one of my favorite details about jon’s evolving relationship with the free folk is his attention to language as a constant reminder of their autonomy (rejecting the derogatory label of “wildlings” in favor of calling them by their chosen name of “free folk”, while also respecting the identity of the thenns by not calling them “free folk”). there’s also jon’s refusal to lump all of the different free folk groups together as simply “wildlings” as if they’re a monolith. instead he takes the time to learn about different tribes and clans, their different cultures, beliefs, traditions, and languages (he even wants it written down! he doesn’t want a single group to be forgotten!). it reminds me of how americans will often refer to any indigenous people as simply “native american” as if they all belong to one single culture…rather than taking the time to learn the actual names of different groups. because it’s a lot easier to dehumanize and displace millions of people when you reduce them down to one big culture of “savages.”
but jon has lived among the free folk and formed close relationships with people like ygritte, tormund, mance, val, etc., so overtime he begins to recognize the absurdity of generalizing them as one single group:
Along with the Tormunds and the Longspears rode other sorts of wildlings, though . . . from the northernmost reaches of the haunted forest, the hidden valleys of the Frostfangs, and even queerer places: the men of the Frozen Shore who rode in chariots made of walrus bones pulled along by packs of savage dogs, the terrible ice-river clans who were said to feast on human flesh, the cave dwellers with their faces dyed blue and purple and green. With his own eyes Jon had beheld the Hornfoot men trotting along in column on bare soles as hard as boiled leather.
Beneath the trees were all the wildlings in the world; raiders and giants, wargs and skinchangers, mountain men, salt sea sailors, ice river cannibals, cave dwellers with dyed faces, dog chariots from the Frozen Shore, Hornfoot men with their soles like boiled leather, all the queer wild folk Mance had gathered to break the Wall.
“Worse, he was bred and trained to give orders, not to take them. Do not confuse the Thenns with free folk. Magnar means lord in the Old Tongue, I am told, but Styr was closer to a god to his people, and his son is cut from the same skin.”
Truth be told, he would have been loath to part with Wun Wun. You know nothing, Jon Snow, Ygritte might say, but Jon spoke with the giant whenever he could, through Leathers or one of the free folk they had brought back from the grove, and was learning much and more about his people and their history. He only wished that Sam were here to write the stories down.
“He was, until he said the words. Now he is our brother. One who can teach the boys more than swordcraft. It would not hurt them to learn a few words of the Old Tongue and something of the ways of the free folk.”
“So,” said Alys, as Jon poured, “I am now a woman wed. A wildling husband with his own little wildling army.”
“Free folk is what they call themselves. Most, at least. The Thenns are a people apart, though. Very old.” Ygritte had told him that. You know nothing, Jon Snow. “They come from a hidden vale at the north end of the Frostfangs, surrounded by high peaks, and for thousands of years they've had more truck with the giants than with other men. It made them different.”
but of course the other men of the night’s watch have absolutely no interest in acknowledging the humanity of the free folk or the fact that they’re as diverse and multicultural as any westerosi, which prevents them from forming any meaningful relationship with the free folk on the wall. which is exactly how the night’s watch likes it! thanks a lot JON.
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