《冰与火之歌》是POV写作手法的代表作。POV即Point of View, 中文译作“视点人物写作法”。这种写作方法其实并不新鲜，不过我印象比较深刻的是初中的时候。那会儿，正是新概念作文流行的时候，有一本杂志特别火，叫《萌芽》。不知道现在的同学们还看不看了。记忆中典型的封面是这样的：
（找不到更清晰的图片了）
里面有很多新奇的写作手法，其中就有这种POV写作方法，第一次读到这种文章，觉得很神奇，原来文章还可以这么写。于是，我在考试作文里也尝试过这种写作方法，同一件事情，从不同的人物视角把事情再讲一遍，去探讨不同人物的内心变化、制造矛盾冲突，效果还不错。
《冰与火之歌》世界观很庞大，人物众多、关系复杂，每一章都以人物名字命名，站在人物的视角推动剧情发展，是典型的POV写作手法。据网上的有关统计，在《冰与火之歌》前五卷里，Jon的POV数量占第二，是故事的绝对主角。
Jon是Stark家的私生子，他在第一次POV出场的心理活动和动机都要从bastard这个事实出发。
开头很经典：
There were times--not many, but a few--when Jon Snow was glad he was a bastard. As he filled his wine cup once more from a passing flagon, it struck him that this might be one of them.
有些时候——并不多，但有那么一些场合——Jon Snow对自己私生子的身份感到庆幸。当他用身边递过来的大酒壶里再次给自己的酒杯斟满时，他忽然想到这大概算是其中的一个吧。
这个开头点出了最重要的一个词bastard，但是又好像有很多东西没有说，等着读者进一步去发现。
这个句式，值得记住：
There be times when...As... , it strike sb. that(this might be one of them).
有时候..., 当...时，...突然想到(这可能就是其中之一)
strike (stuck) :suddenly come into the mind of.
At this point, it suddenly struck me that I was wasting my time.
这时，我突然觉得这是在浪费自己的时间。
父亲为国王安排了欢迎宴会（welcoming feast），但是因为自己bastard的身份，平时在一起吃饭、一起的生活的兄弟姐妹在这个正式的场合有了区分。Jon在观察整个宴会的同时，又无时不在与那些 trueborn Stark兄弟姐妹们进行比较。
He was certain that his companions were more entertaining than the king'soffspring.
不能和王室的成员坐在一起，但他们肯定没有身边的squires和drunk有趣，他们会讲有意思的战事、欢事和猎事（tales of battle and bedding and the hunt）, 会在Jon每饮尽一杯的时候更进一杯（urge him on）.
offspring：a person's children
从大厅的装饰、宴会表演到Starks和王室成员结对来到宴会大厅，Jon都观察地非常仔细。
The queen was as beautiful as men said.
The king walked like a man half in his cups.
Little Rickon came with all the dignity a three-year-old could muster.
Robb came with Princess Myrcella on his arm... Jon noticed the shy looks she gave Robb as they passed between the tables and the timid way she smiled at him. He decided she was insipid.
decide:这个用法以前很少见过。If you decide that something is true, you form that opinion about it after considering the facts.也就是“断定”的意思。
He decided Franklin must be suffering from a bad cold.
他断定法兰克林一定是得了重感冒。
Arya was paired with plump Tommen.
Sansa drew prince Joffrey.
draw:If you draw something or someone in a particular direction, you move them in that direction, usually by pulling them gently.相当于pull，有“拉、引导”的意思。
He drew his chair nearer the fire.他把椅子往火边拉了拉。
Wilson drew me aside after an interview. 采访结束后Wilson把我拉到一边。
Jaime Lannister was tall and golden, with flashing green eyes and a smile that cut like a knife.They called him the Lion of Lannister to his face and whispered "Kingslayer" behind his back.
called sb. ..to his face and whispered ... behind his back: 当面称……背地里悄悄叫……
Tyrion Lannister was a dwarf, half his brother's height, struggling to keep pace on stunted legs.
The last of the high lords to enter were his uncle, Benjen Stark of the Night's Watch, and his father's ward, young Theon Greyjoy.
连他的狼崽也来凑热闹。
Something rubbed against his leg beneath the table.
一想到兄弟姐妹们的狼崽都不允许带到宴会来，他觉得这大概也是私生子才有的运气吧。(He told himself he was fortunate in that too.)
Uncle Benjen过来与Jon聊天，Benjen着一身黑衣，是一名守夜人（Night's Watch）。Benjen问Jon：
Don't you usually eat at table with your brothers?
平时你不和你的兄弟们一起吃饭吗？
Jon平静地（in a flat voice）说：
Most times. But tonight Lady stark thought it might give insult to the royal family to seat a bastard among them.
Uncle Benjen看得出男主人Ned Stark今晚兴致不高。Jon也注意到了。
A bastard had to learn to notice things, to read the truth that people hid behind their eyes.
私生子不得不学会长些眼色，学会读懂掩藏在人们目光后的真相。
Uncle Benjen对Jon的观察感到惊异，随口说了一句绝境长城上正需要这样的守夜人。而Jon似乎也考虑过这条出路。
在多少个漫漫的长夜里，这个十四岁的少年躺在床上睡不着。身边的兄弟已经睡着，他却不得不因为未来陷入沉思。Robb将来会继承Winterfell，统领军队成为北方守护。Bran和Rickon将领一方城池成为Robb的封臣。两个妹妹Arya和Sansa将和其他大家族联姻。可是一个私生子能得到什么呢？
原来不是中国才有嫡、庶之分。
原来私生子是没有家的。
也许成为守夜人，至少可以赢得荣誉。
但是Uncle Benjen觉得Jon太年轻，他还不懂得成为一名守夜人必须放弃亲情，放弃爱情：
The Night's Watch is a sworn brotherhood. We have no families. None of us will ever father sons. Our wife is duty. Our mistress is honor.
在Jon还没有品尝过爱情和女人前，可能Jon还不懂得这代价到底意味着什么。
Come back to me after you've fathered a few bastards of your own, and we'll see how you feel.
“bastard”这个词深深地刺痛Jon的心，他深尝身为一名bastard的痛苦，怎么会成为这种痛苦的制造者？
I will never father a bastard. Never!
大概是Jon太激动了。话音落时，周遭都安静下来，看着Jon。Jon感到眼泪就要忍不住，冲出了宴会大厅。遇到Tyrion Lannister。Tyrion告诉他：
Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not. Make it your strength. Then it can never be your weakness. Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.
永远不要忘了自己是谁。因为这个世界绝不会忘记。让他变成你的力量，它就不会称为你的软肋。用它武装自己，别人就不能用它来伤害你。
作为一个侏儒，一个父亲眼中的怪物，或许与bastard也无异。
当Tyrion打开宴会大厅的大门，灯光投射出他的影子，那一刹那，Jon感到Tryion高大得犹如一个国王。
When he opened the door, the light from within threw his shadow clear across the yard, and for just a moment Tyrion Lannister stood tall as a king.
一个人，是出生在战乱纷飞还是和平安宁的国度，是交通便利的大都市还是贫困偏远的小山村，其实人在一开始没什么选择。
仔细想想，如果说还有平等不平等之谓，那么人生最大的不平等大概就是出生的不平等吧。