One of the great things about books is you can afford to do anything.
George R. R. MartinRead
And who are you, the proud Lord said that I must bow so low? Only a cat of a different coat, that's all the truth I know. In a coat of gold or a coat of red, a lion still has claws. And, mine are as long and sharp, my Lord as long and sharp as yours. And so he spoke, and so he spoke, that Lord of Castamere, but now the rains weep o'er his hall, with no one there to hear. Yes, now the rains weep o'er his hall, and not a soul to hear.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the idea that regardless of status or outward appearances, everyone has their own strength and power.
In this quote from George R. R. Martin, the speaker asserts that despite the superficial differences in status or appearance, such as the 'coat of gold' or 'coat of red', true power and strength lie within. The 'lion' symbolizes strength, and the reference to claws signifies that everyone possesses their own capabilities and defenses. The reflection on the fallen Lord of Castamere illustrates the transient nature of power and the inevitability of fate, reminding us that pride and status are ultimately fleeting.
Themes
PowerStrengthPrideEqualityStatusFate
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about resilience, one might quote this to illustrate that true power comes from within, regardless of external appearances.
More from George R. R. Martin
All quotes →I hate outlines. I have a broad sense of where the story is going; I know the end, I know the end of the principal characters, and I know the major turning points and events from the books, the climaxes for each book, but I don't necessarily know each twist and turn along the way. That's something I discover in the course of writing and that's what makes writing enjoyable. I think if I outlined comprehensively and stuck to the outline the actual writing would be boring.
George R. R. MartinRead
There is only one god and his name is Death. And there is only one thing we say to Death: “Not today.
George R. R. MartinRead
I did not do it. Yet now I wish I had.’ He turned to face the hall, that sea of pale faces. ‘I wish I had enough poison for you all. You make me sorry that I am not the monster you would have me be, yet there it is. I am innocent, but I will get no justice here.
George R. R. MartinRead
But a voice inside her whispered, There are no heroes, and she remembered what Lord Petyr had said to her, here in this very hall. 'Life is not a song, sweetling,' he'd told her, 'You may learn that one day to your sorrow.' In life, the monsters win, she told herself.
George R. R. MartinRead
I write from this tight third-person viewpoint, where each chapter is seen through the eyes of one individual character. When I'm writing that character, I become that character and identify with that character.
George R. R. MartinRead
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