night king, battle of bastards. He did all of it for the good of his people he is in charge of, he risked his life for his people, he took a knife in the heart for his people, he gave his own life for his people, he got betrayed by his loved ones for serving for the oath he took. Im reality, he had never been a bastard, he was the right heir to the Iron Throne, he was Aegon Targaryen, who didn't want the throne. Famous lines of Ygritte still ring a bell when comparing Jon with his half brother Bran: "You know nothing Jon Snow". Truly, Jon was the character who knew nothing but did everything, while Bran knew everything but did nothing. After all Jon was a brave, honorable man who carried the weight of the world on his shoulders, always choosing what's right even when it cost his life, even when it meant sacrificing his love.

Last week was of a wonderland for myself, for I finished Game of Thrones series made up of 8 seasons 73 episodes in only one week. Considering that I never liked series based on medieval stories, I must say this was whole of an exceptional experience for me, which triggered my interest on fictional stories about history. Now, given that I am full immersed with the cinematic universe of GoT, I am feeling like I am being dragged to read “A Song of Ice and Fire“ - that would definitely be a turning point in my life, cause I never liked reading fantasy. Even through the confusion, I absorbed myself in the story. I clung to my paperbacks for hours, learning everything I could about the Starks and the Lannisters and the Targaryens. I loved how expansive Westeros and Essos were. I loved all the characters, even the not-so-nice ones. My eyes were opened to a world of fiction I would soon come to love: fantasy. Now I can confirm calim these first experiences with Game of Thrones are the sole reasons I love speculative fiction so much now.