goteamsarcasm:

unicornempire:

snip

Actually I don’t think Sansa was kind to start with. She was spoiled and cruel, and she was willing to lie even though it hurt her sister and her own wolf (not that she knew that would be the outcome, but she must have known there would be punishment doled out to her sibling and the Butcher’s boy in some form). I think she was a bit mean in her selfishness because she wanted to marry Joffrey so badly at first, and then as these horrible things happened to her she grew up and found compassion, because now bad things had happened to her and she knew what it felt like to feel beaten down, to truly suffer. I think she’s kind because these horrible things could have made her bitter and horrible, and instead she chose to remember her mother and her family and make herself a better person after the veil was pulled from her eyes, and that is a truly remarkable feat. 

I agree with everything above EXCEPT that Sansa was ever cruel to begin with. She was shallow, she was self absorbed and she was spoiled but she was never cruel. There is absolutely no text to support that Sansa was ever aware of what the repercussions of her omission (not necessarily an overt lie) in the butcher’s boy, Joffrey and Arya incident would be. Cruelty by definition implies the intentional causing or enjoyment in other’s pain or suffering. That has nothing to do with Sansa. Cruel was what Joffrey was like, or Ramsey, or even Cersei but never in the text is there an instance where Sansa could be called cruel. 

If we look at Sansa’s POV throughout the incident at the Trident we get an accurate picture of her confusion, fear and helplessness.

When the butcher’s boy tells Joffrey that Arya asked her to spar with him, Sansa recognizes right away that’s the truth and is wary of Joffrey:

“Sansa had only to glance at Arya and see the flush on her sister’s face to know the boy was telling the truth, but Joffrey was in no mood to listen.” (GoT, 150)

Later when Joff becomes more aggressive with the butcher’s boy Sansa is worried for herself, Joff and Arya and tries to stop her from intervening:

“Sansa was afraid. ‘Arya, you stay out of this.’”(GoT, 151)

She even goes to jump off her horse when she sees that Arya was about to go and make a move against Joffrey (something that we learn later in the text could have caused Arya to lose a hand).

"everything happened at once before Sansa’s horrified eyes.” (GoT, 151)

When Arya throws a rock at Joffrey and he retaliates and tries to attack her, Sansa is terrified and notably distraught over Joffrey’s behaviour. 

“‘Stop it, don’t, stop it!’ Sansa screamed. Joffrey slashed at Arya with his sword, screaming obscenities, terrible words, filthy words.” (GoT, 151)

Sansa is confused. Joffrey is her fiance and he is the prince and heir to the throne. She has to respect him, obey him, serve him, love him. Furthermore she thinks that the prince, Queen and King are good people and she has no real world knowledge outside of what her songs and fairytales tell her about royalty. That’s what she’s been brought up to believe. Arya is her sister. Her family. Who should she protect? Who should she side with. Sansa goes to Joffrey’s aid after Arya has left, as she should. Why? He’s her fiance and the prince! She’s eleven. She can’t marry someone who will hate her for the rest of her life, she has to make him love her. 

The next chapter from Ned’s POV only reinforces Sansa’s fear. She’s anxious, she doesn’t know what to do.

“She blinked at her sister, then at the young prince. ‘I don’t know,’ she said tearfully, looking as though she wanted to bolt. ‘I don’t remember. Everything happened so fast, I didn’t see…”(GoT, 156)

Sansa makes a lack of a choice because she is terrified and doesn’t know what to do. She doesn’t lie and she isn’t behaving cruelly hoping that Arya will be doled out punishment. Instead she leaves the room “pale and shaking“ (GoT, 156). 

Early Sansa was not exceptionally kind, but neither is she cruel. She is a young girl who wants to escape from the monotony of her everyday life and jump into a fairytale. She is selfish, she is shortsighted and she is extremely naive, but never cruel. 

I realize now that this was a ridiculously long rant but I had to reply. This idea that Sansa was a little bitch child just irks me. She reminds me of me when I was younger and every other girl I knew at that age. Don’t even get me started on some of the boys.