How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #4
"I'll train with you," she said. "But don't expect me to take more care of your face than I did today."
He burst into laughter, but then his eyes sobered, and he looked at the floor. "Forgive me for that, Katsa. I wished to make an ally of Lord Giddon, not an enemy. It seemed the only way." (9.119-120)
Po understands that in order to establish a peaceable relationship with Giddon, he needs to defer to Giddon's masculine notion that he is not only Katsa's protector, but her established suitor. Diplomatically it's a smart move, and quite possibly a necessary one.
Quote #5
[Katsa had] never heard of a man, not even her cousin, who didn't want as large a holding as he could have. […] She'd thought all men were like that. She'd thought she wasn't like that because she wasn't a man (10.65).
Aha, but here Katsa discovers that Po, who is a man, isn't like that either. So where's her theory stand now? On shaky ground, probably. And that's the thing about stereotypes. Sure they often exist for a reason—because they've been found to apply in a lot of situations—but if they don't apply in all situations, what's the point of paying attention to them at all? Can stereotypes ever be helpful, or should we try to avoid them at all times?
Quote #6
"I know you're teasing me. And you should know I'm not easily humiliated. You may hunt for my food, and pound me every time we fight, and protect me when we're attacked, if you like. I'll thank you for it." (16.69)
Unlike Giddon, who needs to see himself as Katsa's provider and protector, Po is perfectly comfortable letting her take on these traditionally male roles. The shocking part? He doesn't lose one ounce of his masculinity in the process. And in the end Katsa, despite taking on these masculine roles, is still a woman.