Discussion Characters / GameOfThronesAryaStark

Here are my two cents!

I don't think Spoiled Brat applies to Arya because that denotes a sense of entitlement and demand, which I don't see Arya doing. Nor do I see that when Arya causes a kerfuffle, it's with the expectation that she can act without penalty/it's done to punish/or it's done to make people give her her way. Eg, when Arya slingshots a piece of food at Sansa's face at the feast, Catelyn has Robb immediately take Arya away for an early bedtime as punishment and Arya doesn't put up a fuss.

Likewise, I'm not sure where Arya belittles Sansa or bullies her younger brother Bran. I'd also dispute Sansa is simply a sweet Girly Girl (especially to Arya). The two are quite combative to each other and Sansa can be pretty mean to Arya.

Per the basic trope description:

Yeah, I don't think this really applies. She's one of the characters who genuinely befriends individuals in the lower classes, such as Mycah, who she stands up to defend — even to the king and queen. When Arya breaks with decorum, it's more about her sense of justice and right/wrong rather than a selfish need to get what she wants. Her relationship with Septa Mordane is on the negative because a) Arya finds it frustrating to fit within Westeros's rigidly defined gender roles and b) she struggles with the activities that she, as a highborn girl, is supposed to excel at while her work is criticized as Sansa's is praised. Arya's behavior is punished and criticized, including by Catelyn, and she's kept in line by her mother. Though Arya is a Daddy's Girl, when Ned gives her a talk about giving Sansa a break, Arya concedes.

But Arya's behavior isn't coming from an egotistical place to bully, disrespect, or of entitlement. The world of Westeros doesn't really have a place for a highborn girl like Arya and that's where Arya's frustration comes in.

Those are my thoughts :)

Also didn't think that Spoiled Brat applied to Arya. I believe the original example was trying to say that Arya was mean to Sansa because she is a Girly Girl, which isn't untrue, but certainly not one-sided—Sansa and Arya were mutually vitriolic to each other. The only person I can recall her being outwardly disrespectful to is Septa Mordane, for the reasons cherrychels described. I cannot recall any instance of her bullying Bran, unless the "Bran looks like he shot an arrow at the target but it was actually Arya" counts as bullying for embarrassing him.

In any case, Arya doesn't come off as arrogant or bratty, especially since the only people she's unkind to don't exactly treat her well, either.