Original artwork, not a still
A Game of Thrones · 1996
A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.
Behind the line
What it means
Our interpretation.
Tyrion's boast is both a self-portrait and a survival plan: he cannot fight with his body, so he sharpens his mind daily. The whetstone image turned a private habit into a creed for readers, and the line is one of the most quoted from the series. The scene also shows the edge: moments later his cleverness cuts Jon.
Context reviewed
In context
Spoilers for A Game of ThronesShow the scene
A Game of Thrones, the chapter Tyrion II, on the road north from Winterfell. After a fortnight riding with Benjen Stark and Jon Snow, Tyrion goes off alone from the camp with a book about dragons. Jon asks why he reads so much. Tyrion answers that his body is twisted and weak, so he must rely on his mind, and that a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone. The talk turns to Jon's own feelings about his family and the Night's Watch, until Jon's direwolf Ghost knocks Tyrion down.
Sources (2)
- A Wiki of Ice and Fire: A Game of Thrones Chapter 13Infobox and Synopsis (Tyrion II)Reference checked
- Wikiquote: A Song of Ice and FireA Game of Thrones (1996), Tyrion (II)Reference checked
Context reviewed
