Symbolism & House Stark Part 2

The Stark Children and Their Wolves

The Stark family are returning from the execution of a Night's Watch deserter when they encounter a direwolf that has been killed by a stag (but more on that in another post) and her now-orphaned pups. Theon Greyjoy, ward to the Stark family, suggests that the pups be killed as they are dangerous, which could be a foreshadowing towards his later betrayal of the Stark children, but Jon Snow convinces his father to let them live as there is one for each of his trueborn children, and for his baseborn son. Arguably, these wolf pups will later come to hold much more significance than that.

Robb & Greywind: The strongest of the pups and the Stark heir together are a force to be reckoned with in the war against houses Lannister and Baratheon in which Robb is refered to as “The Young Wolf” but separation saw death for both.

Jon & Ghost: The runt of the litter and the baseborn son is a fitting match even before taking into consideration the pups seperation from his family even at first meeting. The personalities of both coincide as the timidness of both is replaced by strength as the story goes on.

Sansa & Lady: The name Lady is also befitting to Sansa as she is indeed the lady of house Stark, with her hand promised to a future King and her love of sewing beside her sister's love of the sword. More than this, Lady's death was the most symbolic tying to her owner as this death represented both the conflict between Sansa and Arya, and the loss of Sansa's innocence as it showed the brutality of her future husband.

Arya & Nymeria: Nymeria's naming after an ancient warrior queen is befitting to Arya's personality and future from her anger and need to avenge her family to her life as an assassin before her return to Westeros. The wolf and the girl both follow parallel journey's on the run, forming new packs of their own.

Bran & Summer: As mentioned before, the name Summer is symbolic to Bran's coming-of-age, but further than this he shares the closest connection with his wolf with his later-found ability to warg.

Rickon & Shaggydog: Shaggydog, though named in childhood innocence, later becomes like an alter-ego to Rickon who was raised by the wildling Osha after the seperation from his family and the death of his parents. Shaggydog is also symbolic of Rickon's life, filled with fighting, brutality and death.