Post by courgette96 on Sept 18, 2014 6:50:02 GMT -5
I hesitated on where to place this thread, hope this is the proper spot.
Stockholm syndrome is one of my favorite tropes, which is one of the reasons I got into thramsay in the first place. However, I few days ago I started questioning if Theon even had Stockholm syndrome, and his general feelings. After re-reading the chapters, I realised how different the Ramsay/theon dynamic in the series was from the one in the books, at the same point in the story.
Looking for a definition of Stockholm syndrome, I mostly came across "mistaking lack of abuse for an act of kindness". That certainly applies in the books, since in his first chapter, Reek thinks "His lord was merciful and kind. He might have flayed his face off for some of the things Reek had said, before he’d learned his true name and proper place." However , I didn't find much of another element, which is thinking positive thoughts about the captor. He thinks "I can't let him take my sanity", and spends a lot of time fearing he will take another finger. Really, he spends most of his time acting in fear or Ramsay, certain that Ramsay is all knowing and all powerful. The only really positive line I found was the line that launched a thousand shippers :"Reek belongs to Ramsay and Ramsay belongs to Reek". So here, the Thramsay dynamic is mostly Reek submitting out of fear, wand where Ramsay is more attached to Reek than the other way around.
In the show, there is plenty "Do you love me Reek", "Can we go home, my lord", Reek calling out for Ramsay when Asha gets him. Alfie Allen stated that there is a forced attraction toward Ramasay, and that Reek is oblivious to any feeling other than what Ramsay wants him to feel. Not so in the books: Reek would probably get flayed for the way he describes Ramsay and his all around quiet reluctance. Additionally, the show gives us a modified bath scene, Ramsay's pep talk before Moat Callin, and although we don't get the aftermath kiss, we still get Ramsay being very friendly and "Come Reek, I'll be needing a bath" Just way more affectionate notes between the two (as affectionate as thramsay can be, of course). It seems to me that the Thramsay is much stronger in the show than in the books, even though the screen time is very short. More twisted feelings to go around.
Maybe Benioff and Weiss ship it. Or maybe they are setting it up more heavily because it's very important in the post ADWD-story line (pleaseohplease). It could be that they're compensating for the lack of Reek number one.
Just to say, I much prefer the dynamic in the tv show, and I wanted to know what you think, or if you disagree with my vision of things.
Stockholm syndrome is one of my favorite tropes, which is one of the reasons I got into thramsay in the first place. However, I few days ago I started questioning if Theon even had Stockholm syndrome, and his general feelings. After re-reading the chapters, I realised how different the Ramsay/theon dynamic in the series was from the one in the books, at the same point in the story.
Looking for a definition of Stockholm syndrome, I mostly came across "mistaking lack of abuse for an act of kindness". That certainly applies in the books, since in his first chapter, Reek thinks "His lord was merciful and kind. He might have flayed his face off for some of the things Reek had said, before he’d learned his true name and proper place." However , I didn't find much of another element, which is thinking positive thoughts about the captor. He thinks "I can't let him take my sanity", and spends a lot of time fearing he will take another finger. Really, he spends most of his time acting in fear or Ramsay, certain that Ramsay is all knowing and all powerful. The only really positive line I found was the line that launched a thousand shippers :"Reek belongs to Ramsay and Ramsay belongs to Reek". So here, the Thramsay dynamic is mostly Reek submitting out of fear, wand where Ramsay is more attached to Reek than the other way around.
In the show, there is plenty "Do you love me Reek", "Can we go home, my lord", Reek calling out for Ramsay when Asha gets him. Alfie Allen stated that there is a forced attraction toward Ramasay, and that Reek is oblivious to any feeling other than what Ramsay wants him to feel. Not so in the books: Reek would probably get flayed for the way he describes Ramsay and his all around quiet reluctance. Additionally, the show gives us a modified bath scene, Ramsay's pep talk before Moat Callin, and although we don't get the aftermath kiss, we still get Ramsay being very friendly and "Come Reek, I'll be needing a bath" Just way more affectionate notes between the two (as affectionate as thramsay can be, of course). It seems to me that the Thramsay is much stronger in the show than in the books, even though the screen time is very short. More twisted feelings to go around.
Maybe Benioff and Weiss ship it. Or maybe they are setting it up more heavily because it's very important in the post ADWD-story line (pleaseohplease). It could be that they're compensating for the lack of Reek number one.
Just to say, I much prefer the dynamic in the tv show, and I wanted to know what you think, or if you disagree with my vision of things.
