The fight for power
The struggle for power continues to be a central theme in A Clash of Kings just like in Game of Thrones. The power in A clash of Kings is more fractioned than in a Game of Thrones as a result of the self-declared Kings in Westeros. There is an ongoing civil war and the book focuses mainly on the conflicts between the main political powers and how the ordinary people are affected by the armed conflicts. The fight for power will continue to be an important theme in the next books.
Family
Family is an important theme in the book. Because it is a feudal fictional universe, the family one is born in usually dictates what type of person and what position that person will hold. A great accent is out on duty and honoring the responsibilities a person has in his or her family. Also because of their family ties, the characters are not free to choose what side they want in the war. They are forced by default to support a family and fight against another House.
Power
The story presents the perpetual fight for power that takes place in Westeros. As in the previous book, different types of power are presented and it is unclear which type is the most potent. At a first glance, we could say that Joffrey is the most powerful because he is the King of the Seven Kingdoms but that proves to be wrong when many question his legitimacy and it is proven that Joffrey is heavily manipulated by his mother’s beliefs. Varys is also a powerful character because of the knowledge he possesses but he too is limited because of his social status. Even if it is not clear what type of power is the most ‘’powerful’’ one, it is clear that power shifts constantly and there is no guarantee that a character will manage to maintain his status for a long period of time.
