Editing Reading and writing (section)

==Recent Events==
===''A Game of Thrones''===
[[Tyrion Lannister]] explains to [[Jon Snow]] that he reads as much as he does because, due to his physical limitations from being a [[dwarf]], his mind is his weapon and the mind needs books to keep its edge.{{Ref|AGOT|13}}

When he is imprisoned in a [[sky cell]], [[Tyrion Lannister]] offers [[Mord]] [[gold]] in return for help and vows he will put his promise in writing. [[Mord]], who is the type to revere writing as if it were [[magic]], agrees.{{Ref|AGOT|38}}

[[Samwell Tarly]] can read and write and has read every book in his [[Randyll Tarly|father's]] library. [[Jon Snow]] tries to convince [[Maester]] [[Aemon Targaryen (son of Maekar I)|Aemon]] to take Sam as a [[Stewards|steward]] because [[Chett]] can't read and [[Clydas]] has weak eyes.{{Ref|AGOT|41}}

[[Sansa Stark]] can read and write better than any of her brothers.{{Ref|AGOT|51}} [[Rickon Stark]], her youngest brother, cannot read yet.{{Ref|AGOT|21}}

[[Arya Stark]] cannot read the name of the [[ship]] the ''[[Wind Witch]]'' because the words on its hull are strange to her. She judges the text to be [[Myrish language|Myrish]], [[Braavosi language|Braavosi]], or possibly [[High Valyrian]].{{Ref|AGOT|65}}

===''A Clash of Kings''===
[[File:Roose Bolton by David Auden Nash.jpg|thumb|300px|[[Roose Bolton]] reading a book by David Auden Nash]]
Although [[Davos Seaworth]] is skilled at reading maps and charts, he has never learned how to read. His three youngest sons, [[Devan Seaworth|Devan]], [[Steffon Seaworth|Steffon]], and [[Stannis Seaworth|Stannis]], have all learned their letters.{{Ref|ACOK|10}}

[[Stannis Baratheon]] has Davos and his son [[Dale Seaworth|Dale]] bring letters alleging [[Joffrey Baratheon]]'s [[bastardy]] to every settlement along the coast and instructs him to nail them to the doors of [[sept]]s and inns for every man to read who can. Davos points out that will be few, and [[Maester]] [[Pylos]] suggests having the letters read out loud. Stannis accepts Davos's suggestion of using [[knight]]s to do the reading.{{Ref|ACOK|10}}

In the [[riverlands]], the [[brotherhood without banners]] takes supplies from villagers and gives them written promises of payment for everything they take. A villager whose [[chicken]]s were taken is frustrated because she can't eat with a ragged piece of paper with a mark on it.{{Ref|ACOK|26}}

[[Marei]] is teaching her fellow [[Prostitution|prostitutes]] at [[Chataya's brothel]] how to read, including [[Alayaya]].{{Ref|ACOK|29}}

When [[Arya Stark]] is forced into labor at [[Harrenhal]], [[Weese]] has her deliver written messages, never imagining that she can read. Arya peeks at all the messages, but never finds anything good.{{Ref|ACOK|38}}

[[Theon Greyjoy]] learns that, unlikely as it seems, the lowborn "[[Ramsay Snow|Reek]]" can read and write.{{Ref|ACOK|56}} Unbeknownst to Theon at the time, "Reek" is actually Ramsay Snow, the [[bastard]] son of Lord [[Roose Bolton]].{{Ref|ACOK|66}}

[[Daenerys Targaryen]] instructs "[[Barristan Selmy|Arstan Whitebeard]]" to have the names ''[[Saduleon|Balerion]]'', ''[[Summer Sun|Vhagar]]'', and ''[[Joso's Prank|Meraxes]]'' painted on her [[ships]] in gold letters three feet high so that everyone who sees them knows that [[dragon]]s have returned.{{Ref|ACOK|63}}

===''A Storm of Swords''===
"[[Barristan Selmy|Arstan Whitebeard]]" tells [[Daenerys Targaryen]] the famous tale of how her older brother, [[Prince]] [[Rhaegar Targaryen]], was reading so early and so much that people would joke that their mother, Queen [[Rhaella Targaryen|Rhaella]], had swallowed books and a candle while he was in the womb.{{Ref|ASOS|8}}

At the [[Fist of the First Men]], [[Samwell Tarly]] pre-writes a variety of different short messages to send out via [[raven]] in the event of an attack on the Fist. When an [[Fight at the Fist|attack]] by [[Others]] does occur, he forgets to attach the messages before setting the ravens free.{{Ref|ASOS|18}}

When [[Stannis Baratheon]] names [[Davos Seaworth]] his new [[Hand of the King]], Davos protests, pointing out that he cannot read or write. Stannis is unconcerned because [[Pylos]] can read for him and his last Hand, [[Alester Florent]], wrote a [[treason]]ous letter without his consent.{{Ref|ASOS|36}}

After gaining passage across the [[Trident]] at [[Lord Harroway's Town]], [[Sandor Clegane]] gives the [[Bent-backed man|ferryman]] the written promise of nine thousand [[Currency|golden dragons]] the [[Beric Dondarrion]] gave him as payment. The man is perplexed and upset because writing is no good to him, unlike gold.{{Ref|ASOS|47}}

