#kraznys

ASOIAF VS HARD TIMES (pt1)

The description of Astapor vs Coketown:

All the streets were made of the same red brick that had paved the plaza. […] So many bricks, she thought, and so old and crumbling. Their fine red dust was everywhere, dancing down the gutters at each gust of wind. Small wonder so many Astapori women veiled their faces; the brick dust stung the eyes worse than sand. (Daenerys II, ASOS)

"It was a town of red brick, or of brick that would have been red if the smoke and ashes had allowed it; but as matters stood, it was a town of unnatural red and black like the painted face of a savage. It was a town of machinery and tall chimneys, out of which interminable serpents of smoke trailed themselves for ever and ever, and never got uncoiled.” (Hard times, description of Coke Town).

Both towns have two things in common: both are made of old red bricks, and both are infested by gas and dust which make it hard for its inhabitants to live (astapori women having to wear veils, people of Coketown having several illnesses caused by the smog).

But let’s not forget another thing which both towns have in common: its values. Coketown’s values are established by two main things, which are Bentham’s Utilitarism and Smiles’ concept of the Self-made Man. Other than, of course, capitalism.

All these things are to be found as well in one Astapori character which, I think, could be easily seen as a parallel of the ‘villains’ characters we have in ASOIAF during Daenerys’ time in Astapor. Kraznys.

It’s just at the start of Hard Times that we find the main theme of the book (and Bentham’s utilitarian philosophy):

“NOW, what I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and giris nothing but Facts. Facts alone are wanted in life. Plant nothing else, and root out everything else. You can only form the minds of reasoning animals upon Facts: nothing else will ever be of any service to them. This is the principle on which I bring up my own children, and this is the principle on which I bring up these children. Stick to Facts, sir!"

Even if in a more violent way, this approach is similar to that Kraznys has with the Unsullied:

“Tell her that these have been standing here for a day and a night, with no food nor water. Tell her that they will stand until they drop if I should command it, and when nine hundred and ninety-nine have collapsed to die upon the bricks, the last will stand there still, and never move until his own death claims him. Such is their courage. Tell her that." (Daenerys II, ASOS)

“A word from me and these sheep would spill his stinking old bowels on the bricks," he [Kraznys] said, "but do not say that. Tell them that these creatures are more dogs than sheep.” (Daenerys II, ASOS)

"A bull is strong as well, but bulls die every day in the fighting pits. A girl of nine killed one not three days past in Jothiel's Pit. The Unsullied have something better than strength, tell her. They have discipline. We fight in the fashion of the Old Empire, yes. They are the lockstep legions of Old Ghis come again, absolutely obedient, absolutely loyal, and utterly without fear." (Daenerys II, ASOS)

The ‘fact’ that we see Kraznys make the Unsullied obey to, is discipline— maybe even some sort of twisted version of strength, and obedience. They do not have space for nothing else: no feelings (just like the people of Coketown who do not know what love is) nor emotion or identity.

Their identity is stolen— and so is that of the people of Coketown. Let’s see:

“Girl number twenty,” said Mr. Gradgrind, squarely pointing with his square forefinger, “I don't know that girl. Who is that girl?”

“Sissy Jupe, sir,” explained number twenty, blushing, standing up, and curtseying.

“Sissy is not a name,” said Mr. Gradgrind. “Don't call yourself Sissy. Call yourself Cecilia. [Sissy says that her father calls her that] Then he has no business to do it,” said Mr. Gradgrind. 'Tell him he mustn't.”

She is not Mrs. Jupe, not Cecilia, not even Sissy— she’s called ‘girl number twenty’ and when she says her name (the one strictly linked with affection, as her father calls her thar), Gradgrind tells her that he mustn’t and not only does he strip her identity away from her; but he also strips the affection that is tied to her name away from her.

“This one does not recall, your worship. Blue Toad, perhaps. Or Blue Worm."

“Tell her all their names are such," Kraznys commanded the girl. "It reminds them that by themselves they are vermin. The name disks are thrown in an empty cask at duty's end, and each dawn plucked up again at random." (Daenerys II, ASOS)

Kraznys (and every other slaver, really) is taking away their identity and their parents-given names from the Unsullied. They do not have ‘normal’ names, but they have those of an animal to remind themselves of what they are: animals. And whatever they were before that, does not matter at all.

"No little Gradgrind had ever seen a face in the moon; it was up in the moon before it could speak distinctly. No little Gradgrind had ever learnt the silly jingle, Twinkle, twinkle, little star, how I wonder what you are! No little Gradgrind had ever known wonder on the subject, each little Gradgrind having at five years old dissected the Great Bear like a Professor Owen, and driven Charles's Wain like a locomotive engine-driver. […]”

And just like the Unsullied, who do not do, say or even think anything without Kraznys’ command, even the little Gradgrind do not know anything about childhood or real happiness— because all they have known, ever since they were little, were facts.

But they both— Unsullied and the people of Coketown— will eventually see the light.