Subconscious Meaning Behind Game of Thrones

Published September 6, 2017 · Updated July 6, 2022

Hey guys,

First off, love the podcast. A friend of mine suggested it and I can easily say that it is a personal favorite of mine. You open up a lot of lines of thought and it makes the show more enjoyable.

I think that the whole show has a deeper “subconscious” meaning to it. Much like The Lord of the Rings, I believe that Game of Thrones resembles a struggle in the real world that had a major impact on the author. Tolkien was a soldier during WWI and his experiences there shaped his story world to a measurable degree. George R. R. Martin grew up in an era that put the great super powers of the world against each other. He was taught how to hide under his desk in the event of a nuclear attack from the Soviets. The nearly unstoppable spread of Communism during his early lifetime seems to mimic the force beyond The Wall, coming to destroy life as we know it. There was also the literal Berlin Wall to separate the East and West. The nuclear weapons that the super powers used could be interpreted as the dragons, and I’ve heard them referred to as “nukes” on your podcast and others. Maybe Martin’s story is also about the Democratic vs Communist regimes during his lifetime? Maybe I’m trying to find symbolism that isn’t there. Would love to hear your thoughts on it.

Jack D
Michigan

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