ADWD Spoilers below . . .
Wow, as I read Jon's chapters, I'm reminded of a recurring theme in this novel with both Jon and Dany. Both are in a position of power and both try to introduce change and adjustment for the greater good as they see it into a hierarchal thinking steeped in tradition and custom. Both are finding a tough go of things.
The more Dany tries to fight slavery, the more setbacks she encounters. The Quartheen Xaro visits her to provide sage counsel against her efforts to end slavery in Slaver's Bay. Everything Xaro says appears sound actually, that is, that somehow the Slaver cities need slaves and that some slaves want to be slaves. He sure had me convinced. She views the freed slaves as her "children," and I believe her problem is that she injects change (no slaves) too suddenly, too quickly. When she tries to rule on the drastic terms of her victory, not only does her city resist, but the larger economic ecosystem rebels against her. Finally, she capitulates to the Slavers by marrying the Meereenese noble Hizdahr Zo Loraq. In the end, she gives up. I think Dany's heart is in the right place, but her execution is flawed. On a side note, I wanted to slap her every time she goes on about, "I may be a young girl, and know little...." She pulled that shit in ASOS too, and her veiled self-righteousness and condescending attitude to go along with her entitlement issues make me want to kill her sometimes.
On the other hand, Jon's attempts at change in the Night's Watch seem justified. Jon clearly grasps what Bowen Marsh misses: that in order to defeat a greater threat (the Others), the Night's Watch must change or the White Walkers (Others) will threaten their ultimate vow to "guard the realms of men." Both Eastwatch and Shadow Tower need more men, Castle Black needs more men, and since the rest of the realm plays at the game of thrones and cares little about the Wall and the danger lurking beyond, he finds men to guard the Wall amongst the wildings. Bowen Marsh fights him every step of the way. His Night's Watch brothers fight him. After defeating the wildlings, Jon attempts to incorporate them into the Night's Watch, and now he must help his brotherhood overcome their long-seeded enmity for the wildlings. The Night's Watch brotherhood has fought and died against the wildlings for so long that allowing them through the Wall and stand beside them against the Others just doesn't sit well for the Night's Watch brothers. How can they fight the Others when they can't trust the wildlings standing by their side? But Jon knows that it's either that or allow the Others to terrorize the rest of westeros and the realms of men because the Night's Watch simply doesn't have enough men to man the Wall. He needs to prepare for the eventuality that the Others will attack, and he wants to prepare for that eventuality as early as possible. Unlike Dany, I don't think Jon's choices and decisions are poorly executed.
But damn, changing deep-rooted tradition is a bitch, ain't it? But if people won't change on their own accord, winter and dragons will force it upon them one way or the other.
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