Pylos offers to teach Davos to read after he expresses doubts at his worthiness as Hand, in part due to his illiteracy. He begins to take lessons with Pylos every day. He is far behind his son Devan or the children [[Edric Storm]] and [[Shireen Baratheon]], and the effort sometimes gives him headaches or makes him feel a fool.{{Ref|ASOS|54}}

When [[Tyrion Lannister]] gifts his nephew King [[Joffrey Baratheon]] the book ''[[Lives of Four Kings]]'', [[Kevan Lannister]] says it's a book every king should read. Joffrey claims his [[Robert I Baratheon|father]] had no time for books and that perhaps if Tyrion read less, his wife Sansa would already be with child.{{Ref|ASOS|59}}

According to [[Denys Mallister]], [[Maester]] [[Harmune]] reads and writes the letters of [[Cotter Pyke]], the [[Commander (Night's Watch)|commander]] at [[Eastwatch-by-the-Sea]], and has for years.{{Ref|ASOS|78}}

===''A Feast for Crows''===
Lord [[Rodrik Harlaw]] is nicknamed "Rodrik the Reader" because of his love of books and reading, which is unusual among the [[ironborn]]. He has a special room where he reads in the [[Book Tower]], but is also known for reading just about any place and any time.{{Ref|AFFC|11}}

Although [[Septon]] [[Meribald]] cannot read or write, he knows a hundred different prayers and can recite lengthy passages from ''[[The Seven-Pointed Star]]'' from memory. This is all that is needed to serve as septon in villages.{{Ref|AFFC|25}}

Although a [[knight]] from a noble [[House Payne|House]], the [[King's Justice (title)|King's Justice]] Ser [[Ilyn Payne]] cannot read or write. This makes him ill-suited for his duties of running the [[Red Keep]]'s dungeons, and he leaves much of the tasks to his underlings who can read and write. These underlings include the last [[Chief Gaoler (Red Keep)|Chief Gaoler]], a cloth merchant,{{Ref|AFFC|27}} and the [[chief undergaoler]], [[Rennifer Longwaters]].{{Ref|AFFC|8}}

===''A Dance with Dragons''===
[[Tyrion Lannister]] learned to read [[High Valyrian]] a [[maester]]'s knee, but finds that the Valyrian dialects spoken in the [[Free Cities]] are somewhat different.{{Ref|ADWD|1}}

[[Illyrio Mopatis]] tells Tyrion about [[Varys]]'s "[[little birds]]." Mostly orphan boys and young girls, Varys would teach them how to read. Initially, they stole letters and other documents, but transitioned to just reading the secrets and leaving the originals where they found them.{{Ref|ADWD|5}}

Tyrion Lannister observes the [[sellsword]] [[Jon Connington|Griff]] reading a letter from Illyrio and notes that he hardly moves his lips as he does so. The fact that he ''could'' read at all is telling to Tyrion, as few sellswords could boast of that.{{Ref|ADWD|8}}

When "[[Theon Greyjoy|Reek]]" treats with the [[ironborn]] at [[Moat Cailin]] on [[Ramsay Snow|Ramsay Bolton's]] behalf, he gives them Ramsay's written message and encourages them to read it for themselves. However, he is almost certain that none of the men, mostly sons of [[thrall]]s and [[Salt wife|salt wives]], can read.{{Ref|ADWD|20}}

[[Robett Glover]] has been teaching [[Wex Pyke]], the mute [[ironborn]] [[squire]], how to read. He is a quick learner and already knows how to write his own name. He has told [[Wyman Manderly]] and his allies what he knows of the [[Sack of Winterfell]] and the survival of [[Bran Stark|Bran]] and [[Rickon Stark]], but they won't know the full truth until he learns more letters.{{Ref|ADWD|29}}

[[Brynden Rivers]] tells [[Bran Stark]] about how the [[children of the forest]] taught the [[First Men]] how to send messages by [[raven]]s, who would speak the words in those days. Since [[humans]] have forgotten this, they now write messages on parchment and tie them around the feet of birds who have never shared their [[Skinchanger|skin]]. Bran knows the story from [[Old Nan]], but his brother [[Robb Stark|Robb]] laughed when he asked if it was true.{{Ref|ADWD|34}}

[[Jojen Reed]] asks Bran if he likes to read. Bran says he likes some, but not all stories. Jojen tells Bran about how the [[children of the forest]] had no written language and instead relied on the [[weirwood]] trees to remember all their knowledge.{{Ref|ADWD|34}}

When [[Jon Snow]]'s advisors object to his naming [[Satin]] as his personal [[Stewards|steward]] on account of his past as an [[Oldtown]] whore, Jon points out that Satin can read and write after a fashion.{{Ref|ADWD|39}}

===''The Winds of Winter''===
{{Warning/twow}}
At the [[Gate (playhouse)|Gate]] in [[Braavos]], [[Big Brusco]]. paints the title of the play ''[[The Bloody Hand]]'' in huge red letters beside the entrance. Beneath the words, he paints a bloody hand for those who cannot read.<ref name="twow">''[[The Winds of Winter]]'', [[Mercy (The Winds of Winter)|Mercy]]</ref